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A review by bright_and_bookish
The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg
3.0
3 stars.
This was my first time reading from R. B, Lemberg and they definitely have a very unique style and have crafted a world that feels significantly different to other fantasy worlds I have read before, but unfortunately there was one thing about this book that drove me to distraction.
The description says "new love blossoms between an impatient starkeeper and a reclusive poet" but this was the worst case of insta-love that I have ever read. And worse than that, as the "relationship" progressed I never bought into why they were in love. It didn't feel organic or even real, and the starkeeper in many instances was a real bully and would do something inappropriate and then apologize and the poet would accept the apology and that was that. I didn't feel like this was a healthy relationship at all, and I didn't like it. It continually took the focus away from the plot and the themes and didn't give them enough breathing room in this incredibly short book.
I did enjoy the way that the world building included non-binary identities in a fulsome way and not as a gimmick or a check box, but it just wasn't enough to make up for the lackluster feelings I had about the book as a whole, I just needed a whole lot more plot.
Also, what was the deal with the cat? If you have read this and know please tell me. I thought it was going to be important to the plot, but actually no, it was just there...
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review*
This was my first time reading from R. B, Lemberg and they definitely have a very unique style and have crafted a world that feels significantly different to other fantasy worlds I have read before, but unfortunately there was one thing about this book that drove me to distraction.
The description says "new love blossoms between an impatient starkeeper and a reclusive poet" but this was the worst case of insta-love that I have ever read. And worse than that, as the "relationship" progressed I never bought into why they were in love. It didn't feel organic or even real, and the starkeeper in many instances was a real bully and would do something inappropriate and then apologize and the poet would accept the apology and that was that. I didn't feel like this was a healthy relationship at all, and I didn't like it. It continually took the focus away from the plot and the themes and didn't give them enough breathing room in this incredibly short book.
I did enjoy the way that the world building included non-binary identities in a fulsome way and not as a gimmick or a check box, but it just wasn't enough to make up for the lackluster feelings I had about the book as a whole, I just needed a whole lot more plot.
Also, what was the deal with the cat? If you have read this and know please tell me. I thought it was going to be important to the plot, but actually no, it was just there...
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review*