thistlechaser's review
2.0
This book had so many issues, I don't even know where to start.
The plot was that "white people" (generic fantasy Europeans) came to "North America" (generic fantasy New World) wanting to use the magic of "Native Americans" (generic native people) to win their wars. The fantasy layer was so thin, I never for a moment thought she wasn't writing about Europeans' abuse of Native Americans. It didn't help that she said that outright both in the forward and afterward of the book...
While I sort of liked the story idea, and the worldbuilding had a couple of interesting details, I couldn't have cared less about any character in this book. Every single one of them was, at best, a cardboard cutout and completely uninteresting.
Supposedly this was a steampunk book, and while I'm not an expert on steampunk, I would have guessed this were a romance book before I guessed steampunk (and there was not one single bit of romance in it). The characters had guns (which fit the Europeans-come-to-New-World time period), and a train was mentioned once (but no character saw or or in any way interacted it -- it had a one-sentence mention that it existed). That was the grand total of tech in the world.
I was considering abandoning it at many points, and eventually went to the Amazon page to see what others thought. When I saw other reviews saying there was "no ending" to the book, I almost gave up for sure -- the lack of ending in a book to try to force the readers to buy the rest of the trilogy to find out what happens is one of the things that annoys me most of all. However, in this case, the ending worked for me. It was an open ending (as fit the story), not a "cut off in the middle of the story, see book two to continue!" kind of ending.
The plot was that "white people" (generic fantasy Europeans) came to "North America" (generic fantasy New World) wanting to use the magic of "Native Americans" (generic native people) to win their wars. The fantasy layer was so thin, I never for a moment thought she wasn't writing about Europeans' abuse of Native Americans. It didn't help that she said that outright both in the forward and afterward of the book...
While I sort of liked the story idea, and the worldbuilding had a couple of interesting details, I couldn't have cared less about any character in this book. Every single one of them was, at best, a cardboard cutout and completely uninteresting.
Supposedly this was a steampunk book, and while I'm not an expert on steampunk, I would have guessed this were a romance book before I guessed steampunk (and there was not one single bit of romance in it). The characters had guns (which fit the Europeans-come-to-New-World time period), and a train was mentioned once (but no character saw or or in any way interacted it -- it had a one-sentence mention that it existed). That was the grand total of tech in the world.
I was considering abandoning it at many points, and eventually went to the Amazon page to see what others thought. When I saw other reviews saying there was "no ending" to the book, I almost gave up for sure -- the lack of ending in a book to try to force the readers to buy the rest of the trilogy to find out what happens is one of the things that annoys me most of all. However, in this case, the ending worked for me. It was an open ending (as fit the story), not a "cut off in the middle of the story, see book two to continue!" kind of ending.
becraynor's review
2.0
I think what I disliked most was the lack of emphasis on the plot. It seemed like the author decided the ending at last minute and that's why the story is so loose. The characters weren't that compelling and the poetic language was really vague. I see potential but not a story.
jlaney's review
3.0
While it was a well written book, there's not a lot of action for the majority of the book. It seems like it's more of a set up for the next book. It's a bit of a culture shock at first, but that's what also makes it more appealing, it's something different. My only major complaint is there are quite a few words from her language that took a bit of reading to figure out what they meant. I think they would go well in a glossary or something added to the book, but maybe I'm just spoiled.
kittarlin's review
1.0
It's apparently the first in a series, because the ending isn't, but there's no indication there's more coming. Difficult to read - like having to go back and read the same sentence two or three times to figure out what the author meant, and then just giving up and moving on anyway. The marketed lead character is largely secondary. And I felt like I was being lectured on the immorality of colonialism. Generally, I'm glad to be done with this.
kay_camden's review
5.0
Karin Lowachee's writing is filled to the brim with powerful storytelling enriched by poetic, expert prose, and this book is proof of that. The care that goes into each and every word of her writing leaves me speechless. And the characters... their struggles, their reluctant unions, how human and authentic they feel... at times in this book it was almost overwhelming. I often had to set it down just to catch my breath.
I love Sjenn, her peaceful strength, her morals, her refusal to accept the violence that was coming into her land. I found her to be the perfect anchor to Jarrett's (understandable) bitterness and hostility. Their journey from the comfort of their known worlds into each other's was both beautiful and devastating. The layers of emotion and human struggle are piled thick, and I know it will take me a long time to fully process it all.
And that ending? My heart! I know there's been mention of a second book and a third. If it's really happening I know it's probably years from being published but I need the second book now. My advice to readers is to buy this book now but hold onto it until #2 is published. Maybe #3 as well.
Wait, what am I saying? Read this book!! You can read it again when #2 is out. Because if you wait, you're going to be screaming just like I am. Why did I wait so long to read this book?!
I have such hope for these characters, and they are going to be on my mind until I can finish their story.
I love Sjenn, her peaceful strength, her morals, her refusal to accept the violence that was coming into her land. I found her to be the perfect anchor to Jarrett's (understandable) bitterness and hostility. Their journey from the comfort of their known worlds into each other's was both beautiful and devastating. The layers of emotion and human struggle are piled thick, and I know it will take me a long time to fully process it all.
And that ending? My heart! I know there's been mention of a second book and a third. If it's really happening I know it's probably years from being published but I need the second book now. My advice to readers is to buy this book now but hold onto it until #2 is published. Maybe #3 as well.
Wait, what am I saying? Read this book!! You can read it again when #2 is out. Because if you wait, you're going to be screaming just like I am. Why did I wait so long to read this book?!
I have such hope for these characters, and they are going to be on my mind until I can finish their story.
megmcardle's review
3.0
Didn't quite hang together for me, despite the unique setting reminiscent of native Inuit lands, and the interesting "primitive" system of magic. Occasionally the language was overly baroque and there was an awkward simile (the "pay attention to me I'm a pretty turn of phrase" thing jarred me out of the story a couple of times), and I found the story and especially the ending unsatisfying. The characters just didn't have enough depth for me. I would not rule out giving this author another try, but this just didn't work for me.
tangleroot_eli's review
4.0
(3.5. Where are my half-stars?!? Waah.)
Sometimes in a dream, I feel like I have cotton balls stuffed in my ears and the wrong end of a pair of binoculars taped to my eyes. The dream is vivid, and it's lovely or horrible, but I feel distant from it and have trouble connecting.
That's how I felt while reading this book. A sense of place leaps off every page; Lowachee imbues the book with myriad sensual details. And I found the characters intensely real and engaging and the tension between them crackling (with almost every combination of major characters, thrown fists and tongues down each other's throats seemed equally likely outcomes).
Still, something about Lowachee's narrative style created, for me, a sense of distance from the story and the characters living it. As much as I enjoyed the book and the tale it told, I could never immerse myself as fully as I like to, and I can't quite figure out why. I don't see that as a failing of the book as a book: it was clearly either a conscious authorial choice or Lowachee's usual style (this is the first of her books I've read); it just didn't quite resonate with me.
Sometimes in a dream, I feel like I have cotton balls stuffed in my ears and the wrong end of a pair of binoculars taped to my eyes. The dream is vivid, and it's lovely or horrible, but I feel distant from it and have trouble connecting.
That's how I felt while reading this book. A sense of place leaps off every page; Lowachee imbues the book with myriad sensual details. And I found the characters intensely real and engaging and the tension between them crackling (with almost every combination of major characters, thrown fists and tongues down each other's throats seemed equally likely outcomes).
Still, something about Lowachee's narrative style created, for me, a sense of distance from the story and the characters living it. As much as I enjoyed the book and the tale it told, I could never immerse myself as fully as I like to, and I can't quite figure out why. I don't see that as a failing of the book as a book: it was clearly either a conscious authorial choice or Lowachee's usual style (this is the first of her books I've read); it just didn't quite resonate with me.
emmymau's review
3.0
As a standalone I gave it two stars, but apparently it's the start of a series, so I take back some of my qualms about the very inconclusive ending. Otherwise a fascinating character study and a glimpse into a phase-shifted imperialist world.