A review by mes0pelagic_fan
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book ripped my heart out and shredded it and set it on fire. I loved the first third of the book and was totally captivated, found that the middle section dragged a bit at times
(I struggled a bit to keep track of all the battle-moves the different parts of the rebellion were making)
but the last hour and a half literally had me riveted and praying that what I thought was going to happen wouldn't happen. 

I have never felt so sad for a character who mercilessly drowns their lover for their own personal gain!!!!!! Even though she loved her! Like... I wanted u guys to be happy :(


I saw someone say that the twist of this book is
that there is no twist, that you think Baru will find a way to make things right with the rebellion and all the other people who pledged loyalty to her and then to Tain Hu, even after her betrayal, and it just never happens! She set things in motion in the beginning and she'll be damned if she doesn't play the part she wrote for herself. I have chills just thinking about it. I loved the machinery motif throughout the story, with the 'gears of Empire' and Baru herself being full of polished gears-- I think it really helped me see how once she was going there was nothing even she could do to stop herself.
I need a physical copy to scribble all over. 

Also I didn't think I'd ever read a book where
scurvy was such a recurring issue. I'm going to eat an entire lime.


I don't think I'm gonna recover from this one tbh
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