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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thanks to AK Press for the free advance copy of this book.
- A COUNTRY OF GHOSTS is a novella that explores a battle to escape imperialism and build an anarchist society out of what already exists.
- One of the best things about this book was the way Horacki would ask a question about the way something was done in Hron (for example, what if no one wants to pick crops) and the people would look at him like that was such a ridiculous question, and their explanation of their non-capitalist system was perfectly logical and efficacious. It's really perspective-shifting in a gentle way.
- In the author's note, Killjoy writes about how she specifically chose to write about building a utopia inside the bones of an existing society rather than in the blank slate of a new nation, since that's how it would have to go in our current reality. There's a lot to chew on in what at first glance seems like just historical fiction.
- A COUNTRY OF GHOSTS is a novella that explores a battle to escape imperialism and build an anarchist society out of what already exists.
- One of the best things about this book was the way Horacki would ask a question about the way something was done in Hron (for example, what if no one wants to pick crops) and the people would look at him like that was such a ridiculous question, and their explanation of their non-capitalist system was perfectly logical and efficacious. It's really perspective-shifting in a gentle way.
- In the author's note, Killjoy writes about how she specifically chose to write about building a utopia inside the bones of an existing society rather than in the blank slate of a new nation, since that's how it would have to go in our current reality. There's a lot to chew on in what at first glance seems like just historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
I'm rating this 4 stars and I'm not 100% sure that I'd do so if I were reading this at another time because there is so much to like about this book but also a lot of ways in which it falls short for me. However, a huge chunk of the beginning was pretty dull for me. The book is kind of set up into three parts: an opening when the protagonist is embedded with imperial troops (which I didn't really enjoy very much), an exploration of Hron, and a final conflict defending Hron from the empire. Each chapter after the first section was mostly an excuse to discuss some concept of how an anarchistic alliance of cooperation can work. It was didactic, but worked well enough as a narrative and managed to steer clear of pedantry. Having the story told through the first-hand account of a journalist made it seem less contrived when people took time to explain how they related to each other economically and/or socially without formal rules of governance.
For a concept-driven work, I was surprised at how well developed the characters were, though I don't think that Killjoy ever really presented them in a way that would make me feel attached to them to cheer or mourn them. And I think that this is part of where my esteem falls off for this novel: the culture and people were well developed but it all felt a bit too much like a human interest story and not something I could lose myself in. If Hron were to lose so the author could make a point then I'd probably feel the same way about the book as a whole as if they won to make a different point. I never felt invested in it no matter how interested in it I became.
For a concept-driven work, I was surprised at how well developed the characters were, though I don't think that Killjoy ever really presented them in a way that would make me feel attached to them to cheer or mourn them. And I think that this is part of where my esteem falls off for this novel: the culture and people were well developed but it all felt a bit too much like a human interest story and not something I could lose myself in. If Hron were to lose so the author could make a point then I'd probably feel the same way about the book as a whole as if they won to make a different point. I never felt invested in it no matter how interested in it I became.
A much-needed vision of a utopia hidden in the forest, alive and aching and temporary, but worth the fight to maintain. A fantasy (only in the barest sense) counterpart to The Dispossessed, but without even Le Guin's qualms about an anarchic society. Killjoy's vision is idealized in the sense that any utopic novel needs to be, but it never wavers from both showing the dangers and problems inherent to a better world and how much worse the alternative is.
The overall pacing of the book just did not work for me. The action of the war was good, but I wish Killjoy had interspersed more action with the talking parts of the novel. Instead, it’s action/talking and society-building/action. It’s very clunky and results in some tediously boring chapters, especially when compared with earlier, faster-paced material. The characters spend a great deal of the narrative on convincing various villages to contribute to the defense of their homeland, and on introducing Dimos to the unique character of the new world he’s in.
Now for that world-building. The setting is extremely well-detailed, and it’s easy to see the countryside and towns as Dimos and his new companions ride through them. That utopian anarchistic society, though… I just can’t buy into it, no matter how detailed and carefully thought-out it is. I guess I just can’t believe there’s that much generosity across the board in humanity any more, that they could all support each other like one big happy family with no economy and no bartering. We’re literally told there’s no poverty. At least Killjoy doesn’t try to depict everyone as lovey-dovey–in fact as a whole the society seems a bit grumpy–but I suppose recent politics have left me with too little faith in humanity at this point. I just can’t buy into it at the level it’s shown here. At least the characters have depth and interest. It’s easy to tell them apart, and they have plenty of personality.
All in all, the pacing and the super-idealism don’t work for me. If you think those things wouldn’t bother you, then you’ll probably enjoy this tale–I know an audience exists for these things, it just isn’t me this time.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/09/review-a-country-of-ghosts-margaret-killjoy/
Now for that world-building. The setting is extremely well-detailed, and it’s easy to see the countryside and towns as Dimos and his new companions ride through them. That utopian anarchistic society, though… I just can’t buy into it, no matter how detailed and carefully thought-out it is. I guess I just can’t believe there’s that much generosity across the board in humanity any more, that they could all support each other like one big happy family with no economy and no bartering. We’re literally told there’s no poverty. At least Killjoy doesn’t try to depict everyone as lovey-dovey–in fact as a whole the society seems a bit grumpy–but I suppose recent politics have left me with too little faith in humanity at this point. I just can’t buy into it at the level it’s shown here. At least the characters have depth and interest. It’s easy to tell them apart, and they have plenty of personality.
All in all, the pacing and the super-idealism don’t work for me. If you think those things wouldn’t bother you, then you’ll probably enjoy this tale–I know an audience exists for these things, it just isn’t me this time.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/09/review-a-country-of-ghosts-margaret-killjoy/
this was a really interesting read, not something I'd usuallygo for but I love her writing. a great reminder of how much truth & wisdom can be found in fiction. from one of my newest favorite authors
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My notes: https://anaulin.org/blog/book-notes-a-country-of-ghosts/