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conhallwrites's review against another edition
Sigh. I got so far. And I was loving it — the story, characters, the writing. Literally everything about this book is excellent and makes it one I would recommend to friends who want to read messy queers with mechs. But i set it down for so long while dealing with ~life~, I’ve forgotten where I left off but only have 20 or so pages left. Appalling, I know >_<
the_bitextual's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
3.0
One big caveat, or this would've probably been 5/5; the narrator. It's probably just me, but I had a hard time engaging with the reading. He was boring. I had to rewind a couple times, and I'm sure I still missed bits. I really liked the world and lore, but I'm gonna need a physical read of this one.
themildone's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
2.5
samjey2021's review against another edition
2.75
I wanted to LOVE this so bad, in the end it was…fine? Good writing and characters, interesting world, MAJOR pacing issues. At about 1/2 it started to feel like a slog. Might improve on reread, but I don’t think I’ll attempt it any time soon.
liokamino's review against another edition
3.0
this book is gorgeous.
it is also confusing as hell.
maybe that’s because i listened to it on audiobook instead of reading it — not every book translates well to audio, and not every voice actor or reader can elevate a text enough to bring it to life — so i’m going to reread it in a few months’ time, but a quick glance at the review section makes me think my opinion won’t change much. this book has such a fascinating world, delightfully complex and funny characters, and some of the most singularly beautiful and provocative writing i’ve read outside of my favorite poets, yet those attributes were not enough to save it from its massive pacing problem.
on paper this book has everything i’ve ever wanted: gods as robots, robots as gods, body horror, ocean beasts, intrigue, betrayal, non-western worldbuilding, and a positively delicious amount of fuckery, yet it took me several attempts over even more months to get through it because its hook slipped out of me halfway through. despite my saying that, however, i will be reading the sequel. TUA’s premise is just too novel and juicy to ignore. i just hope the sequel brings more clarity than its predecessor.
there are other reviews here that encapsulate my sentiments far more clearly, so if what i’m saying sounds like vague nonsense, please check out the top three reviews.
it is also confusing as hell.
maybe that’s because i listened to it on audiobook instead of reading it — not every book translates well to audio, and not every voice actor or reader can elevate a text enough to bring it to life — so i’m going to reread it in a few months’ time, but a quick glance at the review section makes me think my opinion won’t change much. this book has such a fascinating world, delightfully complex and funny characters, and some of the most singularly beautiful and provocative writing i’ve read outside of my favorite poets, yet those attributes were not enough to save it from its massive pacing problem.
on paper this book has everything i’ve ever wanted: gods as robots, robots as gods, body horror, ocean beasts, intrigue, betrayal, non-western worldbuilding, and a positively delicious amount of fuckery, yet it took me several attempts over even more months to get through it because its hook slipped out of me halfway through. despite my saying that, however, i will be reading the sequel. TUA’s premise is just too novel and juicy to ignore. i just hope the sequel brings more clarity than its predecessor.
there are other reviews here that encapsulate my sentiments far more clearly, so if what i’m saying sounds like vague nonsense, please check out the top three reviews.
sophielouise_'s review against another edition
3.0
Loved the writing but found the story difficult to read. Would be interested in reading more by this author in the future
zimmerea's review
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-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
2.75
I really wanted to like this book. I loved the characters, the concepts, and the imagery, but to be honest past a certain point in the novel it became a massive slog to get through it. The prose was just a bit too purple and full of confident Implications and Schemes to the point it frequently became difficult to tell what was happening in a scene. I like unreliable narrators and I don't mind having to put some puzzle pieces together- it can be quite satisfying - but understanding this book felt like a chore by the end.
fabric_florist's review against another edition
Had to return to library. Might pick up again later.