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A review by starkiwi
Cursebreakers by Madeleine Nakamura
4.0
An English novel narrated in the style of a Japanese light novel with hints of Latin, Greek, French, and Russian linguistic elements throughout. Truly a linguist's heaven. And if languages aren’t your thing there is still so much for you to enjoy; the magical conspiracy, the author's dive into mental illness, or the complex character relationships. It is a profound easy magical mystery with many rhetorical intricacies and even more plot twists.
In-Depth Review:
A fascinating magical conspiracy written and investigated by the main character himself. Through the journal-like voice, the reader is thrown right into the fantasy world. However, everything is promptly and conscientiously explained without being overly complicated. The way that he explained it in a scientifically narrative way made it interesting to read. As if it was someone you knew explaining something to you.
Beyond that, the book was a linguistic dream; which I LOVED and greatly appreciated. Things, and frequently places as well, had Latin or Greek-inspired names. Some of the characters also used Russian nicknaming conventions (e.g. Genya for Gennady). And if you can’t already tell from the main character's last name, there were also a few French references. It is likely that there were also more I was not aware of. The seamless blend of languages the author created was absolutely beautiful. I would even say that was my favourite part about reading this book. Anyone who has an interest in other languages will no doubt find many fun easter eggs to fawn over.
The way the author dealt with mental illness through the main character was also really well done. She framed it in a way that was unoffending, not overly cliche, and ultimately very realistic. It was a journey of healing - that didn’t end with a cure. In real life, this is how it works. Struggling with mental illness is a never-ending process with many ups and downs. This is shown in conjunction with the magical conspiracy plot happening in the background.
Overall a profound easy magical mystery novel with many linguistic intricacies, and even more plot twists.
In-Depth Review:
A fascinating magical conspiracy written and investigated by the main character himself. Through the journal-like voice, the reader is thrown right into the fantasy world. However, everything is promptly and conscientiously explained without being overly complicated. The way that he explained it in a scientifically narrative way made it interesting to read. As if it was someone you knew explaining something to you.
Beyond that, the book was a linguistic dream; which I LOVED and greatly appreciated. Things, and frequently places as well, had Latin or Greek-inspired names. Some of the characters also used Russian nicknaming conventions (e.g. Genya for Gennady). And if you can’t already tell from the main character's last name, there were also a few French references. It is likely that there were also more I was not aware of. The seamless blend of languages the author created was absolutely beautiful. I would even say that was my favourite part about reading this book. Anyone who has an interest in other languages will no doubt find many fun easter eggs to fawn over.
The way the author dealt with mental illness through the main character was also really well done. She framed it in a way that was unoffending, not overly cliche, and ultimately very realistic. It was a journey of healing - that didn’t end with a cure. In real life, this is how it works. Struggling with mental illness is a never-ending process with many ups and downs. This is shown in conjunction with the magical conspiracy plot happening in the background.
Overall a profound easy magical mystery novel with many linguistic intricacies, and even more plot twists.