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the_tridentarii's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
After making first contact with with the alien planet Qita, Earth invaded, and the Qitans surrendered before a single shot was fire. Now, in the rural landscape of Devon, which has separated from England to form the anti-modern tech Western Protectorate, a human and a Qitan, Jem (an ex-military propagandist from the invasion) runs a pub called the Skyward Inn together with Isley, a Qitan. As Earth strips resources from Qita, particularly a memory inducing drink called jarrowbrew, a plague creeps into the edges of the Protectorate and another Qitan appears mysteriously at the Inn...
A really thought-provoking book, set in a beautifully isolated rural area, with touches of body horror and surrealism, and with very well-developed characters. The book tackles themes like estranged families, colonialism, individual vs collective identity, and isolated communities trying to survive, and both definitely feels unique and lives up to the comparisons with Ursula K Le Guin. Would recommend!
A really thought-provoking book, set in a beautifully isolated rural area, with touches of body horror and surrealism, and with very well-developed characters. The book tackles themes like estranged families, colonialism, individual vs collective identity, and isolated communities trying to survive, and both definitely feels unique and lives up to the comparisons with Ursula K Le Guin. Would recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Colonisation
katiewhocanread's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Blood, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
kiwii091's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was an okay book overall, but not quite what I was expecting based on the blurb - in some ways I felt that the story it told wasn't the one I hoped it would be. Partly to blame for this is the how over hyped the reviews on the front were as well - they definitely made it seem like a much more exciting book than I felt it turned out to be. At times I also had to re-read parts to make sense of some of it, particularly the setting and what the characters were like at the beginning - this slight lack of development at the beginning did make it hard to picture what was happening at times but did get a little better as the book went on. Still a good book overall and I would re-read it, but just not for a while.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Colonisation
Minor: Death and Sexual content
booking_along's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
so strange and unique but fantastic.
a sci fi that can be read just to have a unique dystopian sci fi read or it can be read with a lot more meaning and intention of what it could mean in broader ways -from taken over land and humans (especially white ones) taken resources and other things they want, not caring about anything else.
the writing is fitting to the story and as strange but well done and while the plot could be clearer and more direct it still works.
the characters took me a little while to get used to but they never felt underdeveloped or unrealistic. so well done there too.
overall? this was a surprising find for me -i had never heard about this book or the author before seeing this and just reading it and enjoying it a lot.
and i think it might be best to not know what this book is about and just go in and see where the story takes you.
a sci fi that can be read just to have a unique dystopian sci fi read or it can be read with a lot more meaning and intention of what it could mean in broader ways -from taken over land and humans (especially white ones) taken resources and other things they want, not caring about anything else.
the writing is fitting to the story and as strange but well done and while the plot could be clearer and more direct it still works.
the characters took me a little while to get used to but they never felt underdeveloped or unrealistic. so well done there too.
overall? this was a surprising find for me -i had never heard about this book or the author before seeing this and just reading it and enjoying it a lot.
and i think it might be best to not know what this book is about and just go in and see where the story takes you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Alcohol, and Colonisation