A review by rwsmith
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

i read this book after seeing a friend highly recommend it. i didnt realize how short it was. i listened to the audiobook - HIGHLY recommend - but this is one ill need to get a hard copy of for my shelf. the two readers of the audiobook were amazing and gave such interesting personalities to the main characters. im interested to see how differently ill perceive them when i read a physical copy. 
the story is told almost entirely through letters that two time traveling agents write each other. they start as rivals, and slowly lower their guards and begin to fall for each other, trying to keep their relationship a secret. 
i love the implications given when the story is told through their letters this way. the letters are at once straightforward and poetic. the writing of the whole novel is beautiful - tactile and soft and pointed and mysterious at the same time.
i'll definitely be reading this again.  5/5. its only a 4-hour audiobook, only a couple hundred pages. if you have an afternoon, there's no reason not to pick it up. 
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