A review by telescopewizard
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

4.75

FAV SERIES OF ALL TIME I THINK? PLS READ THIS BOOK.

  • the reason for the -.25 star is that it IS kind of insane and confusing on a first read, so if complex magic/scifi systems aren't ur think it may be tough to get thru
  • but imho: said magic/scifi system is just so FUCKIN COOL that it makes up for it. it's kinetic! it comes at u fast! but if ur stressed u can just focus on the big picture and u will be fine, even if u gotta give up on understanding all the details right away. quoth this review from Strange Horizons:
"You know what's going on, right?" Ninefox Gambit asks. Often, you have to say, "Uh, yeah, of course," when the real answer is "I have no idea, but I really, really care." And then you keep reading.
  • anyway all that said, it definitely benefits from a reread after you get thru the rest of the series. i feel really galaxy-brained right now like "ah yes of COURSE, the CALENDRICAL SPIKE!"

other notes about other aspects:
  • smth i really appreciated this time was how the structuring does not let up for even a single second as it tries to convey to u how deeply fucked up kel warfare is. the red shirt kel POV chapters come more and more frequently as u get closer to the end, and YHL is a master of giving characters instant personality + history, so like u meet an entire human person and then immediately u watch them commit heinous acts and/or have heinous acts committed unto them in the name of kel command. oof
  • had an epiphany: i like this so much because it is grown-up artemis fowl ?!?!? like not exactly of course but the vibes.. cheris is so similar to holly short (and jedao is similar enough to artemis that it's really amusing to me). complex magic system with lots of great techy jargon. detailed plots and schemes. and the writing style itself -- the way it zooms in on random side characters to flesh out the universe, the constant ironic sense of humor that the prose has so that no scene is ever totally bleak and depressing, there's always a knife's edge of irony or just plain goofiness. i don't mean to say that there's copying going on here (they r substantially different books), just that if u liked AF in middle school, u will prob like this as an adult <3
  • falling to PIECES the ENTIRE TIME abt how incredible cheris & jedao are, both as characters individually and as a duo. i've never read the whole series back-to-back before and i'm kind of scared about what it's gonna do to my brain chemistry because i already have such strong cheris & jedao feelings that it makes me have a physical reaction whenever they say things. ANYWAY! ON TO BOOK 2!
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