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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
This is not a young adult novel. Readers old and young will love it but this is not young adult. Full of dark mysteries, beautiful horrors, and foetid piles of human despair, I am happy a young adult styling kept it from being any more brutal.
This was an absolutely engaging book, both an examination of human self deception and of history presented in a charming period voice with diversions into alternate voices as necessary. I am drawn to authors who make use of the flawed narrator in first person narrative and Aderson delivers. The time period covered is fresh when seen through Octavian's eyes, and I am reminded of the Benjamin January novels, meets Gormenghast.
Some unspoilery warnings however: this book is at times grotesque regarding the treatment of humans and animals, and may at times be too cruel for a sensitive reader. Particularly because they are true to history and human nature.
This was an absolutely engaging book, both an examination of human self deception and of history presented in a charming period voice with diversions into alternate voices as necessary. I am drawn to authors who make use of the flawed narrator in first person narrative and Aderson delivers. The time period covered is fresh when seen through Octavian's eyes, and I am reminded of the Benjamin January novels, meets Gormenghast.
Some unspoilery warnings however: this book is at times grotesque regarding the treatment of humans and animals, and may at times be too cruel for a sensitive reader. Particularly because they are true to history and human nature.
I went into this thinking it was some steampunk (cuz the cover) alternate universe fable. As much as I love to fall through those young adult rabbit holes, the historical horrors here proved even more disorienting and creepytastic. The experience was a bit like preparing for Disneyland but ending up on a tour of Auschwitz. How is Anderson so good at immersive voices? I want to build a home in Octavian's mind. I mildly hated some of the POV changes, but I get why they were narratively helpful.
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
No
this was dreadful - excellent historical details but so long and dreary.
challenging
slow-paced
bruh this was so so boring. american revolution fanfic that is so heavy handed. the fact that a quarter of the book is just letters that are so poorly strung together is random.
Octavian's story shows how a child can rely on authority for complete truth and believe his own life is the path of many. This book shows the power of racial investigation during the Revolutionary War, and the dehumanizing effect that investigation had on a little boy and more importantly his mother.
The story was long at some points and a little slow. It was not gripping enough to make me want to read it again, even thought it touched on a lot of points that I am interested in.
The story was long at some points and a little slow. It was not gripping enough to make me want to read it again, even thought it touched on a lot of points that I am interested in.
A new angle on the injustices of racism and it's consequences. Really makes the reader think!
I think I would have liked this better had it not been written by a white man.