A review by kari_f
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

4.5



“Nobody would lift a finger to change the world for us. To make a place for us. What choice did we ever have, but to do it ourselves?”

I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, with the only drawback being that I don’t typically enjoy war stories. The battle scenes and violence make sense to the story, of course, but they aren’t really my cup of tea. Strategy, however, rarely fails to keep my interest. He Who Drowned the World had all of the best aspects of She Who Became the Sun, but with a LOT of scheming and strategy in place of much of the all-out warfare! Don’t mistake fewer battles for less brutality, though, as characters sink to their lowest in order to put their plans into action. There are scenes with torture, self-harm, and assault among others, so be ready for this before you read. 

This all being said, the characters and storyline were so compelling that the dark tones didn’t turn me off to the book. In fact, the writing is so vibrant and visceral that the words seemed to spill off the page. I was fully immersed each time I picked up the book, which I feel is the mark of a truly talented author!

The character arcs were thorough, and the added perspectives of newer characters added perfect tension and depth as each of the storylines were woven together. The consequences of the first book are also explored through each perspective, and the layering and world building were exquisitely crafted.

If you’re a lover of morally ambiguous characters and tormented villains (or antiheroes), this is definitely a series you’ll want to read.

Thanks so much to Tor/Forge for this advanced copy!










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