A review by icarusabides
House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous challenging funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Cracking follow up to City of Last Chances that's bold enough to change things up and move away from the characters and City that was itself such a character in the previous book. So much so that it would work as a standalone. It's a little jarring at first as it Introduces a swathe of new characters and the setting of a medical corps in a travelling military camp but does it well and is intriguing from the off. 

It's interesting to see more of the world outside of Ilmar and a Paleseen army on the march but the exploration of various types of healing magic being deployed practically in a fantasy is what really stands out, something that's all too rarely looked at with any real depth in fantasy novels.