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akleavitt's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Torture
Minor: Child death
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I had to start this over from the beginning about halfway in because I realized I hadn't understood anything that had happened in the previous 5 chapters, but even paying closer attention, this is a difficult novel to follow. Despite how much is happening, it also turned out to be quite underwhelming -- even boring -- for me.
The prose itself is fine, doesn't stand out as uniquely good or bad. There's a little too much telling over showing, though, particularly when it comes to characters' feelings and opinions -- and yet too little information when it comes to general exposition. This world has a lot of cool, complex elements to it -- seemingly traditional Tolkien/D&D-inspired cultures, some sci-fi elements, various systems of magic and religion -- but little work is put into earnestly fleshing them out or truly explaining them. I think some writers hear people complain about exposition dumps and just assume all consolidated blocks of exposition are unwanted, so never actually bother to list out how their world works, which I assume to be happening here.
The magic/religious aspects are probably the only things described in detail, and even then I don't think I understand the basics of the magic. Incorporating traveling between worlds could also be interesting, but the mechanics and terminology are vague; I was never able to figure out how the gates/Maze work, or even whether the "worlds" are meant to be on different planets in some solar system/universe, or even in different parallel timelines, or just locations within the same planet you can... warp to, or something to that effect? Weirdly, the one thing that this world does have in common with ours are other animals, which I feel like is another area of missed potential, though I might just be too into fantasy biology/ecology.
The different groups (unclear, again, whether they should be treated as nationalities, ethnicities, or entire species) are probably meant to be classic fantasy species -- I say "probably" because the most done to establish this is mentioning characteristics like tusks and ear types. Only a handful of descriptions even hint at values, traditions, cuisine, and so on that exist within these cultures, let alone differ between them. I assume from character names that the Qarsazhi use the name order of last followed by first and the Oshaaru don't use surnames, but this seems to not ever be directly stated at all, so it ends up just feeling like random flavor. Having some worldbuilding elements be there just to be there/"for fun" would be fine... if there were enough other well-developed descriptions to back them up. It feels almost as if Larkwood wanted to subvert overdone sword and sorcery tropes (villainous orcs vs heroic humans and elves, for instance), but then also figured the standard reader would fill in the blanks.
I picked "a mix" for whether this is plot-/character-driven, but somehow it doesn't actually feel like it's either? There's kind of a central plot, but it's pursued in a series of weirdly paced (alternately meandering and breakneck, neither with much real sense of urgency or risk) mini-quests. Most characters don't have much agency or personality of their own, carried along by the needs of either the current or overarching plot or other, equally flat characters. A lot of important development, like Csorwe's training and changing relationships with Sethennai and Tal, happens almost completely off-page.
The character voices are not very distinct either, which especially stands out in this setting, with everyone coming from completely different social classes, locations, languages, general upbringings and worldviews, etc -- surely there could have been at least a little more variation with regards to, say, senses of humor and sentence structure. Instead, multiple times, a POV would switch and I would have lost track of who was narrating within four paragraphs.
I did think the themes of personal and systematic exploitation and manipulation were interesting, and if the characters had been stronger, Csorwe's sort of "cycle" where she does for someone else what Sethennai did for her would have been super satisfying. The main romance, as well as some other dynamics, also could have been compelling, but its development is a bit too fast and, again, the individual characters felt shallowly written.
Had so much potential, but unfortunately my expectations were far from met.
The prose itself is fine, doesn't stand out as uniquely good or bad. There's a little too much telling over showing, though, particularly when it comes to characters' feelings and opinions -- and yet too little information when it comes to general exposition. This world has a lot of cool, complex elements to it -- seemingly traditional Tolkien/D&D-inspired cultures, some sci-fi elements, various systems of magic and religion -- but little work is put into earnestly fleshing them out or truly explaining them. I think some writers hear people complain about exposition dumps and just assume all consolidated blocks of exposition are unwanted, so never actually bother to list out how their world works, which I assume to be happening here.
The magic/religious aspects are probably the only things described in detail, and even then I don't think I understand the basics of the magic. Incorporating traveling between worlds could also be interesting, but the mechanics and terminology are vague; I was never able to figure out how the gates/Maze work, or even whether the "worlds" are meant to be on different planets in some solar system/universe, or even in different parallel timelines, or just locations within the same planet you can... warp to, or something to that effect? Weirdly, the one thing that this world does have in common with ours are other animals, which I feel like is another area of missed potential, though I might just be too into fantasy biology/ecology.
The different groups (unclear, again, whether they should be treated as nationalities, ethnicities, or entire species) are probably meant to be classic fantasy species -- I say "probably" because the most done to establish this is mentioning characteristics like tusks and ear types. Only a handful of descriptions even hint at values, traditions, cuisine, and so on that exist within these cultures, let alone differ between them. I assume from character names that the Qarsazhi use the name order of last followed by first and the Oshaaru don't use surnames, but this seems to not ever be directly stated at all, so it ends up just feeling like random flavor. Having some worldbuilding elements be there just to be there/"for fun" would be fine... if there were enough other well-developed descriptions to back them up. It feels almost as if Larkwood wanted to subvert overdone sword and sorcery tropes (villainous orcs vs heroic humans and elves, for instance), but then also figured the standard reader would fill in the blanks.
I picked "a mix" for whether this is plot-/character-driven, but somehow it doesn't actually feel like it's either? There's kind of a central plot, but it's pursued in a series of weirdly paced (alternately meandering and breakneck, neither with much real sense of urgency or risk) mini-quests. Most characters don't have much agency or personality of their own, carried along by the needs of either the current or overarching plot or other, equally flat characters. A lot of important development, like Csorwe's training and changing relationships with Sethennai and Tal, happens almost completely off-page.
The character voices are not very distinct either, which especially stands out in this setting, with everyone coming from completely different social classes, locations, languages, general upbringings and worldviews, etc -- surely there could have been at least a little more variation with regards to, say, senses of humor and sentence structure. Instead, multiple times, a POV would switch and I would have lost track of who was narrating within four paragraphs.
I did think the themes of personal and systematic exploitation and manipulation were interesting, and if the characters had been stronger, Csorwe's sort of "cycle" where she does for someone else what Sethennai did for her would have been super satisfying. The main romance, as well as some other dynamics, also could have been compelling, but its development is a bit too fast and, again, the individual characters felt shallowly written.
Had so much potential, but unfortunately my expectations were far from met.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Religious bigotry, Violence, Torture, and Body horror
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Child death
Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Vomit
zoiejanelle's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
(another audio rental from the library)
overall, the plot was pretty convoluted and i think i would have enjoyed this more as a physical book where i would ‘t miss any details. at times i wasn’t sure why each character was where or what they were doing, but in the second half everything came together and it was absolutely a wild ride.
despite the pacing issues and the time-skips, this was such a fun read. i genuinely had so much fun experiencing the character interactions and individual plots. Csorwe has my ENTIRE HEART and i will be thinking about her and Shuthmili every second of every day until i die. i love fantasy lesbians in space. (Tal was also fucking hilarious and i can’t wait to read more of him in the next book.)
i also loved the non-human protagonist and a style that combined DnD and sci-fi tropes. it was a really unique book—style and thematically—and i’m so glad i decided to read it. (based off one review that said “unrealistic. not EVERY character can be gay!”)
the messaging of each of our lived belonging to ourselves and the important of freedom really hit home for me. Csorwe and Shuthmili’s experiences in their religious cults and their unique reactions to their upbringings really touched me, and i wonder if the author has has her own experience with religious extremism or indoctrination.
i loved this, especially the end, and i am moving right along into the next one!!!
overall, the plot was pretty convoluted and i think i would have enjoyed this more as a physical book where i would ‘t miss any details. at times i wasn’t sure why each character was where or what they were doing, but in the second half everything came together and it was absolutely a wild ride.
despite the pacing issues and the time-skips, this was such a fun read. i genuinely had so much fun experiencing the character interactions and individual plots. Csorwe has my ENTIRE HEART and i will be thinking about her and Shuthmili every second of every day until i die. i love fantasy lesbians in space. (Tal was also fucking hilarious and i can’t wait to read more of him in the next book.)
i also loved the non-human protagonist and a style that combined DnD and sci-fi tropes. it was a really unique book—style and thematically—and i’m so glad i decided to read it. (based off one review that said “unrealistic. not EVERY character can be gay!”)
the messaging of each of our lived belonging to ourselves and the important of freedom really hit home for me. Csorwe and Shuthmili’s experiences in their religious cults and their unique reactions to their upbringings really touched me, and i wonder if the author has has her own experience with religious extremism or indoctrination.
i loved this, especially the end, and i am moving right along into the next one!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, Body horror, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture, Child death, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Minor: War
rory_o_rama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
“She had never seriously believed in the daydream, never actually fed it and given it room to sleep”
The poeticism laced within the margins of this book made my heart ache for each of the characters. There was a delightful amount of humour interwoven through petty feuds, and just when you think a Csorwe has endured all that she can, she perseveres.
The poeticism laced within the margins of this book made my heart ache for each of the characters. There was a delightful amount of humour interwoven through petty feuds, and just when you think a Csorwe has endured all that she can, she perseveres.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Self harm, Child abuse, Torture, and Death
Moderate: Child death and Animal death
foxgl0v's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child death, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Gore, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
starccato's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Torture, Emotional abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Child death, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Self harm, and Vomit
ruthlessreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book was exactly the dark epic fantasy I wanted but didn't know it. It starts a little slow while the world building is established but once it gets into gear, the plot doesn't stop until the last page. There are so many twists and turns, I was never able to predict what would happen next. It's also SECRETLY GAY. Well, not really secret, but it's not mentioned anywhere in the summary or elsewhere that there's a sapphic romance at the core of the novel. It's still primarily a fantasy novel, with plenty of slash and stab adventures & sparkle and bang magic to fulfill all your fantasy adventure desires. But it's also a tender coming of age story about learning who to trust and who to fight for when you've been raised to believe a fight is all you're good for. It's about defying & subverting expectations by being true to the person you discover along the adventure of your life. I really loved this book & highly recommend it for fans of Gideon the Ninth! The main characters give me Harrow & Gideon energy.
Okay, so brief summary: Csorwe, though she's only 14, is a clergy member at the temple of the Unspoken One. As she is poised to sacrifice herself in a religious ritual, she is rescued & smuggled away by Sethennai, a powerful & brilliant mage. Sethennai raises Csorwe to be his weapon, training her to fight, and tasking her with retrieving The Reliquary--an object of extreme power & knowledge. On one of many trips to discover the location of this item, Csorwe meets Struthmili & everything she thought she knew about herself, her job, and her path in life will be called into question when she is faced with a difficult decision: fight for the item she's tasked to recover or save the life of someone for whom she's developing complicated feelings. Again and again, Csorwe will be faced with decisions that alter her fate & lead her down paths she never expected to return. What is at the end of her story? I guess you'll have to read it to find out!
Okay, so brief summary: Csorwe, though she's only 14, is a clergy member at the temple of the Unspoken One. As she is poised to sacrifice herself in a religious ritual, she is rescued & smuggled away by Sethennai, a powerful & brilliant mage. Sethennai raises Csorwe to be his weapon, training her to fight, and tasking her with retrieving The Reliquary--an object of extreme power & knowledge. On one of many trips to discover the location of this item, Csorwe meets Struthmili & everything she thought she knew about herself, her job, and her path in life will be called into question when she is faced with a difficult decision: fight for the item she's tasked to recover or save the life of someone for whom she's developing complicated feelings. Again and again, Csorwe will be faced with decisions that alter her fate & lead her down paths she never expected to return. What is at the end of her story? I guess you'll have to read it to find out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Drug use, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Child death and War
There are some pretty dark themes and scenes. Please read content warnings & summaries before starting this series. This is the first book in The Serpent Gates series!local_hat's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is the first book in a long time that I sank in to and devoured within about 24 hours. At least the pannacotta didn't totally take that away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Child death
sapphic_in_the_stacks's review
This book and concept had such potential, I was really excited to start reading it. Honestly I just couldn't make myself finish it. I was listening to the audio book and I kept listening in hopes it would get better, but it was so slow and dull from the beginning and it didn't get better. The characters are somehow both boring and annoying, their motivations feel so basic. I also couldn't listen to any more unnecessarily gory scenes. I get that Csorwe is supposed to be this badass character, but she's really just annoying and reckless, and the amount that she becomes seriously graphically injured really got to me by this point. When I realized I was dreading trying to get through any more of this book I decided it was time to give up. If it's not good by 70% of the way in, it's not worth finishing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Gore
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Child death
bluejayreads's review
4.75
There seems to be a theme lately of me picking up long books with low expectations and actually enjoying them a lot. I was intrigued by the protagonist raised to be a human sacrifice and then deciding not to die, but that back cover didn't seem like it would be worth a whole 18 hours of audiobook.
In a way, I was right. The entire plot on the back cover is done 65 minutes into the book - I actually looked at the timestamp because I couldn't believe it was so fast. The beginning skims though Csorwe's time at the temple of the Unspoken one, blazes though her choice, and covers two years in a matter of minutes (literally 2% of the book, I checked the timestamp). It was moving too fast for me to really care about much that was going on, interesting ideas be damned, and the only reason I didn't stop there was because I didn't want to get in trouble if I got caught having my phone out long enough to queue up another book.
But by the time I went on break and could have dropped this book and started a new one, I didn't want to. Nearly an hour and a half in, the meat of the story finally started.
This is the book I switched out with The Body Keeps the Score (since I could only read that one two hours at a time and I needed something to fill the other six hours of a workday), and alternating the two makes for a heck of a reading experience. It's never explicitly mentioned and I don't even know if the author intended it, but Csorwe displays so many characteristics of an abused child. And none of the abuse is physical. Growing up as a destined sacrifice, it was lack of caring and connection and being told since she was old enough to understand that it was her duty to die and that's what all the adults in her life wanted for her. After her escape, it was psychological and emotional (unless you count putting her in dangerous situations as physical abuse) from Belthandros Sethennai, the wizard who rescued her and who hits 8 of the 9 diagnostic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder. And she genuinely loves him because she believes him convincing her not to become a human sacrifice means she owes him her life.
For something that seems like it should be a rollicking fantasy adventure and has so many wizard duels, creepy cultists, and fantasy settings, it is surprisingly character-driven. In fact, it is almost entirely character-driven. The only thing that could really be called a plot is that Belthandros wants a phylactery and uses Csorwe as one of his tools to get it. That doesn't really sound like enough to fill 18 hours, but it's also full of dead worlds, ancient crypts, snake goddesses, prison fortresses, reluctant allies, and a very sweet romance between Csorwe and an adorable research nerd in a similar situation to Csorwe before she met Belthandros. It was quite enough to keep me interested and engaged.
I have a ton of things I want to say, but considering that the entire back cover plot wraps up 5% of the way through the book, saying much more is probably a spoiler. The beginning was very rough, but after that I enjoyed it thoroughly. I didn't know there was a sequel going in, and I don't even know what it's going to be about, but I love Csorwe, I enjoy her love interest, I thoroughly enjoy exploring all the weird and wonderful and eerie places that exist in this world, and I bet I will enjoy book two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Torture, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child death and Body horror