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shrimbo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
ida23's review against another edition
So boring, the characters aren’t even explained they have no personality and even on page 165 there was still no explanation of the universe and of the magic
siriface's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
bosstweed's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I found this book so enjoyable. If i had to reduce it to comparisons, It is a grittier and darker Pratchett novel but it really is its own beast. The characters are compelling and the dialogue is engaging, only at times being awkward. The plot was keeping me wondering what would happen next and the world building was fairly good. I cant wait to read the next installments, a rare feeling from me.
emily_ja's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
derplesherp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
smalleevee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child death
firewolffred's review against another edition
3.0
Mordew is a great concept that feels a little too far up its own arse to really capture my imagination. The titular city is interesting in its macabre existance, with solid world building and intriguing elements like the living mud. It is a story about claiming the powers of a dead god and overthrowing powerful authority. That sounds awesome. So why is it so messy and often boring?
The protagonist, Nathan, is a kid with little personality of his own. He almost feels like a game or anime protagonist where they are more eyes for the audience than a fully developed character of their own. His only real motivation is wanting to make money to buy his dying father medicine. He has power, but aside from that I couldn't tell you anything about him. But even personality aside, he has no agency within the story. Every single action is a request or manipulation by another character. He wanders from one authority figure to the next, even if they were an antagonistic figure he was opposing mere moments before. It's frustrating to read and doesn't give any love for the character, nor nuance.
The book is also far bigger than it needs to be. Literally a 5th of the pages are a glossary of terms and characters. It felt very unnecessary and gave the feeling that the book felt itself to be so complex and highbrow that poor plebian readers would need a detailed list of every minute reference to follow along.
This comes across in the way certain characters speak too. Bellows, the strange head servent of the Master rambles on in great detail in sprawling sentences that are a complete chore to read. But that's his character. The way people speak gives variety and depth to a character. It was painful to read, but call it an artistic choice. But then we get a talking dog who is even worse. Tgere is a whole lengthy chapter from the dog's pov and I almost skipped it several times it was so bad. How do you take a chapter about a talking magical dog attempting to assassinate a crimelord and make it so painfully boring.
Then there was the ending. It was abrupt and difficult to follow. It left no sense of satisfaction or melancholy to reflect on. It just felt like the entire book had existed purely to waste my time rather than tell a compelling story.
The frustrating part is that the foundations are solid. Every chapter made me yearn for what could be, setting my expectation that things would get better. I didn't hate the book. It just could have used another draft I think.
The protagonist, Nathan, is a kid with little personality of his own. He almost feels like a game or anime protagonist where they are more eyes for the audience than a fully developed character of their own. His only real motivation is wanting to make money to buy his dying father medicine. He has power, but aside from that I couldn't tell you anything about him. But even personality aside, he has no agency within the story. Every single action is a request or manipulation by another character. He wanders from one authority figure to the next, even if they were an antagonistic figure he was opposing mere moments before. It's frustrating to read and doesn't give any love for the character, nor nuance.
The book is also far bigger than it needs to be. Literally a 5th of the pages are a glossary of terms and characters. It felt very unnecessary and gave the feeling that the book felt itself to be so complex and highbrow that poor plebian readers would need a detailed list of every minute reference to follow along.
This comes across in the way certain characters speak too. Bellows, the strange head servent of the Master rambles on in great detail in sprawling sentences that are a complete chore to read. But that's his character. The way people speak gives variety and depth to a character. It was painful to read, but call it an artistic choice. But then we get a talking dog who is even worse. Tgere is a whole lengthy chapter from the dog's pov and I almost skipped it several times it was so bad. How do you take a chapter about a talking magical dog attempting to assassinate a crimelord and make it so painfully boring.
Then there was the ending. It was abrupt and difficult to follow. It left no sense of satisfaction or melancholy to reflect on. It just felt like the entire book had existed purely to waste my time rather than tell a compelling story.
The frustrating part is that the foundations are solid. Every chapter made me yearn for what could be, setting my expectation that things would get better. I didn't hate the book. It just could have used another draft I think.
vronireads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
poetic_liz's review against another edition
4.5
As a reader of a lot of books, especially fantasy, it is rare that I say this, but this book is unlike any I've ever read. It is extremely unique in its writing style, pacing, idea, and world-building.
I can see how some people may feel lost and don't like it as it is definitely not a traditional novel but feels rather like a more experimental approach towards typical fantasy tropes which makes these tropes react in entirely new ways. I was intrigued from the beginning and continue to be so. The book is not kind to its reader, it depicts morally grey characters in terrible dire situations, shows how suffering leads to more suffering, how naive children may be doomed to fail, and all that while keeping up a quick pacing throughout its 500 pages. The world-building is fascinating although also not easy to understand. Things that the main character does not understand are not understood by the reader either - things that the main character sees as evidently and normal aren't explained either. This leaves the reader obviously a bit in the dark, lost in the story. I loved it. I liked how I was both challenged and also allowed to just swim along with whatever was happening BUT I can see how that may be a turn-off for a lot of people.
Don't pick it up expecting easy and/or traditional fantasy. Don't pick it up if you want a proactive main character. Don't pick it up it up if you need to be in control of the world and words chosen by this book. But this is one of the best books I've ever read. I loved the writing style. I loved the dissonances within this book. I loved the challenges posed. The questions never answered.
I can see how some people may feel lost and don't like it as it is definitely not a traditional novel but feels rather like a more experimental approach towards typical fantasy tropes which makes these tropes react in entirely new ways. I was intrigued from the beginning and continue to be so. The book is not kind to its reader, it depicts morally grey characters in terrible dire situations, shows how suffering leads to more suffering, how naive children may be doomed to fail, and all that while keeping up a quick pacing throughout its 500 pages. The world-building is fascinating although also not easy to understand. Things that the main character does not understand are not understood by the reader either - things that the main character sees as evidently and normal aren't explained either. This leaves the reader obviously a bit in the dark, lost in the story. I loved it. I liked how I was both challenged and also allowed to just swim along with whatever was happening BUT I can see how that may be a turn-off for a lot of people.
Don't pick it up expecting easy and/or traditional fantasy. Don't pick it up if you want a proactive main character. Don't pick it up it up if you need to be in control of the world and words chosen by this book. But this is one of the best books I've ever read. I loved the writing style. I loved the dissonances within this book. I loved the challenges posed. The questions never answered.