A review by syinhui
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

What a stunning work of fiction! Reading The Spear Cuts Through Water is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind experience. Simon Jimenez has crafted something truly magical—a blend of fable, folklore, and myth that feels both expansive and deeply personal. The author must have been so proud to pull off something so unique and inventive. I can only think he had achieved exactly what he intended with this book and made it work spectacularly. From a technical perspective, it deserves a perfect 5-star rating. However, I took off half a star due to a few minor gripes that affected my overall enjoyment.

One thing I find particularly special in this book—aside from the stylistic choice of narration—is the deliberate inclusion of ordinary people’s voices. How it weaves the lives of the insignificant and often forgotten people into the fabric of its tale. These side characters are given their own perspectives, adding more depth and heart and humanity to the story. 

The prose is masterfully written, it is modern and also very poetic without ever becoming dense. That said, I was occasionally jarred by the constant switching point of views. While this is something readers can adjust to, it could still get a little confusing. 

I have a high appreciation for what this book has managed to achieve and the novelty of it despite that on a personal level, and honestly speaking, I didn’t find the plot super engaging nor was I strongly attached with the characters. I expected to be gut-punched by the more emotionally heavy and heartbreaking scenes. I expected to be a crying mess but that didn’t occur. The swell of emotions was there but the anticipated impact didn’t quite land. It remained a tale to be told, a performance to be watched and the inherent quality of oral storytelling created a sort of distance between the readers and the characters. The unique narrative structure itself prevented me from fully enjoying the book. Plus, some parts feel longer than necessary. Some parts can be boring and less interesting.

Still, these are minor complaints in the face of what the author has accomplished. A remarkable read, worthy of its praises.