Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

130 reviews

hazeleyeddreamer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

I will say I read the last 50 pages on the couch at midnight because I needed to know what happened and the ending was not satisfying. I usually don't mind an ambiguous ending but this did not work for me. They haven't even really met by the end of the book. If you're going to give me enemies to lovers, we're betraying our government and everything we've ever known for each other you need to show me the future they create together. This book is all about two organizations battling over the outcome of the future and obviously both are massively flawed. You can't write a book all about the future and then not show me the future. Show me them holed out in a little pocket of time of their own making, the Garden and the Agency still battling each other and still looking for Red and Blue, but it doesn't matter because they have each other. Show me them dismantling the Agency and the Garden and building a new better future that acknowledges the flaws and benefits of both societies because who better than their own agents to know their defects, who better to know how to win a time war than those who know how to lose a time war.

Obviously this is not to say that this isn't a good book or it's not worth reading. It's an amazing book. Very plentiful with topics for literary or academic discussion and just generally an insightful and well done book, the kind of book that makes me say "damn I'm never going to write something as good as this. How do you write like that?"

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Death, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment and Panic attacks/disorders

mbelle97's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-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? No

3.0

could not get into this book at all. it was very beautifully written, but it wasn't really about anything. i couldn't get invested in the romance because I couldn't tell who the characters were or what they cared about. This book also didn't go into much of the actual world-building or technology, so I was left very confused and skeptical about the ways that Blue and Red were able to communicate in the first place. the book was pretty short, and I would have loved if it was a bit longer if the added length explained the world, the characters, the Agency, and Garden in more depth. the world seemed super interesting and I loooove time-travel and sci-fi, so I wish i was able to learn more about the characters' motivations and the world they lived in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

Moderate: War

sydneykaye's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Stalking, Murder, and War

For body horror, I think that description is a little harsh for what is in the book,

there are parts where the "follower" or whatever they're called will like stick splinters in their hand, or when Red (I think it was her) modified her mechanical body (?).

It has been a little bit since I read this so idk. Nothing in the book is overly graphic.

jen3699's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I loved it and I'm recommending it. It's short but a masterpiece. Every minute of this is used to create this beautiful love story. I love it.

The end is my favourite. It's crafted so beautifully and with such dedication. 

The idea of a love that you take into your being so literally, unconsciously and consciously. The type of love that consumes you and remakes you into something new for you and your partner. Beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Death, Gore, Violence, Genocide, and War

Minor: Grief, Miscarriage, Animal death, Infertility, and Abortion

jayvdw's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

For the past 1,5 years, I have been improving my reading speed. Trying to read faster whilst following the story. This book made me want to slow down for the first time. At first, it was forced, by the complex writing and intriguing world. But quickly it became voluntary, I wanted to take in the beauty and complexity of the book. This book showed me that writing isn't only about reading a story, but simultaneously can be about the beauty of how the story is written. El-Mohtar and Gladstone are masters at their craft, I would not call them writers but wordsmiths. Using specific words to create a gorgeous tale of love, treachery, action, history, and politics. 

There is so much to love about this book and the less one knows about it, besides its beauty the better. This book truly gave me a new perspective on books and writing.

This is how we win.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Suicide, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture

monstrouscosmos's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

Characters: 10/10
Relationships: 10/10
Atmosphere/Setting: 9.5/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot/Intrigue: 9.5/10
Internal Logic: 10/10
Entertainment: 10/10
Overall: 68/70, 5*

I love epistolary novels, quantum time travel plots, and messy star crossed sapphic romances, so I figured from the get that I'd be really into this. and I was! I especially loved the ways the characters spoke with one another across timelines, and gave context for themselves as individuals, within their respective collective experiences, and within their shared relationship over time(s). the writing about writing was also really fun! there are definitely moments that delve into disturbing themes and events, but for the most part I found the tone stayed hopeful in belief for better circumstances. 

it's definitely something I need to relisten to (I feel like I missed a lot in my first run thru due to the narrative bouncing around quite a lot), but I'm so excited to revisit it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, Torture, Abandonment, Colonisation, Animal death, Child abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, and Stalking

Minor: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Cursing

Graphic: spiders

kajoreads's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

It took me a while to get emotionally invested, which isn’t ideal when the book is only 200 pages long.

The last third was worth the wait though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Violence, and War

Moderate: Colonisation, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Torture

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, and Pandemic/Epidemic

saskiahill's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.0

If you can, read in one or two sittings as the writing flows and it's not the easiest to keep track of. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Animal death

veggiestrawenjoyer13's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I put off reading this book for so long because I wasn’t sure I would like it. Even at the beginning of reading it, I was unsure of it. The concept is so unique and it’s executed amazingly. Once the letters start, it gets so much better. I don’t usually enjoy complicated writing styles, but this was a work of art. Especially as the letters go on, they become genuine literary masterpieces (in my opinion.) The end had me wanting more, in a good way. The plot twist fell into place so well and it’s worth reading. I wasn’t expecting this book to have such a high rating, but it is one of the best I’ve ever written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Blood

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

tlindhorst's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

This book will reward re-reading, mulling over & reading outside reviews. It is complex, romantic, full of hope & despair all at the same time. Is the conclusion that

we must break away from more collective identities correct

?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Torture, Gore, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Blood, Confinement, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt