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A review by ninegladiolus
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Despite adoring Emily Tesh’s Some Desperate Glory, I’ve put off reviewing it for months because I don’t know quite how to review it. If I talk about the plot beyond what you can read in the jacket copy, it takes away from the experience of reading it; this is one of those books where I believe the less you know going in, the better the experience will be.
Instead, I will say that protagonist Kyr almost certainly will infuriate you. She is, bluntly, a fascist asshole programmed in a misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic organization. If you’re anything like me, the book will go interminably slow until about the midpoint. You will wonder how much more of Kyr’s radicalized awfulness you can take. But swiftly, suddenly, and surprisingly seamlessly, the direction of the novel pivots. Tesh unfolds a complex, gut-wrenching journey that ultimately makes Some Desperate Glory an early contender for my favourite novels of 2023.
Queer space opera is a favourite of mine. In particular, I love queer space opera that digs into the comparatively infinitesimal forces of individual lives when compared to the vastness of galaxies—how single individuals can shape the trajectory of an entire universe… or not. Some Desperate Glory delivers that in superb fashion with a novel that stands out in my memory months and months down the line.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
Instead, I will say that protagonist Kyr almost certainly will infuriate you. She is, bluntly, a fascist asshole programmed in a misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic organization. If you’re anything like me, the book will go interminably slow until about the midpoint. You will wonder how much more of Kyr’s radicalized awfulness you can take. But swiftly, suddenly, and surprisingly seamlessly, the direction of the novel pivots. Tesh unfolds a complex, gut-wrenching journey that ultimately makes Some Desperate Glory an early contender for my favourite novels of 2023.
Queer space opera is a favourite of mine. In particular, I love queer space opera that digs into the comparatively infinitesimal forces of individual lives when compared to the vastness of galaxies—how single individuals can shape the trajectory of an entire universe… or not. Some Desperate Glory delivers that in superb fashion with a novel that stands out in my memory months and months down the line.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.