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A review by bookterror
The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For those unacquainted with the works of R.B. Lemberg, the Birdverse is a complex fantasy world with magic, a goddess named Bird, and a cast full of LGBTQ characters. Part of the world is inspired by their Jewish faith, specifically the Khana people. The magic is based around deepnames; with five-syllable names being the weakest up to the strongest one-syllable names of which a person can have up to three of. These names can form different configurations and scholars dedicated to studying them. There is a strong focus on queer identity, art, and healing weaved into the personal stories about people overcoming hardships and being true to themselves.
There are several short fiction pieces, poems, and now a full-length novel set in the same universe.
While <i>The Unbalancing</i> can work as a starting point, I would personally recommend one of their short stories like [book:Grandmother-Nai-Leylit's Cloth of Winds|52083639] to see if you like their writing first as it's one of the most unique features. While [book:The Four Profound Weaves|51600161] was written earlier, its world-building is much denser and makes the reader work to understand it all.
In this story, we are on the island of Gelle-Geu, the home of one of the stars from the creation myth for centuries. And change is coming with its new keeper, Ranra, who is determined to do a good job with such important responsibilities. There is also Lilún, a local poet still working out their nonbinary identity, who is being compelled by their ghost and ancestor Semberi to take up starkeeping themselves.
Told in a dual point of view, we follow them meeting for the first time and see sparks fly. And as the plot slowly unravels with their new relationship, we learn more about the history of theisland. The romance here is both soft and wild – their initial connection is strong but the timing is not perfect and there is still the waking star hanging above their heads.
The writing has this lyrical, dream-like quality. It creates this beautiful atmosphere that is complemented by the setting. Lemberg has a way of describing simple things – the trees on a mountain, the sea touching the shore – that work to enrich both her world and her characters. As to be expected, storytelling is an important part of this world and this book – Semberi tells their stories and there are also poems and songs.
Gender identity is a major theme. Lilún is still looking for a name for their gender identity. Her people have several different names and tokens for ichidi (nonbinary people) and we meet quite a few people with unique experiences. They are also autistic and on the asexual spectrum, which equally informs how they interact with the world around them.
Consent and responsibility is another theme. Ranra is bold and self-assured until she discovers the dire situation the last starkeeper has left with. She needs to decide how she – and not anyone else – wants to deal with the star and become a leader her people can be proud of.
It's a close character study, a sapphic romance, a redemption story, and a fantasy book with determined ghosts and cats all in one.
<i>I received an advanced reading copy from Tachyon Publishings through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>
There are several short fiction pieces, poems, and now a full-length novel set in the same universe.
While <i>The Unbalancing</i> can work as a starting point, I would personally recommend one of their short stories like [book:Grandmother-Nai-Leylit's Cloth of Winds|52083639] to see if you like their writing first as it's one of the most unique features. While [book:The Four Profound Weaves|51600161] was written earlier, its world-building is much denser and makes the reader work to understand it all.
In this story, we are on the island of Gelle-Geu, the home of one of the stars from the creation myth for centuries. And change is coming with its new keeper, Ranra, who is determined to do a good job with such important responsibilities. There is also Lilún, a local poet still working out their nonbinary identity, who is being compelled by their ghost and ancestor Semberi to take up starkeeping themselves.
Told in a dual point of view, we follow them meeting for the first time and see sparks fly. And as the plot slowly unravels with their new relationship, we learn more about the history of theisland. The romance here is both soft and wild – their initial connection is strong but the timing is not perfect and there is still the waking star hanging above their heads.
The writing has this lyrical, dream-like quality. It creates this beautiful atmosphere that is complemented by the setting. Lemberg has a way of describing simple things – the trees on a mountain, the sea touching the shore – that work to enrich both her world and her characters. As to be expected, storytelling is an important part of this world and this book – Semberi tells their stories and there are also poems and songs.
Gender identity is a major theme. Lilún is still looking for a name for their gender identity. Her people have several different names and tokens for ichidi (nonbinary people) and we meet quite a few people with unique experiences. They are also autistic and on the asexual spectrum, which equally informs how they interact with the world around them.
Consent and responsibility is another theme. Ranra is bold and self-assured until she discovers the dire situation the last starkeeper has left with. She needs to decide how she – and not anyone else – wants to deal with the star and become a leader her people can be proud of.
It's a close character study, a sapphic romance, a redemption story, and a fantasy book with determined ghosts and cats all in one.
<i>I received an advanced reading copy from Tachyon Publishings through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>