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A review by asreadbykat
Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
5.0
True Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content/Trigger Warnings: Flash-detailed attempted suicide, Murder, references to forced C-sections and genetic engineering, body horror (?), psychological trauma
My Thoughts
"Few things are more dangerous than a scientist with something to learn."
Seanan McGuire is one of those authors I know I love, and yet I continuously forget it until I stumble on one of their works again. "Middlegame" has been on my radar for at least a year now; so many booktubers had added this to one of their favorite books lists, and the premise absolutely intrigued me.
We have Roger and Dodger, two children with specialties: Dodger is a genius who can breathe life into math, and Roger can find the language to work around any situation. They also happen to be the result of an alchemical experiment by James Reed, a man who wants to use his master's teachings to use the two children to become a god.
The synopsis of this story doesn't really give a hint to what the reader is getting into. This story is very much character driven. While there is a plot, that plot hinges on the actions and thoughts of our two main characters. If you don't like a slower paced plot that jumps around, that can get confusing and then make sense, that follows characters from children to adulthood -this isn't the book for you. The book itself is almost like a "science experiment" in how it's written, but that's part of what makes it so fascinating.
McGuire's writing is really in the spotlight in this novel. There are so many passages I marked simply because of how they were phrased, or what was said. They were works of art on their own, adding a beautiful element to an otherwise grisly story. There are even terrifying scenes that are written beautifully. It feels like every sentence has a purpose, and that's one of the best feelings to get when reading.
McGuire's experience also comes into play with the twists and turns of the story. Rather than feeling jarring, they feel natural, inevitable. Even when I knew a twist was coming, I still had my jaw drop at several moments and had to think, "NOW IT MAKES SENSE!" McGuire kept this up all the way to the end of the story, and not once did it get annoying or feel like it was too much.
All in all, I absolutely loved this book and recommend to anyone who wants a slower, more character-driven sci-fi/fantasy novel.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Flash-detailed attempted suicide, Murder, references to forced C-sections and genetic engineering, body horror (?), psychological trauma
My Thoughts
"Few things are more dangerous than a scientist with something to learn."
Seanan McGuire is one of those authors I know I love, and yet I continuously forget it until I stumble on one of their works again. "Middlegame" has been on my radar for at least a year now; so many booktubers had added this to one of their favorite books lists, and the premise absolutely intrigued me.
We have Roger and Dodger, two children with specialties: Dodger is a genius who can breathe life into math, and Roger can find the language to work around any situation. They also happen to be the result of an alchemical experiment by James Reed, a man who wants to use his master's teachings to use the two children to become a god.
The synopsis of this story doesn't really give a hint to what the reader is getting into. This story is very much character driven. While there is a plot, that plot hinges on the actions and thoughts of our two main characters. If you don't like a slower paced plot that jumps around, that can get confusing and then make sense, that follows characters from children to adulthood -this isn't the book for you. The book itself is almost like a "science experiment" in how it's written, but that's part of what makes it so fascinating.
McGuire's writing is really in the spotlight in this novel. There are so many passages I marked simply because of how they were phrased, or what was said. They were works of art on their own, adding a beautiful element to an otherwise grisly story. There are even terrifying scenes that are written beautifully. It feels like every sentence has a purpose, and that's one of the best feelings to get when reading.
McGuire's experience also comes into play with the twists and turns of the story. Rather than feeling jarring, they feel natural, inevitable. Even when I knew a twist was coming, I still had my jaw drop at several moments and had to think, "NOW IT MAKES SENSE!" McGuire kept this up all the way to the end of the story, and not once did it get annoying or feel like it was too much.
All in all, I absolutely loved this book and recommend to anyone who wants a slower, more character-driven sci-fi/fantasy novel.