A review by lizziaha
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

I saw a review that said that this would make a great studio ghibli film and I agree wholeheartedly! The world that Jimenez created feels so complete: foreign yet understandable and within reach. The magic is whimsical but easily twisted into horror in the wrong hands. Despite being a tale about suffering and tribulations, there is love at the core of everything. 
The mix of perspectives was a little hard to get used to at first, especially on audiobook. I think a full cast version of this audiobook would’ve helped. 
The anonymous “you” who the book is addressed to was very interesting character to me, since they seem to be generic enough that anyone might be able to project onto them.
I can’t remember if their gender is ever specified but at one point I did start to wonder if they might be a woman and not a man, but it was never confirmed one way or another as far as I can tell
For them to be largely unrecognizable, yet play such a pivotal role in the story is an interesting contrast. Their frank portrayal of their motivations as less than sincere at times brought life to the storytelling. This layered complexity was weaved in so seamlessly that it truly is a testament to Jimenez’s sheer ability in telling a cohesive story. 
This is a common complaint for me, but I wished we delved a bit deeper into the characters’ emotions and motivations. The character I felt like I had the most insight on was the second terror which was awful because he’s, of course, terrible. 
I also felt like something was missing in the portrayal of women. It’s not that they weren’t a part of the story—they are—but their characters just fell flat at times. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings