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kmirea's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
Was fairly slow with all sorts of mechanisms along the way. Reminded me of Red Rising but less action-based and significantly darker for at least the first book. I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes.
angievansprang's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is truly a feat. An apropos read for this time in history as the story follows a rebel who insights uprisings as a favor to a larger colonial power, of which she is attempting to gut from within. A rich rumination on power, wealth, betrayal, and loyalty - this book will have you wondering what you would do in Baru’s shoes. What is the worth to you of the freedom of your own homeland? How far would you go to achieve this?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Violence, Sexism, Alcohol, Racism, and Murder
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, and Death of parent
timinbc's review
5.0
They'd better give this book a special award so the rest can compete for the usual one.
Think of your favourite Guy Gavriel Kay story. The one where you put it down after 1000 pages, and just sat quietly for a moment, then murmured "Wow" and pretended there was something in your eye.
Or the disappointment of realizing that it's February 1 and you're not likely to read a better book this year.
Think of yourself trying to explain to others, "See, it's a fantasy with this lesbian accountant who starts a rebellion ..." and watching their eyes glaze over. There ought to be pins we can wear that say "Baru" so we know each other and can discuss it.
Baru is a bit of a Mary Sue, but she needs to be or the plot won't work. She evaluates a situation in minutes, then finds the solution that no one else spotted (or so she thinks). This is a tricky bit. She starts as an accountant, and quickly realizes that she can see what everyone is doing just by watching the money move. Never occurs to her that the people who taught her all this might also be able to do it ... She introduces futures contracts and insurance, concepts apparently unknown to the rest of the world. But again, the plot needs her to do that.
Anyway, Dickinson gives us a good world to work in, a society ruled by a "lawful evil" group and a POV character from a group ill used by those in power. Baru sees that she'll have to change it from within and sets out to get within.
She doesn't always get it right, and eventually she learns that she isn't viewing the "game" the right way. After reading the whole book, you can decide whether she did in the end.
We see Baru realize that she will have to make hard decisions. Then she makes some. And then, hoo boy, reader, things get interesting.
The last quarter of the book is full of "wait, what?" moments, and each time you realize that Dickinson DID set it up carefully and yes, it WAS inevitable or or at least plausible.
Things roll along quickly, I thought. Some here don't agree, and several of them were commenting on the audiobook, so maybe there's an issue there. I read the hardback.
Occasionally I noted a deft touch when the author took a moment to describe a setting, which I admit didn't happen often.
Highly recommended - but only to people who have read some ordinary inns-and-swords fantasy. Don't come to this from Sookie Stackhouse or Jim Butcher or Modesitt. Get some GG Kay or Bujold's Chalion down you first and then tackle this one. It's a doozy.
Think of your favourite Guy Gavriel Kay story. The one where you put it down after 1000 pages, and just sat quietly for a moment, then murmured "Wow" and pretended there was something in your eye.
Or the disappointment of realizing that it's February 1 and you're not likely to read a better book this year.
Think of yourself trying to explain to others, "See, it's a fantasy with this lesbian accountant who starts a rebellion ..." and watching their eyes glaze over. There ought to be pins we can wear that say "Baru" so we know each other and can discuss it.
Baru is a bit of a Mary Sue, but she needs to be or the plot won't work. She evaluates a situation in minutes, then finds the solution that no one else spotted (or so she thinks). This is a tricky bit. She starts as an accountant, and quickly realizes that she can see what everyone is doing just by watching the money move. Never occurs to her that the people who taught her all this might also be able to do it ... She introduces futures contracts and insurance, concepts apparently unknown to the rest of the world. But again, the plot needs her to do that.
Anyway, Dickinson gives us a good world to work in, a society ruled by a "lawful evil" group and a POV character from a group ill used by those in power. Baru sees that she'll have to change it from within and sets out to get within.
She doesn't always get it right, and eventually she learns that she isn't viewing the "game" the right way. After reading the whole book, you can decide whether she did in the end.
We see Baru realize that she will have to make hard decisions. Then she makes some. And then, hoo boy, reader, things get interesting.
The last quarter of the book is full of "wait, what?" moments, and each time you realize that Dickinson DID set it up carefully and yes, it WAS inevitable or or at least plausible.
Things roll along quickly, I thought. Some here don't agree, and several of them were commenting on the audiobook, so maybe there's an issue there. I read the hardback.
Occasionally I noted a deft touch when the author took a moment to describe a setting, which I admit didn't happen often.
Highly recommended - but only to people who have read some ordinary inns-and-swords fantasy. Don't come to this from Sookie Stackhouse or Jim Butcher or Modesitt. Get some GG Kay or Bujold's Chalion down you first and then tackle this one. It's a doozy.
luckyghost's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
n8_b0t's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sophisticotton's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shay_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
DEVASTATING
drlark's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
3.5
If this were a higher ratio of character-to-military strategy, I would be totally onboard. As it is, this is a well-executed narrative about the tragedy of rebelling against empire, the lines one draws and then crosses for a cause, and the challenge of holding onto yourself and your ideals while being complicit in the colonial violence you oppose. Just -- too much military strategy, not enough character growth.
I like NK Jemison, CL Clark, and Arkady Martine's takes on these themes better. Also She Who Became the Sun. I really don't know if I'll pick up book 2 or not. I know we're not supposed to like Baru, but I'm just not sure how invested I am.
I like NK Jemison, CL Clark, and Arkady Martine's takes on these themes better. Also She Who Became the Sun. I really don't know if I'll pick up book 2 or not. I know we're not supposed to like Baru, but I'm just not sure how invested I am.
thesunthesunthesunthesun's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'll try to write a proper review later, when I've recovered. This book killed me, revived me, and then killed me again. Everything fits perfectly it just,, had to happen like that there was no escaping this.
My partner thrust this book in my hands yesterday with the request to read "just chapter one, and then let me know what you think :)". I finished it in 2 days (mostly because general life got in the way). I'm still reeling. This book is etched into my brain now.
My partner thrust this book in my hands yesterday with the request to read "just chapter one, and then let me know what you think :)". I finished it in 2 days (mostly because general life got in the way). I'm still reeling. This book is etched into my brain now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Biphobia, War, Torture, Blood, Drug use, Trafficking, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Child death, and Animal death
swaye's review against another edition
5.0
I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face. My heart is smashed into a million pieces. I feel so betrayed, my trust is broken, and I never want to read another book again.
I am reminded of how this all started. A single line as a warning: A PROMISE - This is the truth. You will know because it hurts. Fuck you, Seth Dickinson. This seriously does fucking hurt.
But as much as it hurts, and how many people are going to be, somewhat justifiably, pissed off by how this ends, I have to concede that this book was truly brilliant. I drank in every single word like I was reading some sacred manuscript with the answer to the meaning of life. In defiance I want to give this book 4 stars, but that wouldn't be the truth. I wanted it to end differently. I needed it to be different. But we can't always get what we want.
I love you Tain Hu. 😔
I am reminded of how this all started. A single line as a warning: A PROMISE - This is the truth. You will know because it hurts. Fuck you, Seth Dickinson. This seriously does fucking hurt.
But as much as it hurts, and how many people are going to be, somewhat justifiably, pissed off by how this ends, I have to concede that this book was truly brilliant. I drank in every single word like I was reading some sacred manuscript with the answer to the meaning of life. In defiance I want to give this book 4 stars, but that wouldn't be the truth. I wanted it to end differently. I needed it to be different. But we can't always get what we want.
Spoiler
Baru Cormorant is a traitor and she betrayed and made fools of us all.I love you Tain Hu. 😔