A review by sheerpoetry
Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book destroyed me. I put off reading it for a good while because of the size. And then it took me so long (well, for one of Seanan's books, at least) because I had to keep stopping and do breathing exercises and recover enough to keep going.

It was amazing. I was thoroughly stressed out for most of it, but was so glad I kept going and finished it. It was definitely an experience and not just a book. I have no idea what we can expect from the sequel, but I am both terrified and excited.

[I will say, as a person with depression, that this book hurt at times. And I personally found Dodger's suicide attempt fairly graphic, even though it didn't depict the actual act from her point of view. But the descriptions of her feelings and reactions to being tired and left and lonely are so incredibly real and accurate. I cried. A lot. 

I will also say I was (pleasantly) surprised that it didn't just end with "and they lived."
 

It was absolutely a wild ride and I was stressed beyond belief reading it, but I'm so glad I did. It was worth it, in the end. (Not that I doubted it!) And, as always, Seanan keeps you guessing. Just when you think you may have figured out something, it takes a turn. Like I said, a WILD, emotional, beautiful ride.
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