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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book. The writing is excellent; the prose and sayings the characters use fit the characters' settings and personalities (e.g. "they fit together like a nut" from a character living on an island that mainly exports nuts), which is rare. The author described scenes without hammering readers with 2 paragraphs of boring details. I consider this book more "adult" than YA because there was no naive, excessive romance that characterizes most books in the YA genre.
I may be biased because I listened to the audiobook, which has incredible narrators, but I thought each character had a unique voice, which is rare because too many fantasy books have perfect, moral main characters that all sound the same. I'm reading another book concurrently and the 3 protagonists in that one are completely interchangeable.
I saw some complaints about how Lin talked; she does repeats "I am Lin, I am the daughter of the emperor" a lot. BUT (big spoilers)
Lin is a construct. I appreciated how her "I am Lin" statements mirrored Sand's "she was Sand" thoughts. Constructs are guided by simple commands and I thought having the main construct characters use these similar, declarative speaking patterns was good foreshadowing.
The other best part of this book is that sexism isn't an issue, divorce is fine, queer relationships are aren't questioned, women can have broad shoulders and be athletic without being described with the usual bullshit "lithe and muscular, moving like insert-feline-animal-here". Some characters are beautiful, some aren't, it's all fine. Nobility and peasants casually marry for love outside of class and get divorces without ramifications. In other words, this book is the ultimate escapist fiction.
There are a few points in the book where I found myself saying "that sounds weird, but I love it" because of internalized sexism society gave me. E.g. comparing something to like "a husband waiting for his wife as she sails into one last storm" (paraphrased). I'd think "wow in real life those genders would 100% be flipped in a casual simile". I appreciate being grouped with the gender that can recklessly sail instead of the partner waiting at home for once.
Other spoiler, I loved reading about a hero that wasn't classically strong and handsome, but instead had other great qualities. Even Lin isn't beautiful. And yet both of them do great things. It's almost like characters don't have to be beautiful to be impressive. I wish this author could explain this concept to other writers.
I'm super excited for the sequel and I hope the author hires back the same narrators for the next audiobook.
I may be biased because I listened to the audiobook, which has incredible narrators, but I thought each character had a unique voice, which is rare because too many fantasy books have perfect, moral main characters that all sound the same. I'm reading another book concurrently and the 3 protagonists in that one are completely interchangeable.
I saw some complaints about how Lin talked; she does repeats "I am Lin, I am the daughter of the emperor" a lot. BUT (big spoilers)
Spoiler
Lin is a construct. I appreciated how her "I am Lin" statements mirrored Sand's "she was Sand" thoughts. Constructs are guided by simple commands and I thought having the main construct characters use these similar, declarative speaking patterns was good foreshadowing.
The other best part of this book is that sexism isn't an issue, divorce is fine, queer relationships are aren't questioned, women can have broad shoulders and be athletic without being described with the usual bullshit "lithe and muscular, moving like insert-feline-animal-here". Some characters are beautiful, some aren't, it's all fine. Nobility and peasants casually marry for love outside of class and get divorces without ramifications.
Spoiler
Even the corrupt governor has a healthy relationship with his ex-wife.There are a few points in the book where I found myself saying "that sounds weird, but I love it" because of internalized sexism society gave me. E.g. comparing something to like "a husband waiting for his wife as she sails into one last storm" (paraphrased). I'd think "wow in real life those genders would 100% be flipped in a casual simile". I appreciate being grouped with the gender that can recklessly sail instead of the partner waiting at home for once.
Other spoiler,
Spoiler
Jovis is our main witty man character, but he's physically weak and not particularly intimidating pre-Mephy.I'm super excited for the sequel and I hope the author hires back the same narrators for the next audiobook.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced