bigpaw's review against another edition
5.0
This is a reread but I think because it's a different edition, it's making me write the review over again haha. Anyway still perfect, still heartbreaking, still incredible, this book hurts me and I want more. I'm gonna read the whole series this time and see if it's an incredible series or just an incredible one-off.
biggaywave's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
nickjagged's review against another edition
5.0
It had to end this way.
In my recent attempts to listen to more fantasy, trying to return to the genre I adored as a kid, I've realized something. Fantasy authors have horrible politics. It's understandable, given that the genre has a penchant for exceptional protagonists whose merit propels them out of their mismatched beginnings, for rulers who exist either as setpieces (unquestioned authority mostly external to the story) or as an ultimate representation of virtue or corruption, and for creative imaginations of creatures that nonetheless hew to some understanding of biological categorization. Attempts to challenge, to modernize, to play with these tropes typically fall flat on their face. How many recent books have had a monarchy replaced with the ("clearly") ultimate system of governance, representative democracy? How many have attempted to eschew any sense of inherent supernatural ability in their protagonist, while still giving them enough aptitude to produce success in their respective fantastic meritocracies? How many have attempted to redeem classical monsters such as orcs, goblins, dark elves, and so on in the exact terms of model minority racial politics?
A lot. And it's exhausting. And it's disappointing, because the failed attempts at hacking the classic structure pile up and spawn their own reactions, which inevitably end back up where the entire venture started, with permutations of the template that don't actually go anywhere new.
But, what if the answer lies not in a bold subversion of tropes, but in the acceptance and deepening of them? An adept child is spotted as having potential, not due to some wayward benefactor, but by an agent of an ideological project that's invested in mythmaking around the idea of inborn racial characteristics. Would such a child dive headfirst into the project for the abstract goal of advancement, towards some amorphous sense power? Or, would their singling out draw their attention to the disparity between how they see themselves, how their family sees them, and how this outsider sees them? Wouldn't that nag at a person?
The concept of empire and of colonialism, the subtler power of racial imagination and of normative behavior, looms heavy in The Traitor Baru Cormorant. These are forces as violent and deadly as swords, and their true danger comes from how ingrained they are into the way we see the world. We see their results in our day-to-day lives, but are rarely given to see the sheer force with which they were set into motion, and how much of that force remains through the entropy of centuries. If empire is behind us, why are its ideals so familiar, almost as echoes to modern concepts of rule, of order, of advancement? Is the project itself incompatible with our present lives, or is it simply its unsavory byproducts which disturb us?
In my recent attempts to listen to more fantasy, trying to return to the genre I adored as a kid, I've realized something. Fantasy authors have horrible politics. It's understandable, given that the genre has a penchant for exceptional protagonists whose merit propels them out of their mismatched beginnings, for rulers who exist either as setpieces (unquestioned authority mostly external to the story) or as an ultimate representation of virtue or corruption, and for creative imaginations of creatures that nonetheless hew to some understanding of biological categorization. Attempts to challenge, to modernize, to play with these tropes typically fall flat on their face. How many recent books have had a monarchy replaced with the ("clearly") ultimate system of governance, representative democracy? How many have attempted to eschew any sense of inherent supernatural ability in their protagonist, while still giving them enough aptitude to produce success in their respective fantastic meritocracies? How many have attempted to redeem classical monsters such as orcs, goblins, dark elves, and so on in the exact terms of model minority racial politics?
A lot. And it's exhausting. And it's disappointing, because the failed attempts at hacking the classic structure pile up and spawn their own reactions, which inevitably end back up where the entire venture started, with permutations of the template that don't actually go anywhere new.
But, what if the answer lies not in a bold subversion of tropes, but in the acceptance and deepening of them? An adept child is spotted as having potential, not due to some wayward benefactor, but by an agent of an ideological project that's invested in mythmaking around the idea of inborn racial characteristics. Would such a child dive headfirst into the project for the abstract goal of advancement, towards some amorphous sense power? Or, would their singling out draw their attention to the disparity between how they see themselves, how their family sees them, and how this outsider sees them? Wouldn't that nag at a person?
The concept of empire and of colonialism, the subtler power of racial imagination and of normative behavior, looms heavy in The Traitor Baru Cormorant. These are forces as violent and deadly as swords, and their true danger comes from how ingrained they are into the way we see the world. We see their results in our day-to-day lives, but are rarely given to see the sheer force with which they were set into motion, and how much of that force remains through the entropy of centuries. If empire is behind us, why are its ideals so familiar, almost as echoes to modern concepts of rule, of order, of advancement? Is the project itself incompatible with our present lives, or is it simply its unsavory byproducts which disturb us?
bloodbrooxv's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As a revenge trope truther, i LOVED this book.
The worldbuilding was thrilling and I adored all of the political intrigues, even tho i felt a bit lost with all of the names and plot threads (probably because I'm not a native speaker).
Baru was such a compelling and complex character to follow, especially towards the end. Her conflict is realistic and speaks volumes when we consider how colonialism is the main theme in this novel. The other characters were a bit flat, but I particularly liked both Tain Hu and Murie Lo.
The thing that bugs me the most about this book is probably the fact that it prefers telling you things rather than showing you, which isn't always necessarily bad. For example, even tho the other characters' motivations are clearly stated in the story, we don't really see how the consequential events play out, but rather we get to know about them through Baru.
Overall i really loved this book, the ending BROKE ME and i can't wait to read the second one.
The worldbuilding was thrilling and I adored all of the political intrigues, even tho i felt a bit lost with all of the names and plot threads (probably because I'm not a native speaker).
Baru was such a compelling and complex character to follow, especially towards the end. Her conflict is realistic and speaks volumes when we consider how colonialism is the main theme in this novel. The other characters were a bit flat, but I particularly liked both Tain Hu and Murie Lo.
The thing that bugs me the most about this book is probably the fact that it prefers telling you things rather than showing you, which isn't always necessarily bad. For example, even tho the other characters' motivations are clearly stated in the story, we don't really see how the consequential events play out, but rather we get to know about them through Baru.
Overall i really loved this book, the ending BROKE ME and i can't wait to read the second one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Homophobia, Violence, War, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Animal death and Torture
Minor: Rape
strawberiny's review against another edition
5.0
originally gave it 4 stars, now 5 stars after a reread. it's sword lesbians and high fantasy with lots of political intrigue. that's perfection imo
tripleblacktri's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a guaranteed 5 stars for me...until the ending. I think this might be the opposite of most people, but 1) I didn't exactly love what happened although this would be excusable but 2) she was the POV character and somehow kept the secret from us the whole time. I feel a little cheated* that we were exposed to all of her thoughts throughout the journey but the ultimate betrayal was somehow hidden. Unless I'm missing something, the twist shouldn't have been possible.
Ultimately, it was still a great book, but the ending left a weird taste in my mouth. A hard book to review for sure.
*For lack of a better word
Ultimately, it was still a great book, but the ending left a weird taste in my mouth. A hard book to review for sure.
*For lack of a better word
