tabatha_shipley's review
5.0
What I Did Like:
+Beautiful language. This reads like poetry in some spots. Just wonderful use of language.
+Fantastic blend of a fantasy world with characters and elements that feel contemporary.
+The ending. Love the way this wrapped up this part of the story while simultaneously arcing right into the next book.
Who Should Read This One:
-Fantasy fans. You’re dropped into an amazing world here and care has been taken to give you immersive details.
-Contemporary fiction fans. Ok, technically this is fantasy. But the MC feels so realistic and her struggles are so relatable that you’ll love watching her grow and come into her own. Give it a try!
My Rating: 5 Stars
Beautiful blend of a fantasy world with the daily life and struggles for a character who just feels realistic like she could be living right now.
For Full Review: https://tabathashipleybooks.com/2022/09/19/2022-book-review-the-roots-that-clutch/
+Beautiful language. This reads like poetry in some spots. Just wonderful use of language.
+Fantastic blend of a fantasy world with characters and elements that feel contemporary.
+The ending. Love the way this wrapped up this part of the story while simultaneously arcing right into the next book.
Who Should Read This One:
-Fantasy fans. You’re dropped into an amazing world here and care has been taken to give you immersive details.
-Contemporary fiction fans. Ok, technically this is fantasy. But the MC feels so realistic and her struggles are so relatable that you’ll love watching her grow and come into her own. Give it a try!
My Rating: 5 Stars
Beautiful blend of a fantasy world with the daily life and struggles for a character who just feels realistic like she could be living right now.
For Full Review: https://tabathashipleybooks.com/2022/09/19/2022-book-review-the-roots-that-clutch/
snappydog's review
4.0
I don't usually say things like this, but I think this is a three-and-a-half rounded up for me. That's a thing people on Goodreads say, right? Oooh, I'm a real reviewer now. Fancy.
So! The Roots That Clutch. Interesting book - it sort of feels more like a Novel in the classic sense (like a Water Margin or a Genji or even something Balzac-y) than what we usually expect to get these days. We follow Tirzah from a terrified five-year-old to a rather more proactive young adult, which is a pretty cool thing to see. It's not often you get to see that much of a character's life in one book, so it was definitely an interesting choice that makes this book feel different. It does make for some slightly odd pacing at times, since we dip in and out of the most important episodes in Tirzah's life - it can end up feeling a bit like several installments of a series collected into one volume - and she's really the only character who's in the whole thing. But then I never really thought the conventional wisdom about pacing was much worth following anyway, so eh.
That certainly is the area I think I have the most thoughts about, though. I could see this working really well as, like, a webcomic or something where each period of Tirzah's life was a self-contained issue or miniseries, because they do feel kind of separate and not the most continuous; I think, like I say, that's at least partly because very few characters appear in more than one or two of these time periods. Which is a shame, because that means we only get to spend a little bit of time with each of them, and some of them I'd really have liked to see more of! Again, though, this isn't necessarily a criticism: it's a choice for how Bross wants to tell this story, this sort of personal epic spanning Tirzah's entire youth at once. I'll be interested to see how much time subsequent books choose to cover; by the end of The Roots That Clutch I suspect the series will slow down from here to stay longer in shorter timespans, with this first book perhaps feeling in retrospect like a really cool prologue-origin story kind of thing.
And I certainly do expect that there will be more to come, and not just because this book's explicitly labelled the first in the series! It delivers well on what first-in-series books need to do: it introduces us to a world, makes us interested in that world, and lays a lot of groundwork to let the reader know that big things are going to happen.
Oh - something cool about this book is that it has a character who interchangeably uses he/they pronouns, which I'm not sure I've seen represented before and I like that very much ('cos hey, that's me!). (That said, I'm not 100% sure the instances of 'he' in the narration and dialogue are totally intentional, 'cos the only explicit mention of their pronouns are that they use 'they/them', but whether they're typos or not I'm choosing to interpret it as interchangeable he/they and celebrate that, and you can't stop me!)
Also: further LGBTQ+ rep, rounded sex workers, and a talking (well, telepathically talking) fox. What the heck are ya gonna complain about there, eh?
(What you don't really get, just yet at least, is much exploration of the world's main problems as highlighted in the blurb - the water shortages, etc. It comes into it a little bit, but not much, so I'd go into this knowing that the story focuses on one girl's personal journey rather than imagining it might be a wider-scale thing about climate measures or something.)
So yeah - I would recommend Roots That Clutch if you're up for an experience that might feel a little differently paced than what you're perhaps used to. It's a less usual way of telling a story these days, but I think it works for this particular story. You'll be teased with hints of grand-scale movements in god-kingdoms, magic of which we just scratch the surface, and all sorts. Also, you will be desperate to see the antagonist get punched in the face at some point, which seems like a pretty good reason to keep reading the series!
So! The Roots That Clutch. Interesting book - it sort of feels more like a Novel in the classic sense (like a Water Margin or a Genji or even something Balzac-y) than what we usually expect to get these days. We follow Tirzah from a terrified five-year-old to a rather more proactive young adult, which is a pretty cool thing to see. It's not often you get to see that much of a character's life in one book, so it was definitely an interesting choice that makes this book feel different. It does make for some slightly odd pacing at times, since we dip in and out of the most important episodes in Tirzah's life - it can end up feeling a bit like several installments of a series collected into one volume - and she's really the only character who's in the whole thing. But then I never really thought the conventional wisdom about pacing was much worth following anyway, so eh.
That certainly is the area I think I have the most thoughts about, though. I could see this working really well as, like, a webcomic or something where each period of Tirzah's life was a self-contained issue or miniseries, because they do feel kind of separate and not the most continuous; I think, like I say, that's at least partly because very few characters appear in more than one or two of these time periods. Which is a shame, because that means we only get to spend a little bit of time with each of them, and some of them I'd really have liked to see more of! Again, though, this isn't necessarily a criticism: it's a choice for how Bross wants to tell this story, this sort of personal epic spanning Tirzah's entire youth at once. I'll be interested to see how much time subsequent books choose to cover; by the end of The Roots That Clutch I suspect the series will slow down from here to stay longer in shorter timespans, with this first book perhaps feeling in retrospect like a really cool prologue-origin story kind of thing.
And I certainly do expect that there will be more to come, and not just because this book's explicitly labelled the first in the series! It delivers well on what first-in-series books need to do: it introduces us to a world, makes us interested in that world, and lays a lot of groundwork to let the reader know that big things are going to happen.
Oh - something cool about this book is that it has a character who interchangeably uses he/they pronouns, which I'm not sure I've seen represented before and I like that very much ('cos hey, that's me!). (That said, I'm not 100% sure the instances of 'he' in the narration and dialogue are totally intentional, 'cos the only explicit mention of their pronouns are that they use 'they/them', but whether they're typos or not I'm choosing to interpret it as interchangeable he/they and celebrate that, and you can't stop me!)
Also: further LGBTQ+ rep, rounded sex workers, and a talking (well, telepathically talking) fox. What the heck are ya gonna complain about there, eh?
(What you don't really get, just yet at least, is much exploration of the world's main problems as highlighted in the blurb - the water shortages, etc. It comes into it a little bit, but not much, so I'd go into this knowing that the story focuses on one girl's personal journey rather than imagining it might be a wider-scale thing about climate measures or something.)
So yeah - I would recommend Roots That Clutch if you're up for an experience that might feel a little differently paced than what you're perhaps used to. It's a less usual way of telling a story these days, but I think it works for this particular story. You'll be teased with hints of grand-scale movements in god-kingdoms, magic of which we just scratch the surface, and all sorts. Also, you will be desperate to see the antagonist get punched in the face at some point, which seems like a pretty good reason to keep reading the series!
helynalc's review
4.0
This was a wholesome, beautiful, and occasionally quite heartbreaking book that kept my attention throughout. I'll surely be here for the rest of the series too! The desert-world, Theia, and the main character, Tirzah's journey from small child to a young woman wandering the land is introduced very immersively; the text is thoughtfully written, the characters are great, and the locations colorful and intriguing. The pace is not too quick, however, and hardly anything wraps up by the end: it feels a bit like a prologue, but that is in no way a negative thing. I'm just saying there isn't a traditional peak or climax the story climb towards (maybe if anything then the events of the last few pages might be called that), instead we basically go through Tirzah's life as she leaves behind her abusive home, loses people and gets to know others (her grief and suffering is written exquisitely well, thanks for the tears!( makes friends and frenemies, while the world around her also develops.
The main conflict seems to be about the rule of the godkings, despots who oppress their subjects and govern with magical mind control and similar awful practices. Tirzah, of course, has magic, and is just starting to use it more productively by the end of the novel, so I predict there will be a looot of problems connected to that. We also have a fox friend which is always a plus! I also loved the conflict around Tirzah's first romantic relationship. I do want to get to know more about magic and whether the ocean exists and stuff like this.
All in all, I can't wait to see more of this world and get to know what's next for Tirzah!
The main conflict seems to be about the rule of the godkings, despots who oppress their subjects and govern with magical mind control and similar awful practices. Tirzah, of course, has magic, and is just starting to use it more productively by the end of the novel, so I predict there will be a looot of problems connected to that.
Spoiler
I hope we soon meet Naomi again, she was my favorite.Spoiler
I liked how the whole thing was complex; they loved each other but were not good to each other at that point of their life, due to different factors. But I do hope we see Jing again one day.All in all, I can't wait to see more of this world and get to know what's next for Tirzah!
sarah_bell's review
5.0
Excellent world-building & characters
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The desert world of Theia is well fleshed out & it is refreshing to read a fantasy world that treats LGBT+ characters as a norm.
Tirzah's progression as a character, from traumatised girl to a young adult fighting to stay safe, is an engaging read.
Also, who doesn't love a sarcastic fox!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The desert world of Theia is well fleshed out & it is refreshing to read a fantasy world that treats LGBT+ characters as a norm.
Tirzah's progression as a character, from traumatised girl to a young adult fighting to stay safe, is an engaging read.
Also, who doesn't love a sarcastic fox!
ruesparks's review
5.0
This book is a great beginning to what feels to be a pretty epic fantasy series in a world that is both unique and treacherous. There are no guarantees for safety in any corner, but even in a world where every shadow can mean danger, there’s time for happiness and joy. That’s what makes this book great. It doesn’t promise a happily ever after but it does promise there will be happiness along the way.
If you like fantasy with a twist; epic reads with treachery, assassins, magic, and fighting; tales of broken families filled with betrayal and revenge; or just want a book you can’t put down, I highly recommend The Roots that Clutch. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
**Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
If you like fantasy with a twist; epic reads with treachery, assassins, magic, and fighting; tales of broken families filled with betrayal and revenge; or just want a book you can’t put down, I highly recommend The Roots that Clutch. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
**Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
rjsreadingnook's review
5.0
Loved this book! Full review to be posted in July.
Thank you to BookSprout and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (7/28/20)
The Roots that Clutch by A. E. Bross is a fantasy novel that balances heartbreak and hope in a skillful way and immerses the reader in a beautifully constructed world of sand, sun, and oppressive heat.
We follow the story of Tirzah, a child who is treated as a curse by most of her family and who absorbs such abuse until rescued by her eldest sister who had been away at school. I will keep this review free from spoilers, so I will limit the details of the plot. The majority of the novel takes place as Tirzah becomes a young woman and learns about the power she possesses.
I loved the diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation in this book. One of my favorite side characters is Bariah, a nonbinary person who is a great influence and a source of love and “found family” for Tirzah.
...
I read this book while sheltering in place during the pandemic, and despite my low level of concentration from weeks of being at home, this story gripped my attention and held my interest during my reading sessions. I highly recommend this book especially for an escape from everyday life.
If you’re seeking a fantasy with heart, loss, and hope that will immerse you in a new world and will keep you turning those pages, check out The Roots that Clutch by A.E. Bross.
For more of my review visit: https://www.rjsorrento.com/blog//book-review-the-roots-that-clutch
Thank you to BookSprout and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (7/28/20)
The Roots that Clutch by A. E. Bross is a fantasy novel that balances heartbreak and hope in a skillful way and immerses the reader in a beautifully constructed world of sand, sun, and oppressive heat.
We follow the story of Tirzah, a child who is treated as a curse by most of her family and who absorbs such abuse until rescued by her eldest sister who had been away at school. I will keep this review free from spoilers, so I will limit the details of the plot. The majority of the novel takes place as Tirzah becomes a young woman and learns about the power she possesses.
I loved the diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation in this book. One of my favorite side characters is Bariah, a nonbinary person who is a great influence and a source of love and “found family” for Tirzah.
...
I read this book while sheltering in place during the pandemic, and despite my low level of concentration from weeks of being at home, this story gripped my attention and held my interest during my reading sessions. I highly recommend this book especially for an escape from everyday life.
If you’re seeking a fantasy with heart, loss, and hope that will immerse you in a new world and will keep you turning those pages, check out The Roots that Clutch by A.E. Bross.
For more of my review visit: https://www.rjsorrento.com/blog//book-review-the-roots-that-clutch
sparkythesnarky's review
5.0
This book is a great beginning to what feels to be a pretty epic fantasy series in a world that is both unique and treacherous. There are no guarantees for safety in any corner, but even in a world where every shadow can mean danger, there’s time for happiness and joy. That’s what makes this book great. It doesn’t promise a happily ever after but it does promise there will be happiness along the way.
If you like fantasy with a twist; epic reads with treachery, assassins, magic, and fighting; tales of broken families filled with betrayal and revenge; or just want a book you can’t put down, I highly recommend The Roots that Clutch. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
**Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
If you like fantasy with a twist; epic reads with treachery, assassins, magic, and fighting; tales of broken families filled with betrayal and revenge; or just want a book you can’t put down, I highly recommend The Roots that Clutch. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
**Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
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