changeablelandscape's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
At long last, a Jo Walton book that I wholeheartedly enjoyed! I appreciated the focus on the domestic, and I thought it worked reasonably well -- there is still what looks like a Things Happening plot, but I would argue that despite
Spoiler
the magic and the armies, nothing really does happen in this book, not in a world-meaningful way. (That's a compliment, I think it's lovely to write a fantasy novel without fantasy novel stakes! This is not a fantasy of agency; everyone, even the characters most caught up in the plot, really just want to get on with their lives, and the world functions well enough as it is -- the only reason Hanethe and Jankin change the world is because they don't have another choice, and it isn't clear to anyone (including the reader) what that change was, or whether or not it'll have any meaningful impact on the rest of the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
avalinda's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the setting and premise - it was so refreshing to read about a pastoral society where folk magic holds a lot of power and gods have their own realm bordering that of humans. That combined with a time-dilation sort of phenomenon, where time runs faster in the East and slower in the West, made the worldbuilding really memorable. My main pet peeve, maybe just with the edition I got, was with the editing/formatting - I kept seeing small typos here and there, mid-sentence past/present tense switches, and easy-to-miss chapter numbers that came just one line after the end of the previous chapter. Distracting but thankfully, due to the strength of the story, not a dealbreaker. Really hope to see more stories set in this universe, particularly from perspectives east/west of Applekirk since there were enough mentions of their society for me to be intrigued.
P.S. The cover art is amazing.
P.S. The cover art is amazing.
linneahedvig's review against another edition
4.0
I love what Jo Walton does with magic in this (secretly sci-fi) fantasy story. This feels similar in tone to Record of a Spaceborn Few in that it’s more about life in a place than it is about any particular event. I love that and I love the intricacies of character and relationship that are able to be played out in these kinds of stories (but, I will admit, I’m reluctant to read them if they’re not SFF). There’s also a lot of food description, which is great for a Christmas read!
roseparis's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kirilaw's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
iimakis's review against another edition
4.0
Lifelode was a positive surprise for me. The world and characters were intriguing. I liked how it required at first some concentration to get up to speed due to non-linear narrative and a lot of characters you don't know.
audrey042's review against another edition
4.0
Roman de fantasy mais aussi roman de vie, Jo Walton nous propose ici une jolie fresque familiale dans laquelle la magie du coeur a tout autant d’importance, si ce n’est plus, que celle des Dieux. Entre les bouleversements liés à deux personnages qui font le pont entre présent et passé, le quotidien d’une famille ordinaire aux liens extraordinaires, et un monde original qui remet en question notre conception du temps, de l’amour et de la famille, ce roman vous promet un très beau et intense moment de lecture.
Chronique complète sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2019/06/17/pierre-de-vie-jo-walton/
Chronique complète sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2019/06/17/pierre-de-vie-jo-walton/
suzannekm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
testpattern's review against another edition
4.0
A nice, tight little fantasy pastoral that manages to tantalize the reader with the possibilities suggested by the world created.