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A review by danaichristopoulou
Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A marathon, not a sprint.
I've been diving in and out of the streets of Caeli-Amur for several months now. At first I didn't quite know what to make of Unwrapped Sky. I think as readers we've gotten used to faster gratification and sensationalism and this book doesn't do either. It's not a character-driven novel either; if anything, it's the city of Caeli-Amur, with its winding streets, inequality and mesmerising secrets under its surface, that's the true MC of the book.
I've seen several other reviews comparing Davidson's work to 19th century Russian literature and I think this is not an inaccurate assessment. This book will challenge your perception of what modern fantasy should look like. You may decide to stick with it — or not. I did. I don't think it's a book for everyone, but I think that those who take the plunge will probably find themselves changed afterwards.
I've also seen other reviews call this book "communist". I don't know the writer or his political inclinations, but I can definitely see a Marxist perspective shining throughout, affecting anything from interpersonal relationships to the fabric of reality itself. But at the same time, as we're examining the actions of a group or seditionists, there's a healthy dose of criticism as well and some remarkable insights on the human condition.
Finally, I have to agree that the book cover, although beautifully illustrated, is a bit irrelevant to what's actually going on in the book. This is not a story about a girl and a minotaur. This is a story of a city, sitting on the bones of another city, haunted by beings from another realm — and the people who live and die on its streets, believing their way is the only way.
I've been diving in and out of the streets of Caeli-Amur for several months now. At first I didn't quite know what to make of Unwrapped Sky. I think as readers we've gotten used to faster gratification and sensationalism and this book doesn't do either. It's not a character-driven novel either; if anything, it's the city of Caeli-Amur, with its winding streets, inequality and mesmerising secrets under its surface, that's the true MC of the book.
I've seen several other reviews comparing Davidson's work to 19th century Russian literature and I think this is not an inaccurate assessment. This book will challenge your perception of what modern fantasy should look like. You may decide to stick with it — or not. I did. I don't think it's a book for everyone, but I think that those who take the plunge will probably find themselves changed afterwards.
I've also seen other reviews call this book "communist". I don't know the writer or his political inclinations, but I can definitely see a Marxist perspective shining throughout, affecting anything from interpersonal relationships to the fabric of reality itself. But at the same time, as we're examining the actions of a group or seditionists, there's a healthy dose of criticism as well and some remarkable insights on the human condition.
Finally, I have to agree that the book cover, although beautifully illustrated, is a bit irrelevant to what's actually going on in the book. This is not a story about a girl and a minotaur. This is a story of a city, sitting on the bones of another city, haunted by beings from another realm — and the people who live and die on its streets, believing their way is the only way.