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kitsuneheart's review
4.0
This companion piece to "The Alchemist" takes the Middle-Eastern feel of its companion book and runs with it, though perhaps in a way that capitalizes too much on an outsiders view of Islamic culture. While the city of Paika isn't explicitly Islamic, their need to impose their religion on the lands surrounding them certainly echo back on how Islam is currently viewed.
I can't fault the story too much, however. In the world where this takes place--where the by-product of magic is a deadly vine which is threatening to destroy human civilization--it's only natural that there should be a nation which seeks to halt the spread of magic by imposing death and conversion to anti-magic sentiment on their enemies. And the narrator is rather novel (at least for me): a mother who has lost her children, and who responds to this loss with swift and brutal vengeance.
I can't fault the story too much, however. In the world where this takes place--where the by-product of magic is a deadly vine which is threatening to destroy human civilization--it's only natural that there should be a nation which seeks to halt the spread of magic by imposing death and conversion to anti-magic sentiment on their enemies. And the narrator is rather novel (at least for me): a mother who has lost her children, and who responds to this loss with swift and brutal vengeance.
jabarkas's review
2.0
I like Buckell a lot as a writer, and I thought this was a good story, but I thought that ultimately the format hurt it - it should have been either a short story, or a full novel.
misterjay's review
4.0
The Executioness is an excellent meditation on the unseen victims of war, the mothers and wives left behind, and what they do when pushed past their breaking points. Tana, the protagonist, is one such mother. Her family is taken from her and she vows revenge. What follows then, is war, revenge, and politics.
The characters and setting of the Executioness are drawn with quickly sketched lines that, over the course of the novella, add up to a fully realized world complete with magic, religion, cultures, and, of course, politics.
Years ago, someone said that novels were about characters while short stories were about ideas. The current spate of novellas seems to ride the line between those two poles with skill and consistency. The Executioness is no exception.
Recommended.
The characters and setting of the Executioness are drawn with quickly sketched lines that, over the course of the novella, add up to a fully realized world complete with magic, religion, cultures, and, of course, politics.
Years ago, someone said that novels were about characters while short stories were about ideas. The current spate of novellas seems to ride the line between those two poles with skill and consistency. The Executioness is no exception.
Recommended.
filauer84's review
3.0
Meh, why not, wasn't a terrible follow up to Paulo's "The Alchemist," but it wasn't exactly ground breaking either.
megatsunami's review
4.0
This novella felt very brief and I found myself wishing it had been a full-length novel that was more filled-out. Some scenes felt like they were given plenty of time to develop while others felt rushed. That said, I really enjoyed it and thought the world-building was original and the plot was creatively done. And I appreciated a man writing a book with a middle-aged mother as the heroine.
git_r_read's review
5.0
I'm going to be looking for more from this author. I've not read him before, but he's been added to the WWBL.
A woman loses her children to a religious horde. She wants them back. She finds herself in a position not of her making, she just wants her family returned.
I like when something happens to someone in a book and they either rise above or wallow. She rises above.
This is in the same world as THE ALCHEMIST - Paolo Balcigalupi. Magic and deadly bramble. Bad and good. Excellent.
I can recommend this book and author.
A woman loses her children to a religious horde. She wants them back. She finds herself in a position not of her making, she just wants her family returned.
I like when something happens to someone in a book and they either rise above or wallow. She rises above.
This is in the same world as THE ALCHEMIST - Paolo Balcigalupi. Magic and deadly bramble. Bad and good. Excellent.
I can recommend this book and author.
ddmckenna's review
5.0
Great Story - I want more!
I really enjoyed this and The Alchemist. I was attracted to this after I read The Alchemist, which I bought when looking for more of Paolo Bacigalupi's work after I read Windup Girl. My only question now is - these are several years old now - has there been more written about this world?
I really enjoyed this and The Alchemist. I was attracted to this after I read The Alchemist, which I bought when looking for more of Paolo Bacigalupi's work after I read Windup Girl. My only question now is - these are several years old now - has there been more written about this world?
guihs's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lleullawgyffes's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5