Reviews

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

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shandyt's review against another edition

It is to my very great shame that I have to mark this book as my first DNF in quite a long time. The book itself seemed interesting (although I suspected one particular character was on a trajectory I didn't want to see completed). The narration killed it for me. My husband loved the narrator, but I absolutely LOATHED her. Awkward pauses, no variation in voices, every sentence the same intensity... I had to rewind several times just to figure out what this woman was saying. If I ever get my hands on a print copy of this book, I'd be happy to give it another shot. Otherwise, I'm afraid it will stay DNF forever.

gooeykablooie's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Loved it. A plot that kept me turning pages and characters I was invested in. The world is wonderful and I like forward to the next book.

periparaparasakura's review against another edition

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The characters don't feel cool enough at this point and keep over sharing despite roles as operatives.

laura_mayfair's review against another edition

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4.0

Extraordinary world building. "City of Stairs" is a bit slow to get into but it's well worth it as there is a payoff for being patient -- many payoffs, actually. The multi-faceted characters and unique setting make this one stand out. I'm really glad I picked this up.

clovestrand's review against another edition

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not a true DNF. not the vibe right now -- will revisit

eb2114's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

guppyur's review against another edition

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3.0

I mostly liked this. It was a bit of a slow start, and the writing is fine but not great, but it's got a really solid conceit at the center of it. Nicely self-contained — there's a clear thread leading to the next book, but you don't feel that the story in this one is unfinished.