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A review by kartoffel_00
Cold Iron by Miles Cameron
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
21 September 2022:
Okay, this book has a lot of things going on. The world building is based off of a mix of real world eastern countries culture. The magic system is present but it doesn't solve all the hurdles and is in fact a major fact in the story's plot. There's also usage of puffers and incredibly detailed and researched sword fights.
And that's all amazing but, a major, MAJOR flaw of this book is that it's trying too much all at once. While the sword fighting and the culture and history is aptly handled, the characters feel sorely lacking. They say one thing at one moment and something else the other. It's also very hard to get attached or feel some interest to follow them because the book tries to focus on conspiracy and mystery and uses it to cover up why the interactions are not more in depth. Making the relationships feel plastic and orchestrated. Not natural at all.
The middle of the book also drags a lot and the convoluted prose doesn't exactly help.
What saved it for me, at last, was the third part which made other things make a little more sense. And the ending, without which I wouldn't have given the book this rating.
Final rating: 2.5/5
Okay, this book has a lot of things going on. The world building is based off of a mix of real world eastern countries culture. The magic system is present but it doesn't solve all the hurdles and is in fact a major fact in the story's plot. There's also usage of puffers and incredibly detailed and researched sword fights.
And that's all amazing but, a major, MAJOR flaw of this book is that it's trying too much all at once. While the sword fighting and the culture and history is aptly handled, the characters feel sorely lacking. They say one thing at one moment and something else the other. It's also very hard to get attached or feel some interest to follow them because the book tries to focus on conspiracy and mystery and uses it to cover up why the interactions are not more in depth. Making the relationships feel plastic and orchestrated. Not natural at all.
The middle of the book also drags a lot and the convoluted prose doesn't exactly help.
What saved it for me, at last, was the third part which made other things make a little more sense. And the ending, without which I wouldn't have given the book this rating.
Final rating: 2.5/5
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence, War, Addiction, Chronic illness, Classism, Misogyny, Murder, and Racism
(have left out huge book spoiling details a much as possible)
Death: A person is killed by a curse which eats their organs. People die of plague or due to violence
Racism: The
protagonist's ancestors were famous as thieves and they did fight in a war but practically everyone looks down on him.
There's also people in his village with strong anti-immigrant opinions and very misogynistic.
Murder: A character is murder and his corpse is seen on screen
Misogyny: A man wants the protagonist's female companion to have sex with him and fights a duel when he's angry that she refused.
Lots of people in the story who do not think women should do magic or fight.
Addiction: Not graphic but a character later in the story appears who is a strong addict
War: Lots of clashes due to classism and war with another country