Reviews

For the authors first book she did an amazing job at world building, but that's where the amazing ended. The characters were two dimensional and the story in general was rather slow and meandering. It picked up towards the end but it was too little too late. The author definitely has the writing chops to create something special she just needs a little more time honing her craft.

pearlc's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

I am still digesting this book, but it is absolutely a top book of the year. This is a difficult book that handles a number of complicated topics without making any of them seem less important than they are. This is a book about faith, loss, revenge, abuse, radicalization, and what to do when you discover that you've spent your life fighting on the wrong side.

There are no easy answers and this could only have been written with an older protagonist. This is a reflection on a life and a re-examination. How did you get here? Could you have taken a different path? Were you compliant or a victim? Is it possible to be both? All set in a city on the brink of revolution.

It's also a book questioning what the price is for what you believe in. How much are you willing to sacrifice? How much are you willing to leave behind? At what point does the revolution become the oppressors?

We see these questions from a variety of angles and are given no clear answers because the answers are individual to every person.

This is, nominally, about a warrior, disgraced and exiled, from her people and faith learning how to exist without the structures she's given herself to for the majority of her life. It's condensed in location as a better way to explore the themes. It's a powerful book. Recommended for anyone looking to explore any of the themes mentioned.

tisjenna's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Content Warnings

thislittlebook's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

_readwithash's review against another edition

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4.0

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a treat. I'll admit, in the beginning I found myself wondering why I should care about the main character, but that soon dissipated and quickly enough I was devouring this story. The world building was interesting, the gods fascinating, and the technology both incredible and almost painful.

A story about religion, abuse, and oppression, you never really get the big answers you seek, but Mills writes with just enough certainties that you're left feeling satisfied.

My biggest complaint is that I could have used some sort of appendix to remind myself of all of the places, titles, and roles within the book, but I was able to forge on even in uncertainty and found myself really appreciating this unique novel.

lianakayarr's review

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

5.0

yuck1209's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book reminded me of Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh. There's similarities with the whole military cult vibe, the protagonist having to unlearn their problematic conditioning, etc. By contrast, The Wings Upon Her Back leans more heavily on gods and religion to explore themes of faith, doubt, and disillusionment. Similarly again, there's some critique on the fragility of fascism wrapped in there, though I think TWUHB is more about how much fascism depends on isolation, on sameness of thoughts, experiences, and beliefs.

But something about this book just didn't quite work for me, which is unfortunate because it explores a lot of interesting ideas. There's reflection on why people choose to (and continue to) believe in flimsy societal constructions. A commentary on how dictators rise to power and how they successfully compel people to their orders despite any moral qualms. There's also something about faith and, rather than challenging our beliefs or preconceptions, it's often easier to double-down and stay the course... rather than upend our entire understanding of the world. And how, unfortunately, that sunk-cost fallacy can trap us in harmful situations.

It was regret for doing what she was told. For letting herself be molded, for watching it happen and continuing forward anyway, because the only way to stop was to admit it had all been for nothing.

So while the themes were thought-provoking (and honestly pretty relevant today), I had trouble connecting with the protagonists. One thing I noticed was how Zenya and Zemolai don't really have any meaningful relationships with other characters. Arguably the most impactful one is their connection to Vodaya, which we can unpack later. But yeah, Zenya doesn't really have any close friends or confidants to speak of. She exchanges terse letters with her brother, is in constant competition with her squad to win Vodaya's approval - that's about it. Zemolai is disgraced from the mecha cult, and spends the bulk of her time interacting with the rebel cell that rescued her for their own ends. And the majority of that time is spent with her actively manipulating them, implementing the very same strategies Vodaya used to pit them against each other (until, of course, she has a change of heart).

To me, it felt like the book emphasized how much Zemolai's faith was the result of having a "charismatic" leader more than there being a larger systemic issue at play. But then, is that really how I would describe Vodaya? I got the sense that Vodaya was generally worshipped by her immediate squad, and inevitably whoever had the misfortune of being her designated prized student. Beyond that group, I wondered if she came across as more of an unhinged or radical member of the sect; Raksa and her former "favorite" certainly made it seem that way.

In some ways, it came across as a cautionary tale of the dangers of putting all your faith and trust in one person or thing. Like Zenya's world revolving around Vodaya's approval and scraps of affection. Vodaya (and the preceding Voices in the mecha sect) putting all their faith in the notion that the mecha god cared at all about them and their city.

It is terrible, in its way, terrifying, to be responsible for the course of one's life, with no higher authority to blame. But there is a freedom in it, as well. The freedom to choose what comes next.

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