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A review by violetlunablossom
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I once heard someone call The Spear Cuts Through Water "the most unique reading experience they've ever had" and I couldn't agree more. This book is so reminiscent of traditional oral storytelling performances that you see across tons of different cultures and I don't think it's any coincidence that Simon Jimenez told this story in the format that he did. The jumps between first, second, and third person were a little hard to grasp at the beginning but once I was able to find my footing in the rhythm of Jimenez's style, my reading experience was automatically amplified.
Even though the main plot is pretty easy to follow—two young warriors are tasked with escorting a dying goddess across the land to end the violent reign of the sons of a tyrannical emperor—the number of twists and turns kept me engaged the entire time. The themes of love and redemption shined through all of this, though, and it was always honed back in when things were picking up or dying down. The two heroes, Jun and Keema, are brilliantly written, and the way their love blossoms through all the pain and trauma they experience is nothing short of touching. I was particularly endeared to Keema and found his thoughtful and tender heart to be a much-needed contrast to the cruelty around him.
I also want to gush about the side characters because never had I been so excited to read a new POV every page or chapter. It didn't matter if they had one line of (internal) dialogue or a dozen pages featuring their POV, all of it was impeccable. There was one particular POV that had me outright sobbing (iykyk) and I quite literally had to put my book down when it ended because it was literally one of the most incredible pieces of character writing I've ever read.
The way that violence is written is phenomenal too. There were so many times that I felt absolutely horrified at what I was reading and it was all the more unnerving with the beautiful prose that it was described with. So often have I read sci-fi fantasy books with straightforward, brutal violence but none have left me feeling viscerally uncomfortable the way Jimenez's descriptions have.
The Spear Cuts Through Water is a celebration of storytelling and a reminder of how impactful it is as a craft. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge everyone who reads this review to either pick up the book or give it a reread.
Even though the main plot is pretty easy to follow—two young warriors are tasked with escorting a dying goddess across the land to end the violent reign of the sons of a tyrannical emperor—the number of twists and turns kept me engaged the entire time. The themes of love and redemption shined through all of this, though, and it was always honed back in when things were picking up or dying down. The two heroes, Jun and Keema, are brilliantly written, and the way their love blossoms through all the pain and trauma they experience is nothing short of touching. I was particularly endeared to Keema and found his thoughtful and tender heart to be a much-needed contrast to the cruelty around him.
I also want to gush about the side characters because never had I been so excited to read a new POV every page or chapter. It didn't matter if they had one line of (internal) dialogue or a dozen pages featuring their POV, all of it was impeccable. There was one particular POV that had me outright sobbing (iykyk) and I quite literally had to put my book down when it ended because it was literally one of the most incredible pieces of character writing I've ever read.
The way that violence is written is phenomenal too. There were so many times that I felt absolutely horrified at what I was reading and it was all the more unnerving with the beautiful prose that it was described with. So often have I read sci-fi fantasy books with straightforward, brutal violence but none have left me feeling viscerally uncomfortable the way Jimenez's descriptions have.
The Spear Cuts Through Water is a celebration of storytelling and a reminder of how impactful it is as a craft. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge everyone who reads this review to either pick up the book or give it a reread.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Cannibalism, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, and Child abuse