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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
I'm thankful to Goodreads, because it shows me precisely how many days of my life I'll never get back for having read this book. That's not nice, I know. But there it is. The challenge was to read a book by an author with my initials (LMB). Unfortunately, there is only one that I could find. I knew going in that it was a long shot to become a favorite, as Fantasy is, in general, my least favorite genre. Although there are some specific exceptions to that, alas, it remains true. 502 pages of unpronounceable names and a story that was interesting enough, but could have been told in 300 pages, maybe even 200.
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
A powerful, beautiful work. In some ways, the central conflict of the book doesn't show up until halfway through. But in others, the slow meandering journey to that point is essential to the book's purpose. Enjoy the ride, and the beautiful prose, and you'll eventually get to the action.
It is knocked off a little for a weird age-gap romance that feels entirely tacked on, but otherwise, the book is perfectly what it wants to be.
It is knocked off a little for a weird age-gap romance that feels entirely tacked on, but otherwise, the book is perfectly what it wants to be.
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was for me. It’s long, slow, full of court intrigue and weird fantasy theology, which I’m obsessed with. Cazaril makes a remarkable hero - a good person who signs up to get the shit kicked out of him over and over for the entire novel, in order that no one else should suffer. I have no defenses against this. Bujold’s writing is elegant and warm, visceral in its descriptions of suffering, funny when I most needed it. I loved it.
A sweet story of courtly intrigue and women ordering a world that thinks it's ordering them.
CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics)
Things to love:
-Cazaril. The main character is tragically tormented, and we watch him heal. He's loyal, kind, intelligent, and extremely brave.
-The other characters. The Provencara, Iselle, Betriz, Pally, the Fox, Bergen, Umegat... they all became friends. They all have lovely, distinct personalities and humors. You cheer for all of them.
-The ending. I've been reading a lot of very depressing books lately. Sure, this had some darkness to it, but it was nice for everything to come to rest, and to rest happily for the principle parties.
Things I didn't love:
-What moves the story. Caz is great. And he did marvelous things. But I'm not entirely sure why, and it feels like most of the story was actually Iselle's, Ista's, the Royina, and the other women. But this was framed as a sort of swashbuckling story and therefore, despite their own inner strengths and the fact that it was they who moved pawns, it still couldn't be their story.
-He thought Betriz was 16. I get that this is loosely based upon a tale of the actual Spanish aristocracy. But it was veeery loose. I'm always a little grumbly about romances set up between people of vastly disparate ages and experiences--especially when it turns out that the person seems younger than their years, rather than older. This one is better than most but I still want to know what it is that makes authors write these stories.
-A bit convoluted. In the manner of those gothic romances, there's a lot going on that manages to get wrapped up very neatly. It was a fun story and well told, so it's not like it hindered things, but at the end I asked "how is this all possible?" Even with the logic of the book, the plot didn't quite add up.
-Needed more magic. This world has very potent magic. But apparently one god is much more direct than the others. I'd liked to have seen more about that.
-Audiobook. I listened to this and a lot of it was very good but there was a lot of stuttering and laughing that felt unnecessary, and the inflection was often not how I envisioned things. It really marred some of the humor.
Probably closer to 3.5 stars, and possibly would have been rounded up if I'd read it with my eyes or with more distance from another book that involved disparate power dynamics in a relationship. If you're looking for a sweet, action-filled romance, this would fit the bill admirably.
CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics)
Spoiler
discussion of rape, child abuse, torture, domestic violence, slavery--though none on screen. Animals killed. Some gore.Things to love:
-Cazaril. The main character is tragically tormented, and we watch him heal. He's loyal, kind, intelligent, and extremely brave.
-The other characters. The Provencara, Iselle, Betriz, Pally, the Fox, Bergen, Umegat... they all became friends. They all have lovely, distinct personalities and humors. You cheer for all of them.
-The ending. I've been reading a lot of very depressing books lately. Sure, this had some darkness to it, but it was nice for everything to come to rest, and to rest happily for the principle parties.
Things I didn't love:
-What moves the story. Caz is great. And he did marvelous things. But I'm not entirely sure why, and it feels like most of the story was actually Iselle's, Ista's, the Royina, and the other women. But this was framed as a sort of swashbuckling story and therefore, despite their own inner strengths and the fact that it was they who moved pawns, it still couldn't be their story.
-He thought Betriz was 16. I get that this is loosely based upon a tale of the actual Spanish aristocracy. But it was veeery loose. I'm always a little grumbly about romances set up between people of vastly disparate ages and experiences--especially when it turns out that the person seems younger than their years, rather than older. This one is better than most but I still want to know what it is that makes authors write these stories.
-A bit convoluted. In the manner of those gothic romances, there's a lot going on that manages to get wrapped up very neatly. It was a fun story and well told, so it's not like it hindered things, but at the end I asked "how is this all possible?" Even with the logic of the book, the plot didn't quite add up.
-Needed more magic. This world has very potent magic. But apparently one god is much more direct than the others. I'd liked to have seen more about that.
-Audiobook. I listened to this and a lot of it was very good but there was a lot of stuttering and laughing that felt unnecessary, and the inflection was often not how I envisioned things. It really marred some of the humor.
Probably closer to 3.5 stars, and possibly would have been rounded up if I'd read it with my eyes or with more distance from another book that involved disparate power dynamics in a relationship. If you're looking for a sweet, action-filled romance, this would fit the bill admirably.
Kind of amazed I have read any of this author as I've tried to read off the Hugo list and she is a multiple Hugo winner. Anyway, quite enjoyed the political intrigue of this story, but the exploration of free will vs destiny, prayer vs action, and man's relationship with the divine was where the real interesting stuff was.