A review by elmtreebooks
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

A beautiful surreal epistolary novella. This was the slow burn, enemies to lovers sapphic romance I wanted Priory of An Orange Tree to be, but this book soars everywhere that story failed. 

It’s romanticism, it’s poetry, it’s a symphony of sonnets. The sci fi elements are only the setting to enable the impossible. And it’s my favorite trope: the villain willing to burn down the whole world just to save their love. Ah, priorities. 

It won’t be for everyone but it definitely was for me.