miiasun's review against another edition
5.0
Firstly: it was really refreshing to read something in Finnish! Sometimes I feel like I forget all the nice words and structures my native language has, and then I read something beautiful like this and fall in love with the language again.
Kudottujen kujien kaupunki was great. Itäranta writes in an almost poetic way, that carries the reader like a river. The whole book was really atmospheric, and I totally fell in love with the characters (I ship Eliana and Valeria so hard). The world was fascinating, although it left me a bit confused at times, like I still don't really know what the weavers were weaving or for what purpose. But the mystifying wording just added to the atmosphere and I mostly didn't mind it at all.
I feel like this book could have been twice the length. Not just because I loved reading it and wished it had been longer, but I think it might have been even better with more world-building. The ending also felt a bit abrupt and quite vague, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Nonetheless, I relished the plot and the characters and the dreamlike feeling that carried through the story.
Kudottujen kujien kaupunki was great. Itäranta writes in an almost poetic way, that carries the reader like a river. The whole book was really atmospheric, and I totally fell in love with the characters (I ship Eliana and Valeria so hard). The world was fascinating, although it left me a bit confused at times, like I still don't really know what the weavers were weaving or for what purpose. But the mystifying wording just added to the atmosphere and I mostly didn't mind it at all.
I feel like this book could have been twice the length. Not just because I loved reading it and wished it had been longer, but I think it might have been even better with more world-building. The ending also felt a bit abrupt and quite vague, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Nonetheless, I relished the plot and the characters and the dreamlike feeling that carried through the story.
viljaneito's review against another edition
4.0
Oi miten ihana kirja! En tiedä oliko Kudottujen kujien kaupunki parempi vain huonompi teos kuin Teemestarin kirja, mutta henkilökohtaisesti pidin siitä enemmän. Tarina on idealtaan ja miljööltään kiinnostavampi (olen varmaan lukenut liian monta dystopiaa...) ja suorastaan lumouduin kirjan maailmasta. Aivan täysillä en tähänkään rakastunut, mutta Itärannan tulevat romaanit ovat lukulistalla ehdottomasti.
vhensey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
elenavarg's review against another edition
3.0
Uskon vahvasti, että tämä kirja olisi ollut vahvempi, jos se olisi kirjoitettu kolmannessa persoonassa. Realistisesti kirjoitetun minä-kertojan takia kestää pitkään, ennen kuin lukija alkaa ymmärtämään Kudottujen kujien fantasiamaailmaa, sillä kertoja ei pysähdy selittämään asioita ympärillään: ne ovat hänelle jo tuttuja ja selittäminen on turhaa. Kun itse pääsin tarinaan sisään, lukeminen oli äärimmäisen viihdyttävää ja nopeaa. Vähän lopussa pari juonen pätkää latistui kliseiksi, mutta rakastin Kutojanneitsyeeseen liittyvää mytologiaa. (Ja rakastan naisia jotka rakastavat naisia. Let’s go, Lesbos!!!!)
emlen's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
b_niki's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
valerie99's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
inskuuh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
dalcecilruno's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Can’t find the words to thank the author for her work.
This is my brief, much less detailed ramble after reading The Weaver in its audio book version.
I am a real life lucid dreamer who’s still afraid of openly saying it. I’m trying here. I’ve been afraid of nightmares all my life, and as I grew older, everyone around me has pushed me to belittle the significance of whatever my dreams try to tell me.
Then this book happened.
Eliane is a dreamer, raised as a weaver, in a world where having dreams is considered a plague. The Council has developed a method to take away people’s dreams. For some reason Eliana is still able to dream, so she hides this skill to protect herself. As the story unfolds, Eliana learns the extend of the damage The Council has done to the island, and she will also learn to overcome her fears to embrace who she is and the hidden powers of her dreams to maybe, possibly, save herself and her loved ones from impending disaster.
The writing is skillful and the world is intriguing enough to make this blind person care regardless of not visualizing all the sensory details the author created, the characters feel realistic, and I know I am biased because of my personal connection to the symbolisms used throughout the story.
I am one of the readers this book needed to reach, and I don’t know how to thank the author. I know she’ll never see this, but I had to write it somewhere. Kiitos Emmi.
This is my brief, much less detailed ramble after reading The Weaver in its audio book version.
I am a real life lucid dreamer who’s still afraid of openly saying it. I’m trying here. I’ve been afraid of nightmares all my life, and as I grew older, everyone around me has pushed me to belittle the significance of whatever my dreams try to tell me.
Then this book happened.
Eliane is a dreamer, raised as a weaver, in a world where having dreams is considered a plague. The Council has developed a method to take away people’s dreams. For some reason Eliana is still able to dream, so she hides this skill to protect herself. As the story unfolds, Eliana learns the extend of the damage The Council has done to the island, and she will also learn to overcome her fears to embrace who she is and the hidden powers of her dreams to maybe, possibly, save herself and her loved ones from impending disaster.
The writing is skillful and the world is intriguing enough to make this blind person care regardless of not visualizing all the sensory details the author created, the characters feel realistic, and I know I am biased because of my personal connection to the symbolisms used throughout the story.
I am one of the readers this book needed to reach, and I don’t know how to thank the author. I know she’ll never see this, but I had to write it somewhere. Kiitos Emmi.
hue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I had no expectations yet am blown away. The use of the language, the characters, the island itself—it was bitter, dim and desperate. I enjoyed every bit of it!