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selemei's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! The way that Cato integrates real history with her magic system is intricate and principled. The characters are diverse and fascinating. Highly recommended.
etoiline's review against another edition
4.0
Breath of Earth by Beth Cato is at once satisfying and disturbing. In a San Francisco with a subtly different history than our own, the great quake still happened, but for a much different reason than simple plate tectonics. We experience this magical place through a steampunk lens, while also examining the forgotten way things really happened. The author brings up feminism, racism, and lgbt rights, without being overly preachy. Yes, a genre novel that made me think.
The world is wonderfully built, using the scaffold of true history and coloring it with Asian influence, for well explained reasons. So why disturbing? As a person of Chinese descent it was uncomfortable to see “my culture” as the bad guys, or the ones that everybody looked down on. Intellectually I know that was the case in actual history, but no one talks about it. I'm pleased to hear about all the research that the author did to find the hidden history of the area, and her ability to combine the actual past with her magical world is refreshing and intriguing.
I enjoyed the characters in this novel. People acted in reasonable, realistic ways, while pushing back against the norms of the time. The worldbuilding is excellent, describing a historic place that feels true to its reality but delightfully embellished with magic and cultural elements that I could believe in. Topics that tend to fluster the less progressive among us are presented in believable context, talked about in a natural way, neither harped upon or shoved under a rug. Huzzah diversity in fiction! Highly recommended.
Received as a free digital ARC via Edelweiss and the publisher. I have also met the author at conventions but this did not affect my review.
The world is wonderfully built, using the scaffold of true history and coloring it with Asian influence, for well explained reasons. So why disturbing? As a person of Chinese descent it was uncomfortable to see “my culture” as the bad guys, or the ones that everybody looked down on. Intellectually I know that was the case in actual history, but no one talks about it. I'm pleased to hear about all the research that the author did to find the hidden history of the area, and her ability to combine the actual past with her magical world is refreshing and intriguing.
I enjoyed the characters in this novel. People acted in reasonable, realistic ways, while pushing back against the norms of the time. The worldbuilding is excellent, describing a historic place that feels true to its reality but delightfully embellished with magic and cultural elements that I could believe in. Topics that tend to fluster the less progressive among us are presented in believable context, talked about in a natural way, neither harped upon or shoved under a rug. Huzzah diversity in fiction! Highly recommended.
Received as a free digital ARC via Edelweiss and the publisher. I have also met the author at conventions but this did not affect my review.
diceydruid's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a great read, easy to get through, and impossible to put down. I really enjoyed it, especially because of the mythical elements that draw on countless cultures and people.
liliavisser's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed it a lot, but at the end
i was just thinking that this story is more lile Empirw Strikes Back than Star Wars: it has a beginning and a middlw, but no real ens. Fortunately enough the next book is coming out in September...
It's still worth reading, for sure.
i was just thinking that this story is more lile Empirw Strikes Back than Star Wars: it has a beginning and a middlw, but no real ens. Fortunately enough the next book is coming out in September...
It's still worth reading, for sure.
jennybeastie's review against another edition
4.0
In general, I'm a fan of Beth Cato, although she walks the line of too much stuff going on to the detriment of the story. However, I definitely feel like her writing just keeps getting better and better, so this is an exciting new world from her.
Very original, very interesting weaving of San Francisco history with a magical influences and I like the pointed exaggeration of the brutal havoc caused by colonialism in India and China, and the oppression of Chinese immigrants to the US-- not that her world exaggerates the reality all that much, but that the alternative history is set up to focus on it in a way that most history books do not.
I appreciate the diversity of the characters (asian, hawaiian, unknown, trans) the strong heroine, the interesting the magics (geomancers!) and the airships (yay). I like both the compassion displayed and the thorny-ness of the problems they face. Also, btw, kick-ass adventure. I can't wait to see where this goes next.
Very original, very interesting weaving of San Francisco history with a magical influences and I like the pointed exaggeration of the brutal havoc caused by colonialism in India and China, and the oppression of Chinese immigrants to the US-- not that her world exaggerates the reality all that much, but that the alternative history is set up to focus on it in a way that most history books do not.
I appreciate the diversity of the characters (asian, hawaiian, unknown, trans) the strong heroine, the interesting the magics (geomancers!) and the airships (yay). I like both the compassion displayed and the thorny-ness of the problems they face. Also, btw, kick-ass adventure. I can't wait to see where this goes next.
lastminute's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this book - it had both an interesting premise (where magic is real but can be harnessed and used like electricity) and thoughtful societal conflicts. Only downside is that I'm starting to read this as it is being written, instead of being able to sit down and consume the whole series at one go.
cupiscent's review against another edition
Setting aside circa 60 pages in. It seems like an interesting alternate-history with earth-magic-driven steampunk vibes, but I'm just not feeling it.
I'm wondering if part of that is voice; because I mentally default to British/Commonwealth English, the occasional bits of folksy American in the narrative voice really throw me out, without it being ubiquitous enough for me to step out of my default and enjoy it as a Voice. But I'm also not wildly into "our heroine is Unique and All-Powerful". So this is a lot of things that individually wouldn't be a dealbreaker, but all together are making me go, "ehhhh I have other things on the shelf right now that I'm more excited to read."
I'm wondering if part of that is voice; because I mentally default to British/Commonwealth English, the occasional bits of folksy American in the narrative voice really throw me out, without it being ubiquitous enough for me to step out of my default and enjoy it as a Voice. But I'm also not wildly into "our heroine is Unique and All-Powerful". So this is a lot of things that individually wouldn't be a dealbreaker, but all together are making me go, "ehhhh I have other things on the shelf right now that I'm more excited to read."
detailsandtales's review against another edition
4.0
This story starts off with an intriguing character, has a disaster early on, and then the tension keeps building, even as the back-story gets more and more complex. Added bonus for LGBT representation in a way that is respectful while also fitting the time period. Similarly, the story addresses issues of racism, and intertwines history with speculative element in a way that feels well-researched.
passerinus's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. It had a compelling plot, a cast of diverse characters, and plenty of good magic (always a plus with me). The alternate history, steampunky setting was a lot of fun, and while one could quibble with the language or the historical interpretation, I think Cato did her research very well and I felt immersed in the world she built. I recommend this book if you like nifty sorcery, alternate histories, diverse and compelling characters, and a racing plot.
christina_ro's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I really enjoyed the world building and the mechanics In this book. For the pace of the book, the romance felt a bit rushed. Overall I enjoyed it and I’ll likely go on and read the rest of the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence