fantasyfairy's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
titusfortner's review
3.0
One of the 2017 Hugo nominations for best novelette.
The back story and the world and the mechanics of the magic doesn't fully make sense. I think this is an instance where the story is too ambitious to be contained in a novelette. The writing and the characters are both enjoyable and could easily have sustained more pages. The "present day author" premise is also great, but the author doesn't integrate it into the story the way I expected.
The back story and the world and the mechanics of the magic doesn't fully make sense. I think this is an instance where the story is too ambitious to be contained in a novelette. The writing and the characters are both enjoyable and could easily have sustained more pages. The "present day author" premise is also great, but the author doesn't integrate it into the story the way I expected.
ladyofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting little story about betrayal, love, and power. LGBT rep and barely 90 pages. I flipped through this in less than an hour. 3.5 ⭐
aprilbooksandwine's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
kdheart's review
3.0
I really wish I could give this four stars, but the plot feels drowned out by worldbuilding and it's too short for that.
The premise is interesting - a kingdom where rulers draw their power from gems and they need a lapidary to keep them under control. Unfortunately, we only get to witness the downfall of this and, despite most of the novella being spent on worldbuilding, we don't really get a clear picture of how that power works.
The premise is interesting - a kingdom where rulers draw their power from gems and they need a lapidary to keep them under control. Unfortunately, we only get to witness the downfall of this and, despite most of the novella being spent on worldbuilding, we don't really get a clear picture of how that power works.
pearlc's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25