A review by orvillefartenbacher
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

On paper, there are a lot of reasons I shouldn’t have liked this book. I am no stranger to lore dumps and enjoy being thrust into the middle of a story and figuring it out as we go. But- the pace at which complicated names and places were thrust at the reader is dizzying. I almost thought I’d DNF this book for that alone. 
Our MC (the most lovable MC I’ve ever encountered) is thrust into a world where he is completely lost and out of his depth. As I decided to let some of the titles and names wash over me, I felt the same. Perhaps this was a choice by the author, or maybe I just struggled, but it was immersive. 
Very little happens in this book. It is not a nonstop action piece, rather a series of interactions and a lot of body language. Overall I am pleased to have stuck it out. I’m not sure whether I’ll continue the series since by TBR pile is bananas, but I’ll keep it on my list for sure.
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