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A review by cleo_reads
The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
This beautiful, immersive queer fantasy novel is like an explicitly LGBTQ+ version of Earthsea and is also completely it’s own thing.
The setting definitely feels like an homage to Ursula LeGuin’s Earthsea books - a country of islands where people’s magic is tied to their true names. The culture is so very, very queer, including the way gender is understood and the way families are organized.
The plot centers around two messy, complicated people falling in love while attempting to save their land from natural and magical disaster – it’s intense and devastating and ultimately hopeful (but not easy or fluffy).
I was not expecting the ending at all. If I'd read the poem that this book is a prequel to - Ranra's Unbalancing at http://strangehorizons.com/poetry/ranras-unbalancing/ - I would not have been so surprised. I'm kind of glad that I didn't know what to expect, but if you don't like surprises, you may want to read the poem first.
The setting definitely feels like an homage to Ursula LeGuin’s Earthsea books - a country of islands where people’s magic is tied to their true names. The culture is so very, very queer, including the way gender is understood and the way families are organized.
The plot centers around two messy, complicated people falling in love while attempting to save their land from natural and magical disaster – it’s intense and devastating and ultimately hopeful (but not easy or fluffy).
I was not expecting the ending at all. If I'd read the poem that this book is a prequel to - Ranra's Unbalancing at http://strangehorizons.com/poetry/ranras-unbalancing/ - I would not have been so surprised. I'm kind of glad that I didn't know what to expect, but if you don't like surprises, you may want to read the poem first.
Content Warnings