caseythereader's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Murder, Vomit, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Alcohol, Animal death, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Suicide
deedireads's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Spear Cuts Through Water is a sweeping, imaginative, gorgeously and uniquely told story that completely knocked my socks off. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as you read along in print.
For you if: You like books with experimental storytelling styles and epic prose.
FULL REVIEW:
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Spear Cuts Through Water is a sweeping, imaginative, gorgeously and uniquely told story that completely knocked my socks off. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as you read along in print.
For you if: You like books with experimental storytelling styles and epic prose.
FULL REVIEW:
“Once, the Moon and the Water were in love. … And though they occupied different spheres, they were able to visit one another through less direct means, for there is no barrier in this life that love cannot overcome. The Water would send up to the skies plump storm clouds, swollen with its essence, its cool mist and salty breath kissing the Moon’s dry and cracked surface. And the Moon, when it wished to visit the Water, would cast its reflection into the Water’s surface, and in the Inverted World that lies suspended below our own, in glass and still water, they would meet, and dance, and make love. … It was in that world of reflection where they built the theater that is the locus of our tale.”
You know that feeling when you read the first few pages of a new book and you’re just like…wow? The Spear Cuts Through Water did that for me, and then some. I started the audiobook in the car and was so hypnotized by the opening chapter I felt like I was driving through a dream. And it just kept getting better from there.
This book’s cover blurb says it’s like nothing you’ve ever read before, but that’s not just a gimmicky marketing line. On one level, we have the book’s narrator, who speaks to us in the second person and remembers the old stories about the Old Country (unnamed, but Jimenez is Filipino-American) that his lola used to tell him as a boy — she’s the one speaking in the quote above. But he is also sitting in a magical theater, watching a play that tells an epic tale of ancestry, battle, a god, a throne, and yes — love. And even as the narration melts into the recounting of that story, we get (sometimes single-sentence) interjections from the characters, adding their voices to what becomes a chorus.
It’s this experimentation with form and narration — combined with breathtaking but slower-moving prose — that makes me say that this book will be perfect for those who like to read both literary fiction and fantasy; the book requires a bit of a close read, a bit more engagement. But it’s very much worth the effort.
I listened to the audiobook as I read along in print, which I do often. But with this book, I can’t imagine NOT experiencing it in both formats. The way the text is laid out on the page adds so much to the storytelling style (and could be a bit confusing if you’re listening only), and Joel de la Fuente’s audio performance is just so rich and beautiful. (You may recognize his voice from Interior Chinatown or How Much of These Hills Is Gold.) Please take my advice and do this one both ways.
I loved this reading experience. I loved the story. I loved the characters. I loved the queer elements. I loved its homage to ancestry and myth. I loved how hypnotized I felt. I just loved it. You bet your bottom I’m going to go back and read Jimenez’s The Vanished Birds now. And literally anything he writes in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Violence, and Cannibalism
Minor: Alcoholism and Sexual content
boglord's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.25
(Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
Spoiler Free Summary: “You” are pulled out of your day to day world and into the Inverted Theater, carrying only memories of your lola’s stories, and a spear that has been passed down for generations. The show? The 5 day journey of Keema of the Daware Tribe and Jun the Red Peacock as they cross the country carrying precious cargo and running from the Terrors of a crumbling empire. Along the way, they must contend with a magic like they’ve never seen before, talking telepathic tortoises, the unbearable pressure of family and legacy, and the very Rhythm of the World itself.
Where do I even start with this book?
First of all, I loved it. The book takes its reader through dreams, into a magical theater, across countries, into the spirit world and out again. It spans lifetimes but also only five days. It’s language is lyrical and poetic but also incredibly blunt, gory, and gruesome. Its genre bending in its style, use of multiple perspectives and constant shifting through time and space, but also solidly Epic Fantasy in nature. And I was hooked with every page. The characters are tragic but joyful through so many terrible things that happen to them. It is a love story.
However, it may not be for everyone! That isn’t even necessarily a bad thing; this book knows who it’s ideal audience is. The “chapters” read more like sections or Books within the book itself. If you are the kind of reader who likes to finish a chapter before setting the book down, be prepared for long stretches of reading. The story itself is intricate and can sometimes be confusing! Because the point of view can change at a moments notice between paragraphs (and even sometimes in the middle of a sentence), it took me a moment to settle into the writing while also paying attention to who’s thought I was hearing. After the first fourth of the book however, it became natural to hear the important passing thoughts of those our main character pass during their journey—it fleshed out the world and made every experience in the Smiling Sun’s empire all the more real. That being said, definitely confusing at times!
Overall, this book touched me deeply. I admit to crying at least twice while reading this book. The themes of family, legacy, redemption, and love were poignant and left me thinking every time I managed to put the book down. If you are looking for a rollercoaster of a book that will never go the direction you think it will, I highly recommend this upcoming release!!
Spoiler Free Summary: “You” are pulled out of your day to day world and into the Inverted Theater, carrying only memories of your lola’s stories, and a spear that has been passed down for generations. The show? The 5 day journey of Keema of the Daware Tribe and Jun the Red Peacock as they cross the country carrying precious cargo and running from the Terrors of a crumbling empire. Along the way, they must contend with a magic like they’ve never seen before, talking telepathic tortoises, the unbearable pressure of family and legacy, and the very Rhythm of the World itself.
Where do I even start with this book?
First of all, I loved it. The book takes its reader through dreams, into a magical theater, across countries, into the spirit world and out again. It spans lifetimes but also only five days. It’s language is lyrical and poetic but also incredibly blunt, gory, and gruesome. Its genre bending in its style, use of multiple perspectives and constant shifting through time and space, but also solidly Epic Fantasy in nature. And I was hooked with every page. The characters are tragic but joyful through so many terrible things that happen to them. It is a love story.
However, it may not be for everyone! That isn’t even necessarily a bad thing; this book knows who it’s ideal audience is. The “chapters” read more like sections or Books within the book itself. If you are the kind of reader who likes to finish a chapter before setting the book down, be prepared for long stretches of reading. The story itself is intricate and can sometimes be confusing! Because the point of view can change at a moments notice between paragraphs (and even sometimes in the middle of a sentence), it took me a moment to settle into the writing while also paying attention to who’s thought I was hearing. After the first fourth of the book however, it became natural to hear the important passing thoughts of those our main character pass during their journey—it fleshed out the world and made every experience in the Smiling Sun’s empire all the more real. That being said, definitely confusing at times!
Overall, this book touched me deeply. I admit to crying at least twice while reading this book. The themes of family, legacy, redemption, and love were poignant and left me thinking every time I managed to put the book down. If you are looking for a rollercoaster of a book that will never go the direction you think it will, I highly recommend this upcoming release!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Excrement, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Incest
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