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A review by aliu6
The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg
4.0
4 stars
Uiziya has waited forty years for her aunt to return so she can finish learning how to make the four great weaves. For the sake of his lover, the nameless man temporarily known as nen-sasaïr has waited forty years to transform into his true body. Both seek Uiziya's aunt, Benesret; Uiziya wants guidance, nen-sasaïr wants a name. They travel across the desert together, only to get caught up in a more dangerous quest to challenge the Ruler of Iyar and take back his greatest treasure.
This book was really different, and in a good way. It's set in a world where people are born with deepnames that determine the strength of their magic. The four great weaves are of wind, sand, hope, and death, and a weave of wind allows its user to transform into their true body. There are different cultures of people, with different customs, especially relating to whether women are allowed to have magic.
Concept-wise, I really loved the book. It has obvious allusions to aspects of the LGBTQIA community, and it really makes you think and see things in a different way. Plot-wise, the story is quite interesting and never felt like it was dragging. I will say that it was a little basic. This book definitely triggered a lot of thoughts, but I don't think that much actually happened. The complexities come from the storytelling, and I was back and forth between loving it and being annoyed by it.
The story alternates between first person POV for Uiziya and nen-sasaïr. To be honest, this was a bit jarring for me in the beginning. The POV switches quite often, with some events being retold from both POVs, and it was kind of hard for me to keep track, especially when there wasn't much difference in their voices for me.
The author made certain stylistic choices (e.g. lots of repetition of phrases) that made the book read almost like poetry. I liked this for the most part, although it seemed excessive at times.
Another thing about the book is that it really throws you right into the deep end. I was quite confused for the beginning of the book, and little by little, pieces about the world came together. I understand the logic behind allowing readers to discover the world for themselves, but it was a little much when I just wanted a relaxing read.
All in all, I would recommend this book. It's a quick read and will make you think afterwards.
** I received an ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Uiziya has waited forty years for her aunt to return so she can finish learning how to make the four great weaves. For the sake of his lover, the nameless man temporarily known as nen-sasaïr has waited forty years to transform into his true body. Both seek Uiziya's aunt, Benesret; Uiziya wants guidance, nen-sasaïr wants a name. They travel across the desert together, only to get caught up in a more dangerous quest to challenge the Ruler of Iyar and take back his greatest treasure.
This book was really different, and in a good way. It's set in a world where people are born with deepnames that determine the strength of their magic. The four great weaves are of wind, sand, hope, and death, and a weave of wind allows its user to transform into their true body. There are different cultures of people, with different customs, especially relating to whether women are allowed to have magic.
Concept-wise, I really loved the book. It has obvious allusions to aspects of the LGBTQIA community, and it really makes you think and see things in a different way. Plot-wise, the story is quite interesting and never felt like it was dragging. I will say that it was a little basic. This book definitely triggered a lot of thoughts, but I don't think that much actually happened. The complexities come from the storytelling, and I was back and forth between loving it and being annoyed by it.
The story alternates between first person POV for Uiziya and nen-sasaïr. To be honest, this was a bit jarring for me in the beginning. The POV switches quite often, with some events being retold from both POVs, and it was kind of hard for me to keep track, especially when there wasn't much difference in their voices for me.
The author made certain stylistic choices (e.g. lots of repetition of phrases) that made the book read almost like poetry. I liked this for the most part, although it seemed excessive at times.
Another thing about the book is that it really throws you right into the deep end. I was quite confused for the beginning of the book, and little by little, pieces about the world came together. I understand the logic behind allowing readers to discover the world for themselves, but it was a little much when I just wanted a relaxing read.
All in all, I would recommend this book. It's a quick read and will make you think afterwards.
** I received an ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.