Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - No Gods, No Monsters

tw: drug use, animal death, death, suicide, medical trauma, child abuse, suspected police brutality, active shooter situation, possible transphobia, prejudice, murder

cool facts: urban fantasy, first of a series, mostly third person and multiple viewpoints + timelines, lgbt+ (including an ace character!), BIPOC author, my first book by him, no steam (level 1), short chapters

tldr summary: what if monsters were real? would we accept them if they revealed themselves? feat. werewolves, vampires, witches, seers.

vibes: mysterious, tense, confusing, a little creepy, dark. excellent writing. a few head scratching moments about science-y stuff like the separation of atoms and alternate timelines. i’m very curious to see where this story goes.

Content Warnings

allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There is some serious world-building mindfuckery on display in this book. The writing is spare and stunning, drawing up images, emotions, and philosophical questions with apparent ease. The narration style confused me at first, not because it is poorly done but because it intends to obscure. We have a seemingly invisible observer as a first-person narrator popping in and out of third-person narration surrounding interconnected but distinct people and plots. I found this an intriguing approach, especially because each person was magnetic even as they were enigmatic. My favorite character was Ridley, an anarchist and worker-owner of a co-op bookstore, who also happens to be an ace trans man. The different characters lead us through the moments where they are pivotal actors or key witnesses in a historic shift for humanity. There is something more natural about this multifaceted approach than following in the wake of a single hero who sees and does everything herself.

I'll keep the discussion of plot brief because I don't want to ruin the experience of seeing the mysteries unfold as the author intends. The gist is this: in the near future, humanity fractures open at the revelation of monsters among us, leading to violence, hatred, and the unveiling of long-pursued secret agendas. The conflicts among many factions will sow chaos on a massive scale.

This eerie fantasy has elements of physics and monster lore spread across a vast landscape, only the first tentative venture in what will require greater exploration. It covers harsh and relevant topics of structural violence, capitalism, abuse, and drug addiction while also peering into philosophical debate about choice and meaning that will take significant time and thought to percolate.

Thanks to Blackstone and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this cleverly woven tapestry of a book, out 9/7.

Content Warnings

ceilidhwilliams's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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