Take a photo of a barcode or cover
spellbindingtomes's reviews
359 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
โข
โข
โข
This Is How You Lose the Time War is a masterpiece that weaves together the seemingly impossible: a time-traveling epistolary romance that is both epic in scope and intimately personal. The story follows two agents, Red and Blue, who operate on opposing sides of a vast temporal war, manipulating different strands of time to shape the future according to their respective factions' desires.
I was hooked from the very first letter and, honestly, Emily Woo Zeller's captivating voice as she narrated Blue's character. The relationship between her and Red unfolds through letters hidden across time and space, evolving from rivalry to something far more profound. Their romance was brutally raw yet painstakingly beautiful โ two broken individuals who, amid the cruelty of their endless war, discover an unbreakable bond that transcends time itself ๐ฅน
I did have to slow down my audio speed and rewind a couple of times in the beginning because it took awhile to grasp the concept and get a handle on the writing, but once I got past that, this was absolutely breathtaking and poetic.
This is a story that proves love can flourish in the most unlikely places โ even in the spaces between moments, in the gaps between what was and what could be. It's a testament to the power of connection in a universe that seems designed to keep them apart, and a reminder that sometimes the most beautiful things grow in the harshest environments.
What to expect:
๐บtime travel
๐นscience fiction
๐บepistolary novella
๐นsapphic romance
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, War
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Classism
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Classism
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail