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solntse's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As someone who both struggles with anxiety and has moved many times in the hope of finally finding a sense of belonging or understanding, this novel was a beautiful and unsettling read. The novel depicts anxiety very realistically; Ronoah's tendency to be trapped by his racing thoughts was all too familiar. I think readers need to go into the book aware that it is not a typical fantasy offering. It is a travelogue and slice-of-life, with the action centred around internal conflict; the folklore and stories-within-stories were engaging, and the side characters especially stood out to me. That being said, the latter half of the novel was dominated by the protagonist's anxious musings, which slowed the pace and caused me to skip some paragraphs to get to the action.
The world-building was lovely: the details about differences in religion, cultural expressions, and versions of history were vivid. I loved the linguistic development, and Ronoah's struggles with learning the language were incredibly relatable. I loved the linguistic quirks included, with some words changed from modern English. It was a small touch that breathed life into the text and reminded me that I was in a new world in much the same way that the two moons did. I always enjoy a well-realised fantasy world, and I wish there had been more interactions with other characters, or explorations of other cities. It's not often you feel like you know the world you're reading, but the author breathed life into it, from the types of food eaten to the creation myths.
Ronoah's journey across the continent to find belonging was emotional. I identified strongly with him and was curious about his life. I enjoyed his empathy for others and his ability to think deeply. I related to his anxiety and his self-paralysis when stressed, and many of my favourite quotes felt as if they were written just for me. That being said, there were times when I skipped past the paragraphs of Ronoah's self-loathing; sometimes, it became too uncomfortable, and there were so many repetitions of this cycle that they sometimes lost their emotional impact. While I recognise that this is typical of anxiety to be repeating these same thoughts endlessly, as a reader, I wished this wasn't happening every few pages. If I'm frank, he was sometimes very tiring as the only narrator; I hope I don't feel like this to my friends! Ronoah's character development was satisfying, but Reilin's big discovery cheapened it to me. It was the "aha!" moment and I felt like I was cheated out of some of Reilin's own story.
I'll admit that I didn't love Reilin. His air of mystery grew stale quickly, and this became evident in the second half, where the only interruption to Ronoah's anxiety was Reilin's amused refusal to answer questions.
I did, however, <i> love </i> the side characters, especially the Tellers. I was so interested in their histories and I really regretted not seeing them again. I want to see more of the children of the sea, too.
The prose was sumptuous, especially in the stories-within-stories. I wish there had been more of those throughout the second half of the book. As I said above, Ronoah's internal monologues were frequent, and I am hoping that in the second book, they will be interspersed with more action so they don't become repetitive. I will definitely read the next book, and am excited to read more about the Shale project!
The world-building was lovely: the details about differences in religion, cultural expressions, and versions of history were vivid. I loved the linguistic development, and Ronoah's struggles with learning the language were incredibly relatable. I loved the linguistic quirks included, with some words changed from modern English. It was a small touch that breathed life into the text and reminded me that I was in a new world in much the same way that the two moons did. I always enjoy a well-realised fantasy world, and I wish there had been more interactions with other characters, or explorations of other cities. It's not often you feel like you know the world you're reading, but the author breathed life into it, from the types of food eaten to the creation myths.
Ronoah's journey across the continent to find belonging was emotional. I identified strongly with him and was curious about his life. I enjoyed his empathy for others and his ability to think deeply. I related to his anxiety and his self-paralysis when stressed, and many of my favourite quotes felt as if they were written just for me. That being said, there were times when I skipped past the paragraphs of Ronoah's self-loathing; sometimes, it became too uncomfortable, and there were so many repetitions of this cycle that they sometimes lost their emotional impact. While I recognise that this is typical of anxiety to be repeating these same thoughts endlessly, as a reader, I wished this wasn't happening every few pages. If I'm frank, he was sometimes very tiring as the only narrator; I hope I don't feel like this to my friends! Ronoah's character development was satisfying, but
I'll admit that I didn't love Reilin. His air of mystery grew stale quickly, and this became evident in the second half, where
I did, however, <i> love </i> the side characters, especially the Tellers. I was so interested in their histories and I really regretted not seeing them again. I want to see more of the children of the sea, too.
The prose was sumptuous, especially in the stories-within-stories. I wish there had been more of those throughout the second half of the book. As I said above, Ronoah's internal monologues were frequent, and I am hoping that in the second book, they will be interspersed with more action so they don't become repetitive. I will definitely read the next book, and am excited to read more about the Shale project!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
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