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kavrhymes's review against another edition
3.0
I got a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
What you'll notice first is the unusual pov style used in this novella. It's told entirely through speech, but only in terms of what others around are main character are saying, and we can't hear anything our main character says. I'm used to experimental styles thanks to fanfic, and thought it kind of lent to the "solve the mystery" air. We'd have to learn about the world and our main character through what others can tell us.
Our main character is a servant/slave of a god emperor who has mastered seven "perfections" or arts, and looking for answers in town to solve a mystery. This leads her to learn a lot about herself and the empire she serves.
For the most part the narration succeeds, but towards the end I got lost a bit. It doesn't help that we skip the climax or major task entirely and only hear that it happened through confusing metaphor. The twist at the end would have been more compelling if I wasn't caught up over missing a good old fight and struggle
A decent attempt at challenging narrative convention, but could be better.
What you'll notice first is the unusual pov style used in this novella. It's told entirely through speech, but only in terms of what others around are main character are saying, and we can't hear anything our main character says. I'm used to experimental styles thanks to fanfic, and thought it kind of lent to the "solve the mystery" air. We'd have to learn about the world and our main character through what others can tell us.
Our main character is a servant/slave of a god emperor who has mastered seven "perfections" or arts, and looking for answers in town to solve a mystery. This leads her to learn a lot about herself and the empire she serves.
For the most part the narration succeeds, but towards the end I got lost a bit. It doesn't help that we skip the climax or major task entirely and only hear that it happened through confusing metaphor. The twist at the end would have been more compelling if I wasn't caught up over missing a good old fight and struggle
A decent attempt at challenging narrative convention, but could be better.
bethysbook's review against another edition
4.0
Ok, this book is a little screwey- in a good way. It takes a good couple of chapters before you understand what's going on, but hang in there because I promise it will be worth it. I've never read a novella written this way. It kept me on my toes the entire time. I might have to go back and reread it for the sole sake of having fantastic world building and characters.
thecaptainsquarters's review against another edition
4.0
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This was a very entertaining read. The story follows a girl looking for information about a person whose image appears in a locket. This main character has perfect memory recall. The story is told in monologue format from various people that the main character interviews. Ye get no perspective of the girl herself. The questions she asks in her investigation are hinted at by the answers the other characters give. Each chapter showcases a different person. The world building is glimpsed in tiny snippets. Basically every aspect of this book is a puzzle that the reader must figure out. I rather enjoyed the journey. Just go with the flow.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
This was a very entertaining read. The story follows a girl looking for information about a person whose image appears in a locket. This main character has perfect memory recall. The story is told in monologue format from various people that the main character interviews. Ye get no perspective of the girl herself. The questions she asks in her investigation are hinted at by the answers the other characters give. Each chapter showcases a different person. The world building is glimpsed in tiny snippets. Basically every aspect of this book is a puzzle that the reader must figure out. I rather enjoyed the journey. Just go with the flow.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
venneh's review
5.0
Surprised I hadn't heard of this before now, but sometimes you get to discover new hidden gems. This is a murder mystery that takes place in a fantasy empire, but it is all seen through the dialogue of the people the investigator interacts with, which I have to admit is an incredibly well done conceit. This has been my commute book for the last little while, and it's been fascinating to take it in small doses. This is an exercise in character voice, and in dialogue too, since all the chapters are essentially half of a dialogue with unseen answers. Definitely pick this up if you'd like an experimental fantasy novella.
dyslexicdagger's review against another edition
3.0
This was like if Ascent to Godhood met Mistborn, but I enjoyed it less than either of those. The alien stuff was cool thought!
If you're looking for the unique narration and discussions of fate and corrupt godhood I would definitely rather take the Tensorate novella series or The Locked Tomb Trilogy.
If you're looking for the unique narration and discussions of fate and corrupt godhood I would definitely rather take the Tensorate novella series or The Locked Tomb Trilogy.
38_simulated's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, at novel length I probably would have hated this, but as a novella it's an intriguing piece of oblique storytelling that doesn't outstay it's welcome. The story itself is rather slight, but the fun is in the format. The book is essentially a series of... well, not really monologues, but rather halves of dialogues, where you only see responses to a question and not the questions themselves. It's a fun exercise to be forced to put the story together yourself, and this book is a good way to spend an afternoon.
esmayrosalyne's review against another edition
3.0
Undeniably well-crafted, but just way too experimental for my tastes
ginamc's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The perspective that this is written in is one I haven't really encountered before. It's not quite a diary yet It's time-based. The protagonist remains somewhat hidden, only mentioned by name, but her motives are very very clearly shown throughou the course of the story.
jazzers's review
4.0
This book is an experience, a confusing one at that, but it is engaging and I could hardly put it down.
I’m still not sure what to take away from it and perhaps will have to sit on it a bit longer and process. I LOVED the format of this book but found myself wishing there was more to it. The world building was fascinating and quite well done, but I wanted more. However, I understand why it would be such a short story.
All in all, a great quick read for those interested in a thought provoking story with unique prose.
I’m still not sure what to take away from it and perhaps will have to sit on it a bit longer and process. I LOVED the format of this book but found myself wishing there was more to it. The world building was fascinating and quite well done, but I wanted more. However, I understand why it would be such a short story.
All in all, a great quick read for those interested in a thought provoking story with unique prose.
honnari_hannya's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not quite sure what to make of THE SEVENTH PERFECTION. While not necessarily for me, it is certainly an interesting, difficult read. Extremely effective as a novella. If there ever was a genre mash of "experimental fantasy noir," this would probably fit the bill. Would recommend if you like books like THE RAVEN TOWER by Ann Leckie or THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone for their experimental styles, or A CONSPIRACY OF TRUTHS by Alexandra Rowland for sheer voicey-ness.
There's a mystery at the heart of this novella, told through a series of one-sided conversations between various characters and Manet, our silent protagonist, a high-ranking servant of the God-King. Because of this, she is in a precarious position as she investigates the origins of a locket that was anonymously sent to her. As she digs deeper into the mystery of who the woman in the locket is, she uncovers things about the city, its God-King, and her own past that could very well lead to treason—and even blasphemy.
That's a very loose interpretation of the plot, at least. The book itself is rather more vague due to the style that Polansky chose to write it in. Because you never get to hear Manet speak or get insight into her thoughts, there is a definite distance that took away from any sort of tension that readers might have felt otherwise. Still, Polansky did a remarkable job at character building through these one-sided conversations. You get as full a picture of Manet as you can in a story this short: her motivations, her personality, a little of her history.
I think the most interesting thing about this book is probably the idea of mythmaking—who controls history, who benefits from it, and what are the consequences of pursuing truth to its bitter end.
Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for providing this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
There's a mystery at the heart of this novella, told through a series of one-sided conversations between various characters and Manet, our silent protagonist, a high-ranking servant of the God-King. Because of this, she is in a precarious position as she investigates the origins of a locket that was anonymously sent to her. As she digs deeper into the mystery of who the woman in the locket is, she uncovers things about the city, its God-King, and her own past that could very well lead to treason—and even blasphemy.
That's a very loose interpretation of the plot, at least. The book itself is rather more vague due to the style that Polansky chose to write it in. Because you never get to hear Manet speak or get insight into her thoughts, there is a definite distance that took away from any sort of tension that readers might have felt otherwise. Still, Polansky did a remarkable job at character building through these one-sided conversations. You get as full a picture of Manet as you can in a story this short: her motivations, her personality, a little of her history.
I think the most interesting thing about this book is probably the idea of mythmaking—who controls history, who benefits from it, and what are the consequences of pursuing truth to its bitter end.
Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for providing this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.