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A review by authoraugust
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
4.0
I waffled excessively between 4 and 5 stars for this book. Not because it wasn't stellar urban fantasy, but because I doubt I'll remember its specifics.
I read [a:Maggie Stiefvater|1330292|Maggie Stiefvater|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1460918410p2/1330292.jpg]'s review of this book and I wholeheartedly agree that there are some problematic elements. And as an outsider of the cultures described in the book myself, I certainly can't say whether or not Wilson was respectful in every way. But reading Alif, I'm certain Wilson could have lived among, loved, and researched any culture and written about it in the same compelling way she laid out in this novel.
Because this book didn't feel as grounded as I wanted it to feel. It was clear she'd done her homework. But that was sort of the problem. It was really clear she'd done her homework, not truly lived through it. Alif suffered from exactly the sins Vikram describes Western literature committing, even if there wasn't really any sex.
But I thoroughly enjoyed this novel nonetheless, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this kind of fictional escape. It's very well built and executed, on the whole.
I read [a:Maggie Stiefvater|1330292|Maggie Stiefvater|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1460918410p2/1330292.jpg]'s review of this book and I wholeheartedly agree that there are some problematic elements. And as an outsider of the cultures described in the book myself, I certainly can't say whether or not Wilson was respectful in every way. But reading Alif, I'm certain Wilson could have lived among, loved, and researched any culture and written about it in the same compelling way she laid out in this novel.
Because this book didn't feel as grounded as I wanted it to feel. It was clear she'd done her homework. But that was sort of the problem. It was really clear she'd done her homework, not truly lived through it. Alif suffered from exactly the sins Vikram describes Western literature committing, even if there wasn't really any sex.
But I thoroughly enjoyed this novel nonetheless, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this kind of fictional escape. It's very well built and executed, on the whole.