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A review by lilliana_blackstar
The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was really excited for this book - a Sapphic fantasy adventure inspired by South American Mythology? How exciting!
It was... not what I expected. On one hand, it IS really great! There is fantastic world building and I want more of this fantasy world! There is so much potential here for great story telling in a world with 3 different races of beings and different forms of magic they can learn to use.
However-
This isn't a story of heroes. This is not a story of strong women being courageous in the face of challenges to overcome evil at all costs. This is a story of how desperation and mistreatment can lead people to horrible choices. How "good" people can abandon their principals for survival, and how they can convince themselves that they are doing awful things for good reasons.
There is complexity here because i think the story is meant to be about power imbalance and how people without power or priveledge will be forced to make awful choices for their survival.
People with power capitalize on the desperation of people with no power, manipulating them to further their own greedy plans. The powerless people are easily sucked in by the promise of freedom, power, love, etc - whatever is offered to them by the priveledged and powerful. People make choices to follow certain orders or leaders partially through ignorance and partially through desperation and need.
When they finally realize that they have been used as pawns in nefarious plans, is it too late for redemption and forgiveness? If they do the right thing at the end, does it make up for the horrible things they did along the way?
People have critiqued this book for the female characters lacking autonomy and not being "heroes" in the usual way. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt - perhaps the point the author wanted to make is that when people don't have true power or personal autonomy, they will be forced to choose between two terrible things. There are no good choices when you are not free or empowered to find a better choice or pave your own path.
From here, we the readers are faced with our own choice - do we forgive those who have done terrible things? Do we believe in redemption for anyone?
I dont usually go into detail like this in my reviews, and I have tried to avoid spoilers. But I think there is a great story here, but one will have to recognize that the story is not about heroes doing the right thing if they want to enjoy the story at all. You might not even like most of the main characters in the book. Part of me wishes that the story had been different, but this is the story the author chose to tell.
It was... not what I expected. On one hand, it IS really great! There is fantastic world building and I want more of this fantasy world! There is so much potential here for great story telling in a world with 3 different races of beings and different forms of magic they can learn to use.
However-
This isn't a story of heroes. This is not a story of strong women being courageous in the face of challenges to overcome evil at all costs. This is a story of how desperation and mistreatment can lead people to horrible choices. How "good" people can abandon their principals for survival, and how they can convince themselves that they are doing awful things for good reasons.
There is complexity here because i think the story is meant to be about power imbalance and how people without power or priveledge will be forced to make awful choices for their survival.
People with power capitalize on the desperation of people with no power, manipulating them to further their own greedy plans. The powerless people are easily sucked in by the promise of freedom, power, love, etc - whatever is offered to them by the priveledged and powerful. People make choices to follow certain orders or leaders partially through ignorance and partially through desperation and need.
When they finally realize that they have been used as pawns in nefarious plans, is it too late for redemption and forgiveness? If they do the right thing at the end, does it make up for the horrible things they did along the way?
People have critiqued this book for the female characters lacking autonomy and not being "heroes" in the usual way. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt - perhaps the point the author wanted to make is that when people don't have true power or personal autonomy, they will be forced to choose between two terrible things. There are no good choices when you are not free or empowered to find a better choice or pave your own path.
From here, we the readers are faced with our own choice - do we forgive those who have done terrible things? Do we believe in redemption for anyone?
I dont usually go into detail like this in my reviews, and I have tried to avoid spoilers. But I think there is a great story here, but one will have to recognize that the story is not about heroes doing the right thing if they want to enjoy the story at all. You might not even like most of the main characters in the book. Part of me wishes that the story had been different, but this is the story the author chose to tell.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Child death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Murder
TW for Dark Magic that includes human sacrifice and infanticide