A review by creativewhimsy
The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow.  I have some complicated feelings about this book.  This is book is not an easy read, it’s a commitment. 

In the beginning it was hard to read and slow to understand due to the narrators way of speaking .  It’s as if it was written in a different language that is very  familiar to our own  but just dissimilar enough that it is hard to understand.  Similar to how old English is very different from modern English.  There  are so many words and phrases used in an unfamiliar way  and the narrator gives us no immediate explanation of the meaning of them.  It feels like reading Shakespeare.

I almost put this book down because it felt like a chore to read, but the world was so well built, and beautifully written, that I felt I needed to push on and give it a fair chance. 

This very inclusive story exists in a very religious world with a lot of commentary on social issues very relevant to our own.  

The back half of the book picked up speed quickly and  ended in a bit of a cliffhanger. After reaching the 50%mark I couldn’t put it down.  I am very glad I decided to push through, and can’t wait to see what happens in the next one. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit/Hachette for the free advanced copy of this book.  All opinions written here are mine alone.