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A review by mimosaeyes
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
adventurous
emotional
sad
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
3.0
Wow, okay - a mixed bag, for sure.
Much as the second book surprised me with the ambitious turn it took, this final instalment in the trilogy has amped things up even higher. It takes us around the world to different enclaves previously only referred to, and most importantly, reveals some jaw-dropping lore with major implications for El and Orion. My mind was a bit blown.
My emotions, on the other hand...
I just feel like there's a lot of emotional and psychological messiness that hasn't been dealt with. An itch that the first two books slowly set up, hasn't been scratched by this third one. I didn't think that would be the case, frankly, because this book started out strong with its portrayal of El's grief and trauma and dissociation. But the reader's sense of El's motivations and headspace gets increasingly muddied as the plot picks up momentum.
There are many ways this manifests, but let's talk about the wholehaving sex with Liesel thing. I can understand the first time. It squicks me that Liesel initiated sex when she knew El was vulnerable - even though El's attraction to Liesel was established in the previous book, that moment was not one in which she could really consent. Still, I thought there'd be a reason for including that. But there wasn't. And the second time, which El initiated, was even worse because she knew Orion was alive by then, and had just had sex with him in fact. I don't recall them talking about having an open relationship. What was the purpose of including El cheating and then just never addressing it?
I especially don't know what to feel because earlier on (as in, earlier in this book, and in the second book) I'd appreciated the inclusion of queerness through secondary characters like Liu and Yuyan, Ibrahim and Yaakov. Then the protagonist of the series, whom I'd contentedly accepted as bi or maybe pan,has a same-sex affair - and it's all muddied up with dubcon and cheating, with the latter gelling unpleasantly with a common stereotype about bi people? Yikes!
Orion also barely appears in here. I miss my sweet golden retriever from the first book. The scene whereEl saves him by telling him "You're already dead, but stay anyway," had me so emotional, but come on! Give me more Orion!
Overall: if you read only the last chapter, you'll find that all the main characters have a good enough ending, realistic but relatively happy. It's just that there's a lot thrown in there that I genuinely don't understand the intent of, and a lot else that feels missing.
Much as the second book surprised me with the ambitious turn it took, this final instalment in the trilogy has amped things up even higher. It takes us around the world to different enclaves previously only referred to, and most importantly, reveals some jaw-dropping lore with major implications for El and Orion. My mind was a bit blown.
My emotions, on the other hand...
I just feel like there's a lot of emotional and psychological messiness that hasn't been dealt with. An itch that the first two books slowly set up, hasn't been scratched by this third one. I didn't think that would be the case, frankly, because this book started out strong with its portrayal of El's grief and trauma and dissociation. But the reader's sense of El's motivations and headspace gets increasingly muddied as the plot picks up momentum.
There are many ways this manifests, but let's talk about the whole
I especially don't know what to feel because earlier on (as in, earlier in this book, and in the second book) I'd appreciated the inclusion of queerness through secondary characters like Liu and Yuyan, Ibrahim and Yaakov. Then the protagonist of the series, whom I'd contentedly accepted as bi or maybe pan,
Orion also barely appears in here. I miss my sweet golden retriever from the first book. The scene where
Overall: if you read only the last chapter, you'll find that all the main characters have a good enough ending, realistic but relatively happy. It's just that there's a lot thrown in there that I genuinely don't understand the intent of, and a lot else that feels missing.