A review by couldbestephen
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

5.0

It's not what the Masquerade does to you that you should you fear... It's what the Masquerade convinces you to do to yourself.

Easiest 5 star read I’ve read in a while. Dickinson weaves a beautiful, tragic story about colonialism, rebellion, and power. If you’re a fan of RF Kuang’s work, this book is a must read. 

Baru Cormorant was a young girl when The Masquarade slowly took over her home and honed her into a weapon, an Imperial Accountant. When she’s assigned to the Aurdwynn land to quell the rising rebellion, she’s faced with an awful choice; follow her plan to save her original home or save Aurdwynn from itself. 

I don’t think this is a book for everyone. Framing war and rebellion through the eyes and mind of an accountant is genuinely fascinating, but if you’re looking for an action packed romance fantasy novel, you’ll be disappointed. The main character is an accoutant. There is a lot of accounting. The battles and skirmishes are told in a clinical, “historical” way. They are exciting! But not for everyone! Seth Dickinson’s prose can be a dense, but he makes it work. It’s flowery and beautiful, and sets up the world of the Masquerade so well. 

I’m looking forward to finishing this series. Dickinson has set up a deeply fascinating world filled with horrifying politics and tragic characters. Be warned, misogyny and homophobia are featured in this novel and may be hard for sensitive readers. This novel will be sticking in my head for a while. Brava Seth. Brava.