A review by toggle_fow
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

emotional tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was SO GOOD. It was so good.

I'm never sure when to award five stars, but I finished this book this morning, and all day afterward I kept thinking, 'Boy, I sure can't wait until I get to finish that book and find out what happens next.' I wanted more of the story so badly I kept forgetting I had actually finished the thing already.

I loved it. Some highlights:

• Local abused people-pleasing teenager ascends throne, learns how to be a good ruler, refuses to stop apologizing to people. I love Maia and I WILL die for him, thank you.

• The language. It had its own formal rhythm, but it worked so well. Instead of being jarring or comically gimmicky, it did what unusual language choices are supposed to do in fantasy. It imbued the whole world with a quality I could almost feel, and made it much more real to me. I am working hard not to refer to myself as "we" all the time now, since it was an affectation I already had a tendency to overuse.

• Loyalty!!!!! MPGHMFKGMGMHG.

• Some parts of Maia's interactions with the court around him reminded me of King of Attolia, but I do hesitate to say that, because it's not really like KoA at all. This book is billed as intrigue-laden, but if there's intrigue it's not intrigue like that. I'm not going to be able to explain what exactly strikes this comparison in my mind, but if you read it you'll understand.

I loved the whole thing. I loved how many good people there were. And how slow and daily life-focused the book was sometimes. And Maia's awkward, naive goodness. And Ira and his sisters. And the guards. (The guards!!!!!!!) And the action was good too, but not as good as the emotional weight of the aftermath, which was very very good.