As per my usual style, I didn’t even read the blurb of this book before diving in, so I had no idea what to expect. My only presumption was it would be set in a time of myths and gods, based on the cover. That was a fair way off the mark.
But it was wonderfully, intriguingly odd. I might not be entirely satisfied with the ending, but that might be because I want to hear more of what happens next. However, I suspect it also finishes at the right point.
Also: I’d love to see a TV adaption of this - perhaps an episode per chapter.
Even having previously read the essay which was the seed for this book, it was still a delight - every carefully crafted page, every striking photo, every wonderful anecdote.
I was not prepared for the amount of self-reflection this book has prompted. And maybe it's just caught me at the right time, on an unexpectedly quiet day, but damn, it's so great.
I suspect it'll be something I need to reread regularly - as a prompt for further thinking, but also to help ground myself.
While the gender roles are so very outdated for our current times, let alone the far future, I was still hooked on the story, the characters, and the world-building.
I was warned this was intense, and those warnings were accurate. When I finished it, I found myself both wanting some time to let it settle, but also immediately ready to dive into the next in the series.