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A review by nclcaitlin
City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett
3.75
Perhaps civilization never truly suited Sigrud, but he must feign it now, after so 13 years in the wilderness on the run.
Ex-prime minister Shara was assassinated forcing Sigrud out of hiding to exact revenge. Only he finds Shara has started recruiting orphans to her cause and waging a war against something that works in the shadows.
The majority of the Divinities might be dead, but what about their offspring?
Sigrud finds himself on babysitting duty as someone is targeting Shara's adopted daughter. This really allows Bennett to explore the trauma of Sigrud’s own relationship with his family and face a world where violence cannot be the only and automatic answer.
“It's unfair that the dead leave us," she says. "But it's worse that they never really go away."
I am always hesitant, scared, and awed when authors decide to get involved with timey-wimey stuff. Getting the logic right, ensuring there’s no plot holes, stupid loopholes, or absurd inconsistencies is a skill few manage to pull of satisfyingly. Unsurprisingly, Bennett is one of these rare geniuses.
What a tremendous sin impatience is, he thinks. It blinds us to the moment before us, and it is only when that moment has passed that we look back and see it was full of treasures.
I loved that each book focuses on a different character and story yet connects to a larger picture.
The ending was brave but justified and oddly satisfying, yet I can see how it might frustrate some.
Ranking:
Book one (favourite)
Book two
Book three (least favourite)
Ex-prime minister Shara was assassinated forcing Sigrud out of hiding to exact revenge. Only he finds Shara has started recruiting orphans to her cause and waging a war against something that works in the shadows.
The majority of the Divinities might be dead, but what about their offspring?
Sigrud finds himself on babysitting duty as someone is targeting Shara's adopted daughter. This really allows Bennett to explore the trauma of Sigrud’s own relationship with his family and face a world where violence cannot be the only and automatic answer.
“It's unfair that the dead leave us," she says. "But it's worse that they never really go away."
I am always hesitant, scared, and awed when authors decide to get involved with timey-wimey stuff. Getting the logic right, ensuring there’s no plot holes, stupid loopholes, or absurd inconsistencies is a skill few manage to pull of satisfyingly. Unsurprisingly, Bennett is one of these rare geniuses.
What a tremendous sin impatience is, he thinks. It blinds us to the moment before us, and it is only when that moment has passed that we look back and see it was full of treasures.
I loved that each book focuses on a different character and story yet connects to a larger picture.
The ending was brave but justified and oddly satisfying, yet I can see how it might frustrate some.
Ranking:
Book one (favourite)
Book two
Book three (least favourite)