The Daughters’ War is an unconventional fantasy novel—it’s more a series of vignettes, written like an autobiography of a woman at war. Galva’s story The Daughters’ War is an unconventional fantasy novel—it’s more a series of vignettes, written like an autobiography of a woman at war. Galva’s story is predictable in many ways, but I believe the appeal lies in the vividness of each moment, good and bad, and the quiet but undeniable strength of the main character, her resilience and faith, how much she loves (a trait humble Galva is careful not to mention but one that is evident in the devotion her friends show her). The most interesting part of the book wasn’t what I expected, which was Galva’s relationship with Mireya—it was Galva’s family dynamic, and her understated narrative style that depicts much through what it leaves out. Even though her life is extraordinary, it is still a life—there is no hero’s journey here, no questing, and I think that makes it feel very real. Every layer of this story is about women; maybe that’s why I like it so much.
Seeds of Inheritance by Aimee Kuzenski is a gripping intergenerational sci-fi-fantasy following a mother and daughter in the aftermath of a lost rebelSeeds of Inheritance by Aimee Kuzenski is a gripping intergenerational sci-fi-fantasy following a mother and daughter in the aftermath of a lost rebellion. In Foss-Karan, outlaws fight for the reproductive rights of spacefaring elves harmed in the course of the emperor’s single-minded expansion. Their former leader is Berenike, now enslaved after the rebellion failed when her son was killed. Her surviving daughter, Evrim, was a child created against the law, whom Berenike signed away her freedom to protect. With Berenike under oath to the emperor, the only way to advance the liberation of the empire is to use her child once again. But Evrim has fallen in love with the empire’s princess, Hypatia, and has no desire to comply with her mother’s wishes.
This mother-daughter relationship is the beating heart of the book. Berenike and Evrim have some vestiges of care for each other, but Evrim’s is tempered with bitterness and resentment, and Berenike’s is pushed down for the sake of the cause to which she’s devoted her life. Evrim is the perfect playing piece, so Berenike—who reminds me sometimes of Lady Jessica from Dune—refuses to let her feelings get in the way. This is an endlessly fascinating dynamic to follow.
However, I wish Evrim experienced more stepwise changes as a character; her development felt abrupt starting around the middle of the book, like a few steps were missing. I also would have liked to have seen more of Hypatia and Evrim’s history—I didn’t quite buy their connection, as no part of how they came to love each other was revealed. This was exacerbated by the occasional use of too-strong diction and overreaction incongruous with a scene, such as Evrim “cursing” Hypatia when seeing her calmness during a stressful situation. Ultimately, I wasn’t convinced of their love for each other, which detracted from my enjoyment of Evrim’s point of view chapters.
The plot was well-structured, with plenty of intrigue and twists. It’s ultimately fueled by the constant tension between the characters. It’s evident just from the summary how much resentment is bound to come between these characters, whether it’s between a former mentor and a disgraced student, or a woman in power and her effectively enslaved lover, or a mother who won’t give up and a daughter who wants to let go.
I liked how Berenike was always planning and putting herself in the middle of things, even while restricted by her oath. However, I wish the rebellion had a clearer game plan, which would have made that specific subplot more exhilarating. In addition, the ending came a bit too easily for my liking.
Despite these few issues, I enjoyed Seeds of Inheritance. I liked this novel because its motifs echoed some of my favorites from literary fiction, particularly those of fraught relationships between familial generations. What makes this book stand out is its union of an interstellar setting with traditional elven nature imagery and magic; it feels very intentional. I don’t know yet if the author has a sequel planned, but I would love to know what comes next in this world.
The Grimrose Girls was disappointing. That’s the best way I can describe it. The characters were lukewarm, the plot was simplistic, and the fairy taleThe Grimrose Girls was disappointing. That’s the best way I can describe it. The characters were lukewarm, the plot was simplistic, and the fairy tale connections I was looking forward to failed to inspire any epiphanic moments for me.
This book was a very emotionless journey. The main characters’ arcs felt rushed and padded with filler that could have been removed in favor of making the plot more understandable. The most important parts of the story itself were never explained (for example, everything to do with magic, which everyone eventually accepted and moved on from without explanation). The somewhat vague plot twist makes less sense the more I think about it.
All the side characters existed only to give motivational speeches to the main characters or to die when it fit the plot. I couldn’t tell you anything about their traits or personal lives besides their roles in helping the MCs. For example, Svenja would show up randomly to say things that are supposed to be intriguing but made me roll my eyes aggressively. After her first encounter with Nani, where she led her to her room, she asked for a secret in exchange for being SO generous in that act of basic courtesy. I understand that really rich people act a lot differently, but the characters still need to feel like actual people, not walking plot devices.
The atmosphere fell short of the darkly magical vision I expected. There was an attempt at creating a mysterious and almost pretentiously philosophical aesthetic, but ultimately, it felt totally aimless. (See: Svenja.) Some books have esoteric dialogue with a purpose that adds to a backstory or develops a character’s trajectory. Some books have philosophical exchanges that build a haunting and alluring atmosphere successfully. This book… does not.
One of the major selling points for me about The Grimrose Girls was that there was supposed to be a really deep and meaningful friendship between the main characters. But I didn’t get that. They hardly communicated and acted cold and distant around each other most of the time. I know they were fighting a lot during the events of the book, but if I don’t have any context of how they act when their relationship is stable, how am I supposed to believe they even have this deep friendship? And when Nani joined the group, none of her on-page interactions with the others revolved around anything except the murder, so her sudden friendship with them wasn’t believable to me.
I have a couple of minor gripes that won’t really affect my rating but annoyed me anyway:
❃ Nani being Beauty from Beauty and the Beast doesn’t match to me. She loves books, but does she really? It’s only stated and not shown. She sees this giant library and walks right past it. Her connection to her own fairy tale feels like an afterthought. And also, if she’s Beauty, doesn’t that imply that Svenja, the one transgender character, is the Beast? That’s uncomfortable. ❃ Ella is a scholarship student, which is a big deal at Grimrose because everyone is filthy rich and privileged. But she doesn’t seem to have any plan for her future. I assume she worked really hard for this scholarship, so wouldn’t it align better with her character if she were the one taking all the electives and focusing on job opportunities? Especially since she wants to get away from her stepmother. It doesn’t make sense to have her just drift around with a vague plan to escape when she turns eighteen but no actual drive to accomplish that.
I would have really enjoyed The Grimrose Girls if a bit more time had been spent on developing the things that made it unique. I am unable to care about anything if it’s not developed enough to give me a reason to care. Otherwise the drama has no stakes. All of the elements are present that would make The Grimrose Girls exceptional. But I didn’t spend enough meaningful time with any of them.
How cruel is it to promise a forbidden wlw romance and an internal struggle between a deep-seated yearning for equality and parents' sacrifice for priHow cruel is it to promise a forbidden wlw romance and an internal struggle between a deep-seated yearning for equality and parents' sacrifice for privilege hardly anyone else has the opportunity to reach for... and then not execute it in an interesting way? I wanted to scream, but I yawned instead.
Dani is the top student at the Medio School for Girls, where women are trained to either become a Primera or a Segunda, the two types of wives each man marries. Primeras run the household, while Segundas raise children. It's a problematic, misogynistic system that a rebellion called La Voz is determined to change. But Dani's parents sacrificed everything to help her gain the privilege of being the Primera for a wealthy politician, and she is torn between two choices: protecting and secretly courting Carmen (the Segunda she is technically married to but isn't allowed to be in a relationship with) and joining La Voz full-time, or being the Primera she was trained to be and staying faithful to Medio.
I wanted to love We Set the Dark on Fire so badly, but it disappointed me. It felt very juvenile. The rebellion was like a romanticized idea of a resistance, but was never explored beyond the surface level. Dani, despite being a "spy" for La Voz, did nothing but accidentally eavesdrop on important conversations. She doesn't do any spying, she's just really lucky and everyone else apparently doesn't care who hears the family secrets.
I was looking forward to the romance, but it lacked something. It progressed so quickly, I honestly thought I had skipped part of the book because Carmen and Dani went from being suspicious of each other to being in love with each other within thirty pages. There was a half-hearted attempt to continue that suspicion, but it ended up just being heavy-handed foreshadowing that led to a very obvious plot twist.
I loved the ideas behind this book. The exploration of privilege, the mythology, the feminism, maybe a glimpse into the grey morality of La Voz. But We Set the Dark on Fire felt very flat and forgettable instead.
2.5 stars
In a battle between two men trying to control her, she'd chosen herself.
King of Scars is one of my favorite books and somehow this is even better?? I'm so emotional right now. Saying goodbye to these characters is painful King of Scars is one of my favorite books and somehow this is even better?? I'm so emotional right now. Saying goodbye to these characters is painful because they live in my heart rent free. I want to give them all hugs. Except Zoya would probably electrocute me.
In quantum mechanics, a wavefunction describes the probability of where quantum particles could be, so a particle occupies every possible state simultIn quantum mechanics, a wavefunction describes the probability of where quantum particles could be, so a particle occupies every possible state simultaneously (superposition) until it is measured. When a quantum particle is observed, the wavefunction collapses and the particle irreversibly occupies only one state. The specifics of how measurement and observation determine reality are still being researched. To my knowledge, quantum particle behavior is still largely a mystery.
In Book of the Ancestor, quantals use greater magic: they can walk the Path and draw immense power from it. But maybe this “magic” isn’t really magic at all. Doesn’t “quantal” look suspiciously similar to “quantum”? Can quantals control the collapse of a wavefunction? That would begin to explain the mysterious Path. Thread-work could be quantum entanglement on a larger scale, where people are entangled instead of particles. If so, I wonder how quantals obtained these abilities. Radiation, maybe?
Speaking of nuclear radiation, what is Abeth? The result of nuclear war? Take ABETH, cross out the bottom of the B, flip around the letters a bit (EABTH) and you have EARTH. Judging by the map, the world of the Broken Empire trilogies is clearly our world after extreme climate change, nuclear war, or both. Abeth may resemble the far future of Earth, after the events of those trilogies. Maybe the ice is a product of nuclear war: nuclear winter. That would also explain why the Missing left Abeth, the doomed planet they may have destroyed. Additionally, the computer that controls the focus moon is named Taproot, a cryptic recurring character in all of Lawrence’s books (aaand the friendly neighborhood Mark Lawrence expert is John, helping me fill in the blanks with his extensive knowledge).
How do I join a warrior nun friend group? Specifically an incredible found family who have an unbreakable bond of love and support. The relationship between Nona, Ara, and Zole is one of my favorite friendships in all of literature. The way Zole slowly opened up to Nona, the unspoken promise of protection between Nona and Ara—it’s exquisite.
Holy Sister has incredible slow pacing with natural buildup that’s not rushed. Instead, we get to know the characters organically as we walk beside them during their darkest moments. Despite the hopelessness that hangs over Abeth, there are also days when the light of the moon seems warmer on Nona’s skin and the horizon of ice looks more like a blanket of sparkling jewels tossed haphazardly across the poles by the hand of a benevolent god.
In conclusion, Mark Lawrence continues to be a genius.
5 stars
Red Sister: ★★★★★ Grey Sister: ★★★★★ Holy Sister: ★★★★★
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How is it even possible for a book this perfect, this immaculate, this soul-shattering to exist. I'm in awe. I can't find words to properly describe the beauty of this series and of this book. I've been on this journey for so long and been through so much with friends who hold my heart in their blood-stained hands. Mark Lawrence is the Ancestor, confirmed....more
Everyone is talking about how Goodreads needs to add half-stars, but what I need right now is a sixth star specifically so I can give it to this book.Everyone is talking about how Goodreads needs to add half-stars, but what I need right now is a sixth star specifically so I can give it to this book.
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Living in a land with a dying sun and a failing moon, Nona Grey was just a young girl when she was bought from her family and trained as a ring-fighter. But when she defends her friend and almost kills a man, she is noticed by Abbess Glass, head of the Convent of Sweet Mercy. There, she is trained to be a skilled killer as her old blood begins to show itself. But she is hiding a dark past and demons that threaten to destroy her.
Before starting this book, I would recommend making sure you understand what each of the bloods mean. Children of hunska, gerant, marjal, or quantal blood inherit special powers. Hunska = very, very fast Gerant = giant and tall and strong Marjal = can use lesser, more practical or physical magic Quantal = can use greater magic such as thread-work and Path-walking
My favorite part of this book was the character development.
Nona is such an amazing main character. She's fleshed out and realistic but not boring because she has many sides. She has trouble dealing with anger but has great emotional maturity, meaning I was hardly ever annoyed. Lawrence did such a good job writing her. I felt what she felt. She values honesty and friendship more than anything else. I want to give her a giant hug. She does terrifying things, but she's still a really good person. I love her.
[Nona] had vowed that she would never let a friend down, that she would do anything, anything at all, to protect them. A vow more sacred to her than the Ancestor, more holy than the church from tallest spire to lowest crypt.
None of the characters are cliches. Reading books about magic/fighting schools is always a toss-up because sometimes characters fall into the tropes of bully, speshul powerful kid, smart kid, kid who will tell his father about this, et cetera. I love the side characters so much. The relationships between them are complicated and realistic. They all have bad traits and good traits, just like a normal person. They're not perfect at everything. They come from different upbringings and each bring a different point of view to the friend group. Each one has a distinct personality and the way they interact with each other is exquisitely relatable. Certain characters, like Abbess Glass, are written really well. She's smart and sees the whole picture. She always has a plan, even if it doesn't make sense in the present moment.
I would jump in front of a train for so many of these characters. ...more
The Atlas Six is pretentious and luxurious and self-indulgent. I can’t decide if I love it or if I would rather throw it across the room.
Somehow I reaThe Atlas Six is pretentious and luxurious and self-indulgent. I can’t decide if I love it or if I would rather throw it across the room.
Somehow I read 380-something pages of this book and I still have no idea what it’s about. The characters wander around a library and go to classes that are described with as little detail as possible, they get into some fights for reasons that are not explained, there’s a conflict involving murder that doesn’t seem to have a cause or effect. They wave their hands around and do some hand-wavey pseudoscience slash magic that fluctuates when it’s convenient. There’s a subplot about the overpopulation of the world that I thought would be interesting but was abandoned quickly. There’s another subplot about the perception of time and how we as individuals experience the passage through time differently, but so little page space was spent on it that it faded to the background. The plot got lost in the words.
Nico and Libby—angsty platonic soulmates—make a literal wormhole. And then they just use it to get snacks. Can’t we learn about that, please? Maybe then I’ll understand what this vague *waves hand* power struggle is about. There are so many discussions about what the characters are willing to do for the power that the Library of Alexandria gives them… but what power? Show me. Yes, there are old books. But that’s all we’re given. Maybe I’m an outlier here, but I would not kill someone just to have access to some old books. Use Google Scholar like a regular person.
None of the characters have a reason to be in Alexandria, and every time this is brought up, they dodge the issue with philosophical rhetorical questions that go nowhere. I can get behind a burning quest for knowledge, but I expect it to be given more substance and thought. Personally, if some random man approached me with ominous promises of some unidentified great power, I would not abandon my life to follow him. Have none of these characters been chased by cultists in the streets before? That is shady. Libby only accepted the offer because Nico did. Callum, Tristan, and Parisa are there because they were bored. Reina wanted to read books. (Which is valid, but still.) Besides, the author clearly didn’t care about Reina, and as a consequence, I also forgot she existed most of the time. What does she do? She’s basically a phone charger. Every one of her point of view chapters felt like an afterthought. “Oh, right! There are six main characters!”
I need to give a valid reason why I ended up loving this book even though it was objectively questionable: I can be a really pretentious fan of overblown fustian language and philosophy that runs around in circles and adds nothing to the plot. I like words that sound pretty. I like sentences that give me chills, even if they mean nothing. I am a simple person. Collecting shiny things brings me joy. Yes, that is a shard of a beer bottle, but it’s pretty. This book is a broken beer bottle. #deep
You know when you read something so agonizing and torturous and angst-riddled in exactly the right way and it brings you physical pain? That is it. That is this book. Everyone is manipulating everyone else and their hazy morality wasn’t subtle at all, but I still almost screamed multiple times. The chemistry between all of the characters was a sinful indulgence.
The Atlas Six is enchanting and frustrating and addictive and pointless, but I still really, really enjoyed it somehow. I’m actually tempted to give it five stars because it played with my heart and that’s all I really want. But that decreases the value of the five-star rating, so I’ll settle on something more realistic:
3 unhealthy junk food stars
A uniquely upsetting curse, really, how little he knew how to exist when she wasn’t there.
This was probably my most anticipated read of 2021, and I was bitterly disappointed.
She Who Became the Sun reminds me of Mulan and The Poppy War, witThis was probably my most anticipated read of 2021, and I was bitterly disappointed.
She Who Became the Sun reminds me of Mulan and The Poppy War, with none of the humor of the former and none of the weight of the latter. Zhu was like Rin, if Rin had less ambition and less personality. There were two characters named Chaghan and Altan, which reminded me of TPW. And a certain character lost a hand, just like in that series... But maybe I'm looking too much into it.
The only character I liked was Ma. Her gentle acceptance of Zhu was touching, and her perspective was the most interesting one to me. The way Zhu finally felt like herself with Ma was beautiful.
Zhu, on the other hand, was a very boring character to follow. She was described by other reviewers as ambitious and power-hungry, vicious and merciless. But I didn't get that. The only time she felt ruthless or clever to me was at the monastery. I'm not sure if I read a different book, but to me, Zhu hardly deserved what she got in the end. She won a battle and all of a sudden, everyone loves her. She didn't do anything to prove herself worthy.
I did like how we never learned Zhu's real first name. That aspect of SWBTS reminded me of Rebecca. It was intriguing to read about how the Zhu of before was considered worthless and how the Zhu of after was something special. However, I didn't like much else about her character. She's let off the hook too quickly when she gets into trouble. Her problems are solved by plot convenience, and it felt far too easy to me.
Everything happened to quickly, in fact. The pacing was abysmal. Battles were over in a few pages, and I was left with whiplash, wondering what had just happened. And then there would be long stretches where nothing happened at all. The plot was directionless and aimless. The main goal felt murky to me. It was just confusing to read, overall. I felt like I was constantly missing something important, even when I wasn't.
The exploration of gender and sexuality was perhaps the best part of this book. But other than that, I was very disappointed. The characters were dull, the plot was weak, and the pacing was dreadful. I wanted so badly to rate this five stars, but I just couldn't.
2 stars
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Uneven pacing, poorly developed plot, lackluster characters, and a healthy dose of convenience come together to make one of the most unsatisfying books I've read this year.
~ review to come ~
I was provided with an eARC of this book through NetGalley by Tor Books. Thank you!...more
Told from the perspectives of two time-travelers on either side of the battlefield, This is How You Lose the Time War is a haunting, lyrical, abstractTold from the perspectives of two time-travelers on either side of the battlefield, This is How You Lose the Time War is a haunting, lyrical, abstract love story for the ages.
Red and Blue, rival agents in a dystopian world, are polar opposites. Red works for the Agency, an ultramodern society where hunger has been eradicated by technology. Blue belongs to Garden, an entity that exists in organic matter everywhere. When Red finds a mocking, sardonic letter from Blue in the ashes of a war zone, they begin to exchange letters in the most creative ways possible. As they slowly get to know each other, they develop a deep bond despite fate's insistence on pulling them apart. Red and Blue play a cat-and-mouse game with their employers as they struggle to keep their connection private. Despite their harsh teasing of each other in the earlier letters, they quickly become friends.
From the very beginning, we are thrown into the story with no explanation. We're left to figure it all out as we go along. The way the story was executed was perfect. We're given tidbits of information at a time and our brains are left to fill the gaps, creating a world that is fantastical and personal.
I have to give the concept credit. It's genius. It may seem repetitive at first, but it builds so slowly to the very satisfying ending that left me wanting more. But I can appreciate the beauty in the briefness of the story. It's over so quickly, a flame that burns brightly and is extinguished quickly.
So in this letter I am yours. Not Garden's, not your mission's, but yours, alone.
This is How You Lose the Time War is a fresh, creative, and intelligent short novel, filled with insight and careful character development.
This, my friends, is feminist fantasy at its finest.
I still can't come to terms with the fact that it's over. After this whole journey, it seems almoThis, my friends, is feminist fantasy at its finest.
I still can't come to terms with the fact that it's over. After this whole journey, it seems almost impossible that a last page exists. The Priory of the Orange Tree trapped my heart from the very first sentence, and now I'm having trouble distinguishing what's real from what jumped out of the pages.
Sabran Berethnet is Queen of Inys during a time of turmoil and unrest. She has to come to terms with a devastating loss, her own depression, and deception within her court as an ancient force threatens to reawaken. But nothing is as it seems, and history is not often truthful.
Ead Duryan, a mage of the Priory, is assigned to protect Sabran from the Nameless One, who seeks to destroy her and her house. While she longs to return to her duties to Cleolind, the founder of the Priory, she is determined to uncover the twisted secrets of the court of Inys. She has to sacrifice her destiny for the good of the world, but she never bats an eye.
Miduchi Tané, an aspiring dragonrider, makes an error of judgement that changes her future forever. Disgraced and cast out of her homeland, she discovers a hidden force within herself that could destroy the world. Tané, who uses the people around her for her own needs, is forced to overcome her pride and her overwhelming guilt.
Niclays Roos is an alchemist who was banished from Sabran's court years ago. He yearns for his home and his old love, but he knows the only way he could ever return is if he finds the secret of immortality. He dives into a web of treachery and deceit to do so, propelled by his own sorrow and lust for a longer life. Throughout the novel, he comes to terms with his selfishness and cowardice.
Arteloth (Loth) Beck is sent on a mission that will almost certainly lead to his death. Betrayed by his own court, he ventures into the unknown, unaware of the dark forces that are soon to rise. But nothing is as he expects, and his whole religion is turned upside down.
These protagonists, separated by wildly different cultures and religions, find themselves intertwined in a turn of events no one could have predicted.
The worlds of this book are vivid and real and evocative, as are the characters. Each point of view fills me with different fears and biases, and these contentions are what bring them to life. When all their beliefs were overturned, it was so easy to slip in each of their minds and gauge their reactions.
The Priory of the Orange Tree starts out slow, which I like. We’re very gradually introduced to the world--absolutely no infodumps. And by the end, I was completely immersed in the story, characters, and religions.
Speaking of religion, Samantha Shannon crafts three believable faiths, but not a single one of them is immune to the threats that rise again. It’s incredible how much I sympathized with each one; how much I wanted each to succeed. Losses were personal hits. Gains were personal victories.
Every advance in the plot is gradual, natural, and realistic--but not in a predictable way. Everything makes sense once it’s unveiled. The whole scope of things is something that takes time, but it's not out of grasp.
If I were to condense The Priory of the Orange Tree into one sentence (impossible, but whatever) I would say something along the lines of “queer queens, dragons, and ancient magic.” It’s wondrous. It’s awe-inspiring. It’s epic....more
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