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A review by christinecc
In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
S. Qiouyi Lu 's "In the Watchful City" is a box of stories, only the box has a story engraved into it as well.
To put it more directly, the novella has two levels. One is a frame narrative wherein Anima, a body-hopping guardian, meets Vessel, a mysterious being who can tell stories about specific objects... stories which we soon come to enjoy as well. The frame narrative and nested stories alternate, until finally we get some satisfying resolution to the whole.
Each of the short stories presented fantastic worldbuilding and a really poignant core, without seeming repetitive. I think that, personally, I preferred the main storyline with Anime and Vessel. In a more perfect world, we could have had a longer novel, but this is the length we have and it's more than I could have asked for.
Recommended if you like a mix of long- and short-form fiction, worldbuilding with a cyber flair, and maybe a slightly melancholy read for this late summer period.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
To put it more directly, the novella has two levels. One is a frame narrative wherein Anima, a body-hopping guardian, meets Vessel, a mysterious being who can tell stories about specific objects... stories which we soon come to enjoy as well. The frame narrative and nested stories alternate, until finally we get some satisfying resolution to the whole.
Each of the short stories presented fantastic worldbuilding and a really poignant core, without seeming repetitive. I think that, personally, I preferred the main storyline with Anime and Vessel. In a more perfect world, we could have had a longer novel, but this is the length we have and it's more than I could have asked for.
Recommended if you like a mix of long- and short-form fiction, worldbuilding with a cyber flair, and maybe a slightly melancholy read for this late summer period.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Self harm