“That’s the problem with figuring shit out—eventually you run into someone who’d prefer all their shit remained thoroughly unfigured.”
Official Synops
“That’s the problem with figuring shit out—eventually you run into someone who’d prefer all their shit remained thoroughly unfigured.”
Official Synopsis: In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
Overall, a solid 4 stars! And I want to give a special shout-out to the audiobook reader/performer Andrew Fallaize! He’s very talented, and I can’t wait to check out his other works!
World-building As with most Bennett stories, I think the world-building in The Tainted Cup is rich and interesting. Bennett has an impressive ability to make the utterly bizarre and fantastic feel grounded and sometimes even mundane. However, while Bennett's City of Stairs pulled back the worldbuilding curtain quite thoroughly by the end, The Tainted Cup feels like it has only given us a small glimpse into the nitty gritty of this universe.
I tagged this book as “steampunk” because there are some steampunk elements (“leviathans,” Victorian era-ish setting, alternative science/technology), which is something I noted with the Divine Cities trilogy as well. I don’t think the average reader would agree with me because the elements are very organically included into the story (as in, it never screams, “Check out these steampunk goggles and bowler hats!”), but I still like to think that Bennett has read and enjoyed a steampunk novel or two and he appreciates the vibe. On a related note, I do feel the need to clarify something: the official summary uses the word “magical” multiple times, but the novel is fairly explicit that all of the fantastic elements are based in reality and not magic. For example, Din is not “magically” altered but rather the Apoths (aka scientists) have given him a special alchemical “graft” (like a vaccine). These grafts are initially sourced from the biological components of the Leviathan creatures, and then the grafts are experimented on and altered to be compatible with humans. These details make the story feel much more like science fiction than fantasy: science fantasy, if you will!
Characters Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra are both likable and interesting, but Ana is a class all her own. Yes, the obvious Sherlock comparisons are there, but Ana also curses like a sailor in a way that reminds me of Avasarala in Corey's Expanse series, and Ana can also be so giddy and excited about certain weird topics like Ms Frizzle. She’s a gem is what I’m saying, and I need book 2.
Din, on the other hand, is much less chaotic. He reminded me of Harry Potter in the first movie (since movie!Harry is notably less sassy than book!Harry). Din is a sweet, summer child, he has little experience of how the world works, and people are constantly explaining things to him. He isn’t stupid by any means, but he’s a bit dry and reserved and naïve. I look forward to following his development in books 2 & 3!
A character refers to Ana and Din as “noble schemers,” and I loved that description. I love reading about characters who break the rules for the greater good and to defeat the people who break the rules for their own personal gain.
Story Regarding the story’s themes and messages: there are many clear connections to the Divine Cities trilogy regarding political corruption. On the surface, you have a standard murder mystery, but the further Din goes in his investigation, the more corruption he uncovers: crooked civil servants, power-hungry elites, bureaucratic inefficiencies, etc. Oftentimes, man-made horrors are more destructive than the actual natural horrors (aka leviathan monsters) that threaten to physically destroy towns and homes.
The only reason this book wasn’t 5 stars was because I wasn’t that emotionally invested. However, I am confident this will be a series that grows on me and that each book will get progressively deeper in my feels....more
3.5 stars (rounded down since it took me a year to finish this haha)
I am so torn. On the one hand, I am clearly not the target audience for this book/3.5 stars (rounded down since it took me a year to finish this haha)
I am so torn. On the one hand, I am clearly not the target audience for this book/series. Love triangles, possessive/aggressive dudes, ~gratuitous spice~, etc., are just not what I look for in stories. On the other hand, I do really enjoy the fight scenes and quests and challenges and different locations. (And Rhys is an infinitely more interesting/appealing love interest than Tamlin, thank goodness). However, once all the “mating bond” stuff was brought up, I kind of wanted to die. At that point, I was fully prepared to call it quits on this series and live my life without reading any more about characters growling and purring and snarling at each other… but then that ending! I’m intrigued, I won’t lie.
And while I could go into great detail about my deep disgust for the common trope of the strong, brave, wise, mature 19-year-old girl and her hot, scary, dangerous, wounded 500-year-old boyfriend (whom the story always goes to great pains to clarify are ~equals~), I do appreciate how often Feyre makes a decision that Rhys doesn’t like but he chooses to support. Feyre and her abilities greatly develop in this book which made me very happy. She is very capable and can take care of herself, and the core people around her recognize and respect it.
For me, this series is junk food: it releases dopamine but has zero nutritional value and makes me feel kinda greasy. However, I totally understand why people love it so much! To be fair, I’ve just been having a kind of renaissance period with my book reading this year, and I have been rereading some of my favorites that I think are perfect, so I can’t help but compare. I wouldn’t be the first person to make a crack about Maas’s writing, so I won’t right now. Maybe I’ll save that for book 3…....more
I totally forgot to add this to Goodreads. Makes me wonder what other books I may have read around the same time that I didn't add! But at the rate I'I totally forgot to add this to Goodreads. Makes me wonder what other books I may have read around the same time that I didn't add! But at the rate I've read books the last couple of years, I'm probably in the clear.
Super lazy review:
This book was ok. It's basically a Beauty and the Beast retelling that feels very YA, but it has sex scenes instead of fade-to-black scenes.
But y'all, these characters are not that likable. Feyre? Annoying. And Tamlin? I was like, THIS is the love interest all the girlies online are obsessed with?? There really is a mental health crisis in the United States.
But then!!! I learned that everything changes in Book 2, and everything I disliked would be addressed. Reader, I gave book 2 a shot. I'm only halfway through it, but WOW, so much better....more
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