A review by pantslint
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

adventurous challenging emotional funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

There's something so incredibly beautiful about reading a book that was written by people who trust their readers. It feels like a love letter from the authors to the readers—funny and apt for this novella.

Some of the prettiest prose I've ever experienced is from this book. Here's one of my favorites:
Red rarely sleeps, but when she does, she lies still, eyes closed in the dark, and lets herself see lapis, taste iris petals and ice, hear a blue jay's shriek. She collects blues and keeps them.

I also loved how referential this novella was! It was like a fun scavenger hunt for us readers, something akin to the search Red and Blue do for each other. The authors use a mix of classic literary and contemporary linguistic allusions, and they were so delightful to find and understand. In reading the acknowledgments, I'm thrilled to find that the authors sang Steven Universe songs during the process of writing this book. I love when art inspires other art.
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