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A review by angelofthetardis
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In an endless war to control time, what starts as a taunting exchange of letters between two rival warriors develops into a lasting bond between the pair. But battle still rages, and consorting with the enemy could have dire consequences if discovered. So what's more important; winning the war, or each other?
I have to say that this is a beautifully written piece; the imagery it invokes is wonderfully powerful, and the feelings of the characters as they develop soar from the page. You are immediately pulled into the story and kept there, and while you might try to anticipate the story as it progresses, the authors have done a fab job at keeping the reader guessing. For such a short book, it packs a powerful punch!
However, while this has lots of elements that should make it slot perfectly into my wheelhouse (time travel, enemies-to-lovers etc etc), I'm finding it very difficult to place, I think because the writing style is so very different to what I would usually enjoy. There is practically no context to the wider events, and little in the way of worldbuilding to allow you to understand the mechanics of the roles the characters are playing and the sides they are on. As a result, it reads more like a series of vignettes than a strong 'linear' narrative, with the authors describing how the characters receive each letter (in various weird and wonderful ways) before revealling the content. But it feels like there are just too many unknowns or unanswered questions about who they are, what they're doing and how they got there.
I will admit that a very small part of me sees the characters as The Doctor and The Master - hey, if you mention the Time War, my brain is on a one way trip to Doctor Who land! But in an odd way this helped me grasp the basis of Red and Blue's story better, I suppose because I could then contextualise the characters and their relationship. It's by no means a perfect fit, but enough seemed to resonate that it helped. Again, there are so many unknowns about the characters for me.
I could see this making a beautiful one-off TV series, or even an anime series, as the visuals from the page scream to be brought to life. I definitely enjoyed reading it, but not quite as much as I'd hoped.
I have to say that this is a beautifully written piece; the imagery it invokes is wonderfully powerful, and the feelings of the characters as they develop soar from the page. You are immediately pulled into the story and kept there, and while you might try to anticipate the story as it progresses, the authors have done a fab job at keeping the reader guessing. For such a short book, it packs a powerful punch!
However, while this has lots of elements that should make it slot perfectly into my wheelhouse (time travel, enemies-to-lovers etc etc), I'm finding it very difficult to place, I think because the writing style is so very different to what I would usually enjoy. There is practically no context to the wider events, and little in the way of worldbuilding to allow you to understand the mechanics of the roles the characters are playing and the sides they are on. As a result, it reads more like a series of vignettes than a strong 'linear' narrative, with the authors describing how the characters receive each letter (in various weird and wonderful ways) before revealling the content. But it feels like there are just too many unknowns or unanswered questions about who they are, what they're doing and how they got there.
I will admit that a very small part of me sees the characters as The Doctor and The Master - hey, if you mention the Time War, my brain is on a one way trip to Doctor Who land! But in an odd way this helped me grasp the basis of Red and Blue's story better, I suppose because I could then contextualise the characters and their relationship. It's by no means a perfect fit, but enough seemed to resonate that it helped. Again, there are so many unknowns about the characters for me.
I could see this making a beautiful one-off TV series, or even an anime series, as the visuals from the page scream to be brought to life. I definitely enjoyed reading it, but not quite as much as I'd hoped.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Suicide attempt, War, and Death
Minor: Animal death