arnoles 's review for:

The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara

3.25

challenging mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I was really excited for this book because it has a lot of elements I normally love: multigenerational family story, multiple character perspectives, mystery, etc .... But it just kinda fell flat. I didn't find myself really caring about the characters or seeing the through line in all the different timelines and perspectives. I also feel like the very end of the book was where I started really feeling interested, then the plot became rushed and the book was over. I also feel I d left with just too many unanswered questions and didn't feel satisfied by the end. I do the find the concept of a "techno state" fascinating and absolutely terrifying, but the execution wasn't there for me.