Take a photo of a barcode or cover
I knew it was a story about deep seated chauvinism and its impact on the society and even the greatest minds when those are raised with such beliefs.
I knew that it was an introspection on privilege — Siona who is treated badly by her male colleagues is treating Tommen equally bad if not worse. How easy it is to forget that other people have it worse when you are focused on your own issues. It doesn’t make your issues less; it just puts things into perspective.
I knew that it was about choice — whether you are willing to question your ideals even if they actively benefit you. How eager people are to ease their burdens at the expense of other people. And how hard it might be to even comprehend the evil around you and inside of you.
But I still wasn’t ready for where the plot of blood over bright haven took me. I wasn’t expecting it to be that clear on the mission of getting to the point. I feel like I walked this road with Siona and cried with her and raged with her. I love how the story is not sparing us any suffering along the way. It had to be done like this, like a mirror that she created, that opens right in front of your face and shows you the truth how uncomfortable it really is.
I have a feeling I will be thinking about this book for a long time
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment
Minor: Child abuse, Child death
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Genocide, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment
I think everyone should read this book. It is excellent commentary on so many real-world issues told through a riveting story of flawed, raw characters that you want to root for. Wang tackles racism—specifically against indigenous people—, colonization, collective liberation, hypocrisy in religion, corruption in government, "benevolent" complicity, white guilt/tears, and so much more with such finesse. She asks us all to grapple with the questions: what is the cost of our comforts, and what is the effect on our humanity of the denial of those costs?
The story is a page-turner the whole way through, and hooked me within the first chapter. The magic system is extremely unique and interesting, and the world-building is so well-done. Both are intricate without being hard to understand (plus a handy pocket guide is included in the back!). The series of events is realistic as it pertains to the world/characters and the IRL issues the story seeks to tackle.
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation
Moderate: Body horror, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Suicide, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, War
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault
1.)
The depth of world-building and unending, but never boring explanation of the hard-magic / science system in place for this novel is astounding. It never manages to fall into the trap of info-dumping on the reader, staying crisp and detailed but not overbearing as we move through the story.
It drip feeds what information is necessary at the time it’s needed, fleshing out our understanding of Bright Haven; the clans, the politics, the religion and the biases as we encounter them.
2.)
The characters themselves are intrinsically human; chaotic and difficult, at times so detestably hard to like, shining a light on our own privileges and pitfalls. Each person we encounter gives us a window into societal oppression, and how it manifests.
Sciona, The morally ambiguous FMC is at odds with the most commonly seen female heroines of fantasy: She’s ego driven and inscrutable, logical to the point of delusion. A cold hearted scientist with limited social skills, navigating the most difficult social situations the writer can think up whilst pressing her will against an empire that would squash her like a bug.
3.)
This is an intricate critique of power-structures that holds up a mirror to our own world and the hypocrisy and fallacy’s within our own (present/ and) history. It is not so heavy handed that the points made feel didactic, nor is it so subtle as to lack substance.
Wang injects irony, levity, and moments of softness with a grace that buffs up against the brutality and the grotesque examples of sexism, racism and religious zealotry that make this a more advanced and darker read than other books coming out at the same time.
4.)
Read this book if you want a dark academic fantasy that challenges and provokes with wit, wonder, a touch of body horror and a healthy heaping of emotional sabotage.
5.)
In short, a masterpiece of contemporary fiction.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexism, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood
Minor: Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent