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A review by displacedcactus
Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Don't be put off by the fact that this is the third book in the series -- The Singing Hills Cycle is designed to be read in any order you like. Each book is a self-contained narrative where Cleric Chih finds themself collecting stories from someone in a specific locale. In this episode, we find Chih and their avian companion Almost Brilliant traveling through the titular riverlands with an older married couple and a pair of sworn sisters, one beautiful and martial, the other plain and practical. Each member of the party shares some of their favorite stories from the region, and along the way they encounter some trouble on the road, until everything comes together in a pretty satisfying conclusion.
The theme of this book, and the series as a whole, seems to really be about who tells stories, and who gets stories told about them, and how stories change depending on the teller.
As someone who has always enjoyed folklore and fairy tales, I really love this series and the folktales that Vo weaves into her world.
The only drawback to these books is that they are VERY SHORT. The Storygraph listing claims this is a 100 page novella, but on my ereader with a font on the large side of medium this was 66 pages, including front and end matter! It's very easy to read in a single sitting. Unless you are the sort of person who frequently re-reads books, or who loans them out to friends who reliably return them, I can't really recommend owning this book, but I definitely recommend getting it from the library. Personally, I'd love to see the publisher release all three books so far in a lovely omnibus edition with illustrations. That's something I'd be proud to have on my shelf!
The theme of this book, and the series as a whole, seems to really be about who tells stories, and who gets stories told about them, and how stories change depending on the teller.
As someone who has always enjoyed folklore and fairy tales, I really love this series and the folktales that Vo weaves into her world.
The only drawback to these books is that they are VERY SHORT. The Storygraph listing claims this is a 100 page novella, but on my ereader with a font on the large side of medium this was 66 pages, including front and end matter! It's very easy to read in a single sitting. Unless you are the sort of person who frequently re-reads books, or who loans them out to friends who reliably return them, I can't really recommend owning this book, but I definitely recommend getting it from the library. Personally, I'd love to see the publisher release all three books so far in a lovely omnibus edition with illustrations. That's something I'd be proud to have on my shelf!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Cursing