littleseven's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lira_the_recluse's review against another edition
5.0
So much worldbuilding and complex characters packed into a novella. The writing also has a variety of characters of different gender identities without it being cumbersome. Good read for those looking for a resistance story, even in the face of almost hopeless authoritarianism.
norcani's review against another edition
2.0
Well. At least the covers' gorgeous!
I think this had some really cool worldbuilding ideas but due to it's length couldn't really get those ideas across without hurting characterization and plot. Overall it was hard to care what was going on. Even at the ending when it ended what is the most obvious sequel hook ever my only reaction was, well "I'm glad that was over with". I might check out to sequel when and if it comes out, but only if it's longer than 150 pages.
Just read Baru instead.
I think this had some really cool worldbuilding ideas but due to it's length couldn't really get those ideas across without hurting characterization and plot. Overall it was hard to care what was going on. Even at the ending when it ended what is the most obvious sequel hook ever my only reaction was, well "I'm glad that was over with". I might check out to sequel when and if it comes out, but only if it's longer than 150 pages.
Just read Baru instead.
argixian's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lulustjames's review against another edition
4.0
I am torn asunder over how to compose this review as I try not to let my opinions on one thing affect my opinions on the other. So, I think what’s best is to talk about Winterglass by Benjanun Sriduangkaew itself first, solely as the ink on the pages it is printed, and then I’ll talk about what has made me wary.
Winterglass has an AMAZING cover. I don’t remember when I last saw a cover that breathtakingly gorgeous. Then, we have the story itself for which I was so grateful. An actual #OwnVoices book in more ways than one, and it definitely feels true to itself. Winterglass is a twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, but uniquely so in that it barely feels the story we all heard as children (or adults).
I think all of the characters are on the LGBTIQA+ spectrum which was SO FANTASTIC FOR ME! I mean, I think this is the first time? I’ve seen someone like me in a fantasy setting (I’m agender, and I think we had a nonbinary so it was close enough!) The author used ey/em/eir for a character which had me over the moon. That said, I could understand how a reader that doesn’t know, that isn’t part of the spectrum and maybe can’t ‘keep up’ with it, they could have a hard time following and understanding. I know for a part I too was confused wondering whether a character was trans. It didn’t matter to me, their gender, but it mattered why other characters would use typical male titles to address her whereas she addresses herself in the feminine. I wanted to know if they were slighting her, if they didn’t understand.
We also have the crux of the story. A cold and bitter winter has forced its way where it does not belong, and with that, forced its culture and point of view. Such an amazing metaphor for western colonization and how it tries to destroy everything it comes into contact with. The Winter Queen taking over warm lands that were reminiscent of Thailand and southeast Asia. Then, just like western colonization, the Winter Queen doesn’t just destroy the environment but is insidious enough to infect the inhabitants. She doesn’t just want to own them, she wants them to love her even as she destroys their people. It’s amazing.
Through all this, the protagonist of Winterglass by Benjanun Sriduangkaew is Nuawa, a survivor of the Winter Queen’s cruelty. She was raised to be a weapon by her one surviving mother and acts with only this in mind. Unlike other female fantasy protagonists, Nuawa is determined and she isn’t looking for love. She isn’t looking for a new family. She is existing only to bring down the Winter Queen and restore her people. Yes, she may find sex, but it doesn’t translate into love and loyalty.
One of the downsides to Winterglass is that it is too short. As such, Sriduangkaew tries to fit as much as possible into the story. While this creates a fully fleshed world, it remains a fully fleshed world we have no knowledge about. There was so much that I had no idea what it was about. Ghost kilns and weird creatures, medicine, etc. Yes, I understand it wouldn’t need explaining since to the protagonist it’s all everyday part of life, but for me, an alien reader, I need to have some sort of solid footage.
Now, with everything that I loved, why was I on the fence about this review? Why did I give it three and a half stars? After finishing this book, I googled the book and the author because I wanted to read more. Maybe a sequel or maybe other things by this author. That is when I learned about the author’s controversial activities, to the say the least. I don’t want to talk about it here, and I do believe everyone is entitled to grow and learn and change for the better. But, at the same time, it extremely disheartening to discover someone that could be a beacon in the community, where us marginalized populations could rally behind and push ahead, especially in a field as white and straight as fantasy, YA fantasy, is actually displaying the worst of us to others and picking on our own people. I understand that one thing should not impact another, but it does and it did for me. Would I read a follow-up to Winterglass by Benjanun Sriduangkaew? Probably. Most likely. Would I go out of my way to recommend her to others? Not without warning them.
// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //
Winterglass has an AMAZING cover. I don’t remember when I last saw a cover that breathtakingly gorgeous. Then, we have the story itself for which I was so grateful. An actual #OwnVoices book in more ways than one, and it definitely feels true to itself. Winterglass is a twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, but uniquely so in that it barely feels the story we all heard as children (or adults).
I think all of the characters are on the LGBTIQA+ spectrum which was SO FANTASTIC FOR ME! I mean, I think this is the first time? I’ve seen someone like me in a fantasy setting (I’m agender, and I think we had a nonbinary so it was close enough!) The author used ey/em/eir for a character which had me over the moon. That said, I could understand how a reader that doesn’t know, that isn’t part of the spectrum and maybe can’t ‘keep up’ with it, they could have a hard time following and understanding. I know for a part I too was confused wondering whether a character was trans. It didn’t matter to me, their gender, but it mattered why other characters would use typical male titles to address her whereas she addresses herself in the feminine. I wanted to know if they were slighting her, if they didn’t understand.
We also have the crux of the story. A cold and bitter winter has forced its way where it does not belong, and with that, forced its culture and point of view. Such an amazing metaphor for western colonization and how it tries to destroy everything it comes into contact with. The Winter Queen taking over warm lands that were reminiscent of Thailand and southeast Asia. Then, just like western colonization, the Winter Queen doesn’t just destroy the environment but is insidious enough to infect the inhabitants. She doesn’t just want to own them, she wants them to love her even as she destroys their people. It’s amazing.
Through all this, the protagonist of Winterglass by Benjanun Sriduangkaew is Nuawa, a survivor of the Winter Queen’s cruelty. She was raised to be a weapon by her one surviving mother and acts with only this in mind. Unlike other female fantasy protagonists, Nuawa is determined and she isn’t looking for love. She isn’t looking for a new family. She is existing only to bring down the Winter Queen and restore her people. Yes, she may find sex, but it doesn’t translate into love and loyalty.
One of the downsides to Winterglass is that it is too short. As such, Sriduangkaew tries to fit as much as possible into the story. While this creates a fully fleshed world, it remains a fully fleshed world we have no knowledge about. There was so much that I had no idea what it was about. Ghost kilns and weird creatures, medicine, etc. Yes, I understand it wouldn’t need explaining since to the protagonist it’s all everyday part of life, but for me, an alien reader, I need to have some sort of solid footage.
Now, with everything that I loved, why was I on the fence about this review? Why did I give it three and a half stars? After finishing this book, I googled the book and the author because I wanted to read more. Maybe a sequel or maybe other things by this author. That is when I learned about the author’s controversial activities, to the say the least. I don’t want to talk about it here, and I do believe everyone is entitled to grow and learn and change for the better. But, at the same time, it extremely disheartening to discover someone that could be a beacon in the community, where us marginalized populations could rally behind and push ahead, especially in a field as white and straight as fantasy, YA fantasy, is actually displaying the worst of us to others and picking on our own people. I understand that one thing should not impact another, but it does and it did for me. Would I read a follow-up to Winterglass by Benjanun Sriduangkaew? Probably. Most likely. Would I go out of my way to recommend her to others? Not without warning them.
// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //
kathrynhoss's review against another edition
5.0
This is a story about living under colonization, about the slow self-annihilation necessary to live to fight another day. I found the descriptions of Nuawa's mindset as she does this incredibly powerful.
It's got prose like an expressionist painting-- bright brushstrokes of color that both bring the narrative to life and obfuscate it. It's not for everyone, but I like it.
The worldbuilding is a strong point, with its centering of South Asia (calling Westerners "occidentals" is a nice touch) and the irrelevance of sex and gender in this society. I was repeatedly confused by General Lussadhe's gender presentation vs identity, but that's what good art does. It disrupts, disarms, reveals our biases and forces us to rethink them.
I wish it were a full-length novel. I should have liked to see the romance unravel further into dysfunction, watch Nuawa's plan unfold. We barely get to see the Winter Queen herself. This feels unfinished to me, but I would still recommend it to anyone who likes queer speculative fiction.
The cold first, before the sight. Senses rouse to urgent stimuli far in advance of cognition, the vanguard: the heart clogging, the blood in roar, the muscles locking into paralysis. Nuawa fights against it as she turns. The Winter Queen, then. Behind the shrine, just out of sight of the novices or the bhikkuni busy with the hound. A hundred sets of calculation fleet through Nuawa, a hundred sets of admonitions and cautions from her mother. They collide with a single image, of the queen in martial regalia, the formal wear of mass executions.
“Your Majesty,” Nuawa says, poised to perform obeisance; bending the knee is a price so miniscule it is not one at all.
It's got prose like an expressionist painting-- bright brushstrokes of color that both bring the narrative to life and obfuscate it. It's not for everyone, but I like it.
The worldbuilding is a strong point, with its centering of South Asia (calling Westerners "occidentals" is a nice touch) and the irrelevance of sex and gender in this society. I was repeatedly confused by General Lussadhe's gender presentation vs identity, but that's what good art does. It disrupts, disarms, reveals our biases and forces us to rethink them.
I wish it were a full-length novel. I should have liked to see the romance unravel further into dysfunction, watch Nuawa's plan unfold. We barely get to see the Winter Queen herself. This feels unfinished to me, but I would still recommend it to anyone who likes queer speculative fiction.
alexalily's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Murder, Blood, Death, Sexual content, Injury/injury detail, and Drug use
Minor: Infertility and Animal death
tyler_j's review against another edition
3.25
This story is beautifully written. A queer retelling of the snow queen. It has fantasy, sci-fi and steampunk elements. Interesting and tough characters that I did like reading about. The world-building was beautiful too.
Fantasy sometimes goes over my head as it did here. I would have liked a bit more explanation and in-depth but I don't think it's a story fault. I think it's more so me being easily confused and not well versed in fantasy or the snow queen fairy tale. If you are more into fantasy, steampunk or the snow queen retelling I'd bet you'd understand it more than I did.
That said I still did enjoy reading it. I got it at least some of the story, enough to like what I was reading. There are also some erotic elements to it (which I enjoy but I know everyone has different tastes).
I loved how it's unapologetically queer! Being trans, different pronouns, being queer, it's no big deal and I loved that! I do highly recommend this. I'm sorry I didn't fully understand everything but what I did was beautiful and I'm thinking I'll need to do a re-read of it in the future. Thank you to Apex publishing for providing me with a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Fantasy sometimes goes over my head as it did here. I would have liked a bit more explanation and in-depth but I don't think it's a story fault. I think it's more so me being easily confused and not well versed in fantasy or the snow queen fairy tale. If you are more into fantasy, steampunk or the snow queen retelling I'd bet you'd understand it more than I did.
That said I still did enjoy reading it. I got it at least some of the story, enough to like what I was reading. There are also some erotic elements to it (which I enjoy but I know everyone has different tastes).
I loved how it's unapologetically queer! Being trans, different pronouns, being queer, it's no big deal and I loved that! I do highly recommend this. I'm sorry I didn't fully understand everything but what I did was beautiful and I'm thinking I'll need to do a re-read of it in the future. Thank you to Apex publishing for providing me with a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
herbalmoon's review against another edition
3.0
It's a good book, but it keeps taking a hard left and chucking me out of the story.
- Word I don't recognize...is it real/can it be looked up, or is it something that Ben made up for the story? (There are a lot of unfamiliar words, and this is from someone who feels like they have a pretty decent vocabulary.)
- Sexy moment...ruined by using the C-word.male fantasy? Nope, the author is female!
- A character that uses female pronouns and masculine titles, has masculine body parts...are they intersex? No, they're supposed to be neutral. (That's what the book infers a chapter or two later.) Now I haven't met a lot of neutral people, but the ones I have don't use gender-specific anything. Ben seems to get that right with other characters (using ey/em as pronouns), but seems to enjoy being confusing with this one.
- Two characters have their first meeting...and one kisses the other for the hell of it. What? Who does that, other than a creep? (And the kiss-ee didn't mind, what's worse.)
- The author continually refers to foreigners as "Occidentals". Last I knew, it's unacceptable to call Asiatic people "Oriental" (I'm not even sure it's okay to say "Asiatic"!), so why should the reverse be okay?
I don't mind LGBTIQ themes, but I think they're awkwardly done here--especially when the Q means the reader is questioning, not the character! Compared to authors like Linsey Miller (whose assassin duology handled the neutral protagonist with grace), the whole idea seems clunky and half-formed.
I finished the book because I was curious, but I won't read it again.
- Word I don't recognize...is it real/can it be looked up, or is it something that Ben made up for the story? (There are a lot of unfamiliar words, and this is from someone who feels like they have a pretty decent vocabulary.)
- Sexy moment...ruined by using the C-word.
Spoiler
Not only that, but our hoohas do not "flutter"! What is that, some kind of strange- A character that uses female pronouns and masculine titles, has masculine body parts...are they intersex? No, they're supposed to be neutral. (That's what the book infers a chapter or two later.) Now I haven't met a lot of neutral people, but the ones I have don't use gender-specific anything. Ben seems to get that right with other characters (using ey/em as pronouns), but seems to enjoy being confusing with this one.
Spoiler
I wondered about labeling Lussadh as "bigender", but in the same passage where Ben indicates zhe's neutral, she's also says that foreigners have a difficult time deciding whether to use male or female terms of address. I don't know any bigender folks, but I would assume either form would be acceptable?- Two characters have their first meeting...and one kisses the other for the hell of it. What? Who does that, other than a creep? (And the kiss-ee didn't mind, what's worse.)
- The author continually refers to foreigners as "Occidentals". Last I knew, it's unacceptable to call Asiatic people "Oriental" (I'm not even sure it's okay to say "Asiatic"!), so why should the reverse be okay?
I don't mind LGBTIQ themes, but I think they're awkwardly done here--especially when the Q means the reader is questioning, not the character! Compared to authors like Linsey Miller (whose assassin duology handled the neutral protagonist with grace), the whole idea seems clunky and half-formed.
I finished the book because I was curious, but I won't read it again.
eol's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0