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sarahavah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
moasrealms's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
beautifuldissonance's review against another edition
I really tried with this book, but it just didn't grab me. Something about the world felt too contrived and it all felt very improbable.
ingread27's review against another edition
5.0
What an astonishingly relevant book. Several decades into the future, and the consequences of climate change, corporate power, racism and other modern day societal ills have manifested into our worst fears. Yet this book is delivered from the perspective of those who do it right, from a place of love, community, acceptance and fairness. The story is gripping.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
novelinsights's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
I've never read a book like this before--and I mean that in many different ways. For one, this is a true utopian story. While 'dystopias' are common and one of my favorite subgenres to read, they are a play on the concept of a utopia, and I'm surprised to realize I can't remember ever having read about an actual, functioning utopia before. This is also a utopia I very much would support, and part of my heart aches that I can't really live in a world like this.
This book also feels very ahead of its time. The majority of the characters are bi/pansexual and polyamorous; in fact, this is the "normal" in the utopian society. As a bisexual person currently in a relationship that isn't poly but is at least partly open, this is super fun to read about. For once, people like me get to be the status quo, and it's so easy and uncomplicated for partners to find each other, compared to the complexities of our current society. That in itself made the world of this book a dream, but it was also impressive to see this in a book written decades ago, when so many other older books are openly problematic and excused as "products of their time." Clearly, we're underselling the capabilities of people of previous decades.
Finally, the world-building here was so smooth I felt completely lost in it. I would categorize this book as 'science fantasy'--it's set in the future with occasional pieces of futuristic technology, but characters are also using magic in several different ways throughout the story. The only other books that I know that I'd consider science fantasy are the Dragonriders of Pern books, and they're the kinds of books that would get you very weird looks should you try to explain them in public. Yet with The Fifth Sacred Thing, everything about the worldbuilding felt so natural that, several times while I was reading the novel, I found myself thinking of it more like realistic fiction. I'd think, It really isn't that much of a fantasy story at all, is it? because I'd spent so much time in the world of the story and I felt so lost in it that the magic they were doing felt natural. I can't remember that ever happening with a book before, and I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction.
Honestly, I almost gave this book five stars. It's definitely going to live rent-free in my head for the foreseeable future. The only reason I didn't give it the full five stars was that there were certain parts of it, especially conversations, that stood out to me on occasion as feeling a little contrived. I don't really mind a preachy book if it aligns with my own personal belief systems, as this book largely does, but I do want the lessons to come naturally, and it did occasionally feel like characters were being used as mouthpieces. There were also just a few moments within the plot that felt a little too abstract to hit home as powerfully as I wanted them to.
Regardless, I'm excited to continue on and read the other two novels by Starhawk. If someone ever gave me the opportunity to step into any fictional world, this one would definitely be a contender (though I'd hope to reach it at a time where the war wasn't a problem).
This book also feels very ahead of its time. The majority of the characters are bi/pansexual and polyamorous; in fact, this is the "normal" in the utopian society. As a bisexual person currently in a relationship that isn't poly but is at least partly open, this is super fun to read about. For once, people like me get to be the status quo, and it's so easy and uncomplicated for partners to find each other, compared to the complexities of our current society. That in itself made the world of this book a dream, but it was also impressive to see this in a book written decades ago, when so many other older books are openly problematic and excused as "products of their time." Clearly, we're underselling the capabilities of people of previous decades.
Finally, the world-building here was so smooth I felt completely lost in it. I would categorize this book as 'science fantasy'--it's set in the future with occasional pieces of futuristic technology, but characters are also using magic in several different ways throughout the story. The only other books that I know that I'd consider science fantasy are the Dragonriders of Pern books, and they're the kinds of books that would get you very weird looks should you try to explain them in public. Yet with The Fifth Sacred Thing, everything about the worldbuilding felt so natural that, several times while I was reading the novel, I found myself thinking of it more like realistic fiction. I'd think, It really isn't that much of a fantasy story at all, is it? because I'd spent so much time in the world of the story and I felt so lost in it that the magic they were doing felt natural. I can't remember that ever happening with a book before, and I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction.
Honestly, I almost gave this book five stars. It's definitely going to live rent-free in my head for the foreseeable future. The only reason I didn't give it the full five stars was that there were certain parts of it, especially conversations, that stood out to me on occasion as feeling a little contrived. I don't really mind a preachy book if it aligns with my own personal belief systems, as this book largely does, but I do want the lessons to come naturally, and it did occasionally feel like characters were being used as mouthpieces. There were also just a few moments within the plot that felt a little too abstract to hit home as powerfully as I wanted them to.
Regardless, I'm excited to continue on and read the other two novels by Starhawk. If someone ever gave me the opportunity to step into any fictional world, this one would definitely be a contender (though I'd hope to reach it at a time where the war wasn't a problem).
cpweiden's review against another edition
4.0
Eco-feminism and Wiccan values...all told in a utopian fiction California. Very interesting read.
themahtin's review against another edition
4.0
Finally read this book. It's a utopian fantasy about the Bay Area and characters who celebrate an earth/environment-based spirituality. The reason I didn't give it a 5th star is that it was hard to get used to the narrator switching from the perspective of one character to another in a very fluid fashion. Keywords polyamory, San Francisco, post-apocalyptic, survival, witchcraft, anarchy, spokescouncil
jetter's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
bearredmon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5