just_one_more_paige's reviews
1541 reviews

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

5.0

This is my once yearly foray into poetry. Always inspired by National Poetry Month (April), but in this case taking me almost to the end of May to finish. This was a "read one or two poems at a time" kind of collection (or even a "read each poem two times" kind of collection), in order to really ingest them, so it was an intellectual and emotional investment over time. One that I found worth it. And though I am sure I didn't take away nearly as much as one could from these poems, what I did get was big.

Y'all. This collection was stunning. In the colloquial "amazing" sense and in the more literal "I felt physically/emotionally stunned" by it. From the opening, titular, poem, the juxtaposition of violence and wounds with the aspects of the earth/land, evoked through color and connections/desire was absolutely breathtaking (again, colloquially and literally). Diaz brings the land to life in these pages, literarily and anthropomorphicallyThere is so much gorgeous play of form and color and word combinations/vocabulary that was deeply evocative. "Skin-Light" was a standout for me, on that front. And "Ode to the Beloved’s Hips" was an actual master class in metaphor. My god. I also loved "Asterions' Lament" and "How the Milky Way Was Made" for the feelings they pulled from me. And I appreciated "The First Water Is the Body" quite a bit, as I felt like it brought together everything that is this collection - themes and language - unequivocally and beautifully, with immediacy and grace at the same time. The language throughout is just...wow. Diaz's grasp of the way language moves, and the breadth of her vocabulary, is so impressive. It felt, to me, like this is the poetry version of the writing in This is How You Lose the Time War (or vice versa depending on which you read first), in the way that it elicits emotions, but in a way that feels just out of reach. Ephemeral and vivid.

This collection is haunting and righteously angry in the way it calls out and sheds light and does not soften or back down from the tragic/violent (in ways that are systemic, historical, ever present, desirous/sexual). Yet it manages to do so with truly stunning, painful beauty in the interplay of words and imagery and conceptualization. T

here is sorrow and tragedy here, of land and body and family (especially brother), but there is also love, of land (color and animal and plant) and body (joy in sexual and romantic connection). Just, so so much feeling in these poems: a heaviness, a magic of words that feels both present and just beyond the reader's grasp. Wow.

“the war never ended and somehow begins again.” (Postcolonial Love Poem)

“beneath the hip and plow of my lover, / then I am another night wandering the desire field -" (From the Desire Field)

“If you are where you are, then where / are those who are not here? Not here.” (Manhattan Is a Lenape Word)

“…But it’s hard, isn’t it? Not to perform / what they say about our sadness, when we are / always so sad. It is real work not to perform / a fable…” (Like Church)

“They are only light because we are dark. / If we didn’t exist, it wouldn’t be long before / they had to invent us…” (Like Church)

“The water we drink, like the air we breathe, is not a part of our body but is our body. What we do to one - to the body, to the water - we do to the other.” (The First Water Is the Body)

“I know what it’s like to be appetite of your own appetite, / citizen of what savages you” (I, Minotaur)

“Let us say to one another: I am yours - / and know finally that we will only ever be / as much as we are willing to save of one another.” (exhibits from The American Water Museum)

“What we hold grows weight, / becomes enough or a burden.” (Isn’t the Air Also a Body, Moving?)

“What is a page if not a lingering, an opaque / waiting - to be marked, and written?” (Snake-Light)

“To write is to be eaten. To read, to be full.” (Snake-Light)

Content Warnings

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense 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? No

5.0

I have read a few other books by Okorafor already, the novellas in the Africanfuturism Binti trilogy, as well as the YA fantasy series The Nsibidi Scripts. Both were fantastic, with similar aspects of Nigerian history and culture woven into the stories, even while the audiences and vibes for each are quite different. As an adult novel and Africanfutuirsm (as opposed to YA and fantasy), Death of the Author, definitely shares more with Binti, but in all cases Okorafor's themes, inspirations, and writing style stand consistent.

As I said, this very recognizable - stylistically and topically - as Okorafor's writing. And with that, there are parts that are so familiar as to feel a bit repetitive, almost, if you have read other works by her. And yet, it is compelling enough to read regardless. In fact, it was quite the page-turner. And it culminated in a completely new and unique way. I loved how we essentially got two, almost three, stories in one. First, the story of the author herself, Zelu, her life and journey to becoming the writer who created a bestselling novel (one that was turned into a movie and, really, a fan-propelled universe), as well as her story of childhood injury and subsequent life as a disabled person. Second, Ankara's story, in Okorafor's classic sci-fi and Africanfuturism, the story Zelu wrote, about robots and AI. While I obviously don't know her like this, I have to say that some parts of this novel felt really autobiographical or born of very real frustrations about being Nigerian-American and/or the challenges of being a (Black, female) writer and facing the (attempted) takeover of creativity by AI/tech. (To be clear on my stance, I'd like to say f*ck off to AI.) And last, we also get a series of journalism/investigative interviews with Zelu's family and friends, allowing us to see more of Zelu, through the eyes of those closest to her.

All in all, this was a really compelling exploration of the self and the body it lives within, biologically and technologically and a mash-up of the two. I appreciated the nuance of Okorafor's look into these variations on identity, in ways that were realistic and, humanly, not always complementary. It felt very genuine. Similarly, this was a gorgeously complex look at the layers of family (and especially siblings), the protection and love in contrast to the guilt/shame/pressure..all of which was equally human in its strengths and uglinesses. There was so much in these pages about straddling worlds/existences - robot and human, able-bodied and disabled, Nigerian and Nigerian-American, robot and AI - while still achieved in a beautifully literary and escapist way.

As far as other major messages, Okorafor highlights the power of connection and relationships and storytelling to make space for opportunity and overcome any adversity (even the end of the world). Speaking of "the end," my goodness that last chapter tho!! My mind is blown. Like, who is actually the narrator and who is the story?!?! I'd also like to shout out the art of the physical book. It is visually ARRESTING. And the sprayed edges?! Stunning. To end, one more time for the people in the back... This is an absolute fire indictment of AI, a war cry of creativity and storytelling as a purely and uniquely human capacity. Aggressive and clear without being condescending. I am her for this righteous anger.

“We cannot escape our creators. I keep saying this. You can’t erase that which made you. Even when they are gone, their spirit remains.”

“I can’t be normal, so I’ll be something else.”

“You left your families, your cultures, all that you knew, to come to this complex place with its nasty history, maze of trials, and spectacular opportunities. So you could stretch.”

“…there was a difference between not using something you have and not having it at all.”

“What good was love if she could only see it through a window?”

“...true power was in the harnessing of it, not the possessing of it. And when you were aware of the moment you harnessed power, that was when it was most difficult to navigate."

“I'd read many human stories about the ugliness of war, the guilt of success, the vibrations of failure.”

“The end of the world is a good place for stories to reside.”

“Create yourself. See what happens.”

“…creativity meant experiencing, processing, understanding human joy and pain.”

“I have come to understand that author, art, and audience all adore one another. They create a tissue, a web, a network. No death is required for this form of life.”

Content Warnings

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert

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adventurous emotional tense fast-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

4.0

“Promises made when neither party thinks they’ll survive the night are as substantial as wishing on stars.”

I cannot with this series. It's just...addicting. Like, this is the best escapist shit I have read since Singh's the Psy-Changeling series. And I was realllllly looking forward to this one after finishing the last one. The set-up for Icarus and Poseidon had me readddyyy. And it delivered. Not quite how I expected though. This was an interesting turn in scope here from the rest of the series. It was super narrowed after all the big picture things happening in the last few books. Like no other romances’ characters are really guest starring here and there was very little connection between Poseidon's area and the rest of Olympus. I mean yes, the plot moved forward and some of the Thirteen (especially the 3 legacy titles and Hera) played major parts in the plot movements. But their page time was super limited. This was alllllll about Icarus and Poseidon. Their open communication and effort to be honest with each other, so quickly, definitely did it for me. And even though it vibed different from the rest of the series, I kinda loved the switch up. The scope change and the tenderness in the relationship...it had a different feel that I was into (still smutty of course, but it somehow felt less so?). Idk. All I know is that I teared up at the end and this was the first one that made me feel those kinds of feels! I love how popular these inclusive romances are OMG. Rock on. There is just so much source material in Greek mythology; I love how many options there are for Robert to pull from and how she recreates them. Side note, I am loving Circe as the antagonist (though also if you step back, like, she's totally right). I can’t wait to see how her story-arc wraps...though I also don’t want it to be over!

Content Warnings

A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

This is a long overdue shoutout to Libro.fm for the ALC...one of the first I ever received from them, years ago.

A super compelling mix of memoir and social-historical-political commentary written in and with poetry, A History of My Brief Body is one of those books that requires the reader to really slow down and consider each word and phrase, if they are to take away even some of Belcourt’s meaning. Of which, for how short this book is, there is an abundance. There is a deeply intellectual and artistic meditation on colonization, the NDN body, gender (masculinity) and sexuality, racism and bigotry and the violence they engender, the “state,” and the many and varied intersections of these topics and identities. There is also a search for the meaning and manifestations of love, of how to find and share that.

There is no mincing of words (the result of Belcourt's skill and knowledge and experiences, as well as the poetic writing style in which each word must purposefully chosen for the brevity of the overall piece) nor backing down in acknowledgement of hard truths and callings out. And I felt some similarities to Sharpe’s Ordinary Notes, both stylistically and the way that the writing is in conversation with many other writers/artists/philosophers works.

These essays are a bit dizzying: intense, poignant, and with high expectations of the reader to comprehend. The terror and pain and heartbreak and truth and joy and love and hope, at emotional experiences presented here at the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and class is a lot. It's a lot in a salient and necessary way. But also a lot that the reader should be ready for, upon deciding to read this for themselves.

“What is it to live, to suffer, and, above all, to love in an emotionally inflexible world fashioned to produce men who eat 'too much of the sunset?'”

“Memory, it seems, isn’t always material out of which to make art. Sometimes remembering refuses us.”

“Utopia, of course, is an impossible love object. But as such, it is also an incitement to write, to run with pen in hand into the negative space of the future. Would I have it another way? What a danger to creativity, after all, to find oneself fitting neatly into the world!”

“To be a bad girl is to be one of the most furious things in the modern world. To be a bad girl is to be one of the most admonished things in the modern world. A bad girl is she who has rid herself of the brutalities of socialization.”

“Has anyone ever managed not to mold the body into an archive of their own degradation?”

“From nowhere but the graveyard of history could someone marshal the cruelty of denying someone the solidity of everyday life.”

“How to account for the love that bubbles up where it is banned?”

“To tell a story of the possibility that swells up even where it is negated requires a sociological eye, and epistemological standpoint, that is born out of experience, of knowing what it is to be a map to everywhere and nowhere. What's more, to hear this story of compromised living, of joy against the odds, of the repeatability of a history that lives in the bellies of those who reap the spoils of colonialism, as something more than a 'simple' account of a singular life, is to undergo a process of resubjectification, one that requires the abolition of the position of the enemy, the vampire, the one who describes, the settler. You need to read, to listen, and to write from someplace else, from another social locus, a less sovereign one, a less hungry one. All my writing is against the poverty of simplicity. All my writing is against the trauma of description.”

“Trauma, made unspeakable in public, consumes, whittling a life down to the bare bones of emotionality: paranoia and survival instinct. Made to endure too long in paranoia, the survival instinct glitches.”

“Sometimes knowledge is a rope made of poison ivy.”

“Where does grief go when it is barred from institutions of justice?”

“Freedom makes breathing easier; it begets an atmosphere governed by joy, not oppression. Freedom is a measure of breathability.”

Content Warnings

Luster by Raven Leilani

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dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Ok, when this came out - apparently like five years ago now?! - it made a huge splash. It was one of those love-hate books that, whether you liked it or not, everyone could at least agree gave readers a lot to talk about with its mess. It's been on my shelf for years now (literally, physically, in my house) and having just read and enjoyed Reid's Come & Get It, it seemed like messy novels are a current reading mood I'm mentally here for. And so...

OMG, y'all, this was possibly even messier than I'd anticipated? Even with all the hype about that aspect. Hot damn. And not like, the fun messy of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. This was, like, ugly messy. In line with Come & Get It, but still, in my opinion at least, Leilani takes things even further. Edie's attempt to balm her ennui with an affair with an older married man at work, Eric, who is trying out an open marriage for the first time, lands her in a border line unhinged situation. She finds herself living with the family, in their home, going to work at the VA morgue with Eric's wife and helping their adopted daughter, Akila, learn how to care for her hair because she has literally no one else in their all-white home and community to do so. Like, what?!?! Unhinged situations to find oneself in, with no other options and minimal recourse. It's all about getting embroiled in a situation wayyyyyy over one's head/deeper than one could ever have planned or expected. This novel was almost, in a few places, a grotesque look behind the curtains of a life, and the way art can produce a record of a person/life. Yeesh and yikes.

I do want to say though, I didn't dislike it. In fact, it was exactly the messy read my mood was looking for. I just want to be clear on the vibes for everyone reading this review and deciding if this one is right for you, or not. Primarily, I was impressed with the writing. This was a very cerebral, internal narrative, character novel. It did remind me a bit of Catalina and a bit of Beautyland, though more engrossing than either of those, in a "can't look away from this disturbing chaos" kind of way. It is bitingly precise. The dry observational tone, calling out - with insightful and “over it” snark - the ridiculous and contradictory nature of how people are treated by gender, race, age, intersectionality and just the general extreme [conservative] view BS that just actually makes no sense is cutting, icy, frighteningly unemotional (like those people that get quiet when angry, and are actually scarier than loud angry people). In particular, Leilani's addressing of the contradictions of being both hypervisible and invisible as a Black woman is phenomenal. It's sharp AF writing and insightful observations... and if there is a lean into dark “humor” sometimes, phew it is dark.

Nothing is easy about the unpacking and contradictions and observations in this novel, in the way that nothing - no person, situation, nor relationship - in life has a clear and easy explanation. It's a wild read. And Ariel Blake's audiobook narration is delivered with a tonal precision that is perfect for the novel's vibe; a narrative tour de force.

“I was not popular and I was not unpopular. To invite admiration or ridicule, you first have to be seen.”

“Imagine living life so carefully that there are no signs you lived at all.”

“She says art is subjective, and technically that is the moral of the story, though it is also implied that everyone in the kingdom thinks her art is bad, which - if she is making art that is meant to be seen by others - is a serious tough-titty, the comfort of audience subjectivity pretty much null when the audience is everyone, and everyone has decided, subjectively, that the art is bad.”

“…even though racism is often so mundane it leaves your head spinning, the hand of the ordinary in your slow, psychic death so sly and absurd you begin to distrust your own eyes.”

Content Warnings

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

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adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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

4.0

I read the first book in this series, The Firekeeper's Daughter, a few years ago. And it made my favorite's list that year (2022). But I was also really happy with how it wrapped and wasn't sure I wanted a sequel, so I didn't pick this up right away. Which is on me, for not actually reading much about this one, because apparently the author felt the same way. This sequel is within the same world, but later in time, focusing not on a continuation of Daunis' story (though she is present as a side character...and it's nice to see her), but instead on her niece, Perry.

Watching Perry as she comes of age both in a general "adolescence" sense, and within the context of her cultural heritage, is a beautiful and emotional journey. As with Boulley's first novel, the framework of the story is a low key thriller, with a solid - though never overwhelming - sense of tension as the plot builds and develops, and a culminating "big drama" that delivers what anyone looking for classic aspects of a thriller finale might want. But within that framework, the novel delivers so much more. Boulley's sharing of Anishinaabe language, traditions, and culture is done with honor and care, as with the first. And here it's delivered with a feeling of it being a sort of ode to a cultural history, the community of shared language and tradition, and an acknowledgement of the fight to hold on to those memories and traditions. The overarching message of how many ways and over how many years the indigenous body has been (and continues to be) devalued and disregarded and destroyed, through myriad examples, is deeply affecting. The direct lines drawn from stolen ancestral remains to MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women), is difficult and necessary and handled with real in this YA/“new to this topic” readers...though still without pulling any punches (Perry would be proud). Throughout, the gravity of MMIW, as well as repatriation of artifacts/bones (and the many political/social/financial/bureaucratic instances of red tape that prevent something that should be so obvious), is fully and deeply addressed, with appropriate anger and honor.

I appreciated what felt like a very genuine adolescent narration, one with a believable mix of maturity, unsurity, annoyance, and impulsiveness. There were also some sweet - realistic while not taking over the plot - romantic elements that I enjoyed.The writing may have been a bit less tight than in The Firekeeper's Daughter, it was still a well-paced and clean plot, with lots of "action" and full character development. As I said earlier, I love this as a sequel: getting to revisit our previous MC as a side character, and already being comfortable with the setting and "world," while meeting a whole new coming of age cast with original stories all their own.

“Committing atrocities and calling it the will of a supreme entity wasn't just an American thing. Holy wars were fought for control over sacred sites. Every war, holy or not, is a battle for control over land and other resources. The winners were due the spoils of war, including gold and silver, people enslaved and trafficked, and the cultural and religious relics of those considered less than human.”

“If you state your terms as a conclusion, the other party focuses on the acceptance and not the terms. Especially if you end on a positive note.”

“We protect and provide for our community. You notice things that others don't. You fight for people who can't fight for themselves. If you need to be fierce, you can get there in a heartbeat. But at heart, you are a gentle soul who wants tranquility. It's why we make the best protectors. It's not about showing force. It's about strategizing, negotiating, and making difficult decisions quickly. It's recognizing that knowing when not to fight is more important than knowing you are capable of fighting.”

“…the means justify the end. Doing the right thing for the right reason, with a good heart and clear intentions, matters.”

Content Warnings

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

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adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Ok look. I was not planning to read this. But it just kept popping up. And the cult following it seemed to have acquired over the years was fascinating to me. I needed to know why. And then, and nail in the proverbial coffin, I found a used copy at a local bookstore. And, in the midst of the year in which I've needed escapist reading more than ever before, here we are.

Like, the premise of this is ridiculous. Intergalactically trafficked human women crash land on an ice planet (think Hoth from Star Wars) - from the frying pan into the fire, but in a super cold variation of the saying. From the ice bucket into the freezer? Anyways, upon venturing out to try and find aid/escape, their de facto leader Georgie, stumbles into a trap set by a local/native alien...who ends up "resonating" with her (their species' version of fated mates) and the rest is...history? I mean, there is so much ridiculous and convenient stuff that happens, as far as both survival and bonding and cultural-lingual barriers go. And yet, I see the reason this book has gotten a cult following? I sped read right through this blue alien smut like you have no idea. And while it's not high literature, it's solidly written (for the genre) and so easy to mindlessly read. We all really could use a little more massive, protector-provider, cinnamon roll AF masculine energy in our lives. I might not be invested enough to continue to read the series (the cold and primitive setting just isn't *quite* doing it for me, personally), but I do not regret picking it up and giving it a go. Not one bit.

Side note, after reading the authors afterwards about how/where this series began, I’m honestly even more in support of it, in a general sense, tbh. Just a really fantastic, fun, silly escapism with a surprisingly (after the first chapters of trafficking aspects are behind us) safe and cozy storyline and love story.

Content Warnings

Severance by Ling Ma

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adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This has been on my TBR shelf figuratively, and then literally, for years now. I remember many people who read it after the start of COVID saying it was maybe too real, and to be careful with it, so I waited a while. And phew, those people were right.

Severance follows an MC, Candace, as she navigates a contemporary NYC office drone job, a post-apocalyptic road trip, and millennial ennui existence, survival in a world shutting down around her, and life in (mid)western America as a young immigrant/daughter of immigrants. And for being published in 2018, it is wildly prescient of what the shutdown around COVID would look like for the world. Like, to the point where, if you told me Ma could see the future, I would totally believe you. This was a super internal narrative, for a post-apocalyptic story. Following Candace's many mental-emotional responses and journeys, including myriad flashbacks and anecdotes from her life "before," was interesting. Like, you know the world is falling around her, and can tangibly imagine it (now, post-COVID, especially...the shutdown part, of course, not the presence of the virus). And yet, because you are experiencing it all from within her own mind, it's weirdly distant at the same time? Like real life at a remove? Stylistically, it reminded me, a bit, of Chemistry. And the ending leaves the reader on the precipice of an unknown future, but with hope that it’ll be something new/different. Not better per se, but not worse? Something recreated… It's a common vibe for the speculative fiction genre (like Station Eleven, The Z-Word, The Book of M, and others).

In these pages, Ma manages a (hefty) critique of capitalism/consumerism, a post apocalyptic societal collapse (a la Station Eleven), a character study, a critique of paternalism and patriarchy, a darkly-borderline-humorous observance of humanity and our estimation of ourselves as measured by societal rules and workplace habits, with just a dash of art. There’s a lot of commentary to unpack within it. And I think the real beauty of this novel (in addition, of course, to the clear intention of the writing) is that the details are so meticulous that every reader will notice and respond to something a little different. It makes it a really individualized reading experience, for all that it addresses some very universal themes.

“I could do that indefinitely: roam the streets, look up into a window and imagine myself into other people’s lives.”

“The past is a black hole, cut into the present day like a wound, and if you get too close, you can get sucked in.”

“Memories beget memories.”

“To live in a city is to live the life that it was built for, to adapt to its schedule and rhythms […] To live in a city is to take part in and to propagate its impossible systems. […] It is also to take pleasure in those systems because, otherwise, who could repeat the same routines, year in, year out?”

Content Warnings

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

I had received a gift card to a local bookstore some months ago that I, gasp!, had completely forgotten about, when a spring cleaning spree brought it to my attention. And I obviously needed to use it immediately, before forgetting about it again. So after a quick browse (it's a very small store), this was my selection. I hadn't really heard/seen much about it, but I do love a standalone fantasy and the blurb was intriguing. Y'all. Hot DAMN. What a choice I made! This is absolutely a new fav, and it will be making my top ten list for the year, for sure.

Ok so. The one-liner about this book is: "A standalone dark academia brimming with mystery, tragedy, and the damning echoes of the past." Is. It. Ever! Every single note or observation of reaction that I jotted down while reading this was effusively positive. I have literally no notes (h/t to Big Mouth, iykyk). But also, it's me, so I will share my bubbling over enthusiasm, with lots of words.

The world-building! OMG but this magic system is WILD - aether and alchemy mixed with science and math and a typewriter mechanism just for fun - so freaking original. And that reaction was before the "big reveal" on the source of said magic and then holy shit it got even wilder! That being said, I did see that twist coming, but when it hit (for our MCs, Sciona and Thomil), I was still happy with the way the story went; it didn’t need to be a surprise to still be so so good. And it ties in perfectly to the really nuanced (and therefore naturally uncomfortable), interweaving and commentary on the variety and intersectional types of oppression and discrimination and privilege and power imbalances that are the central themes of this novel. Wang creates a FASCINATING and BRUTAL reworking of the colonization of indigenous knowledge that structured religion has manipulated/stolen over history…the gaslighting and structural racism and lies and corruption that make this possible hurts to read here, especially in recognizing that those aspects pull directly from real life.

On this note, I have many other observations about the themes Wang addresses here. Oh this commentary on the convenience of self-delusion and looking away over the challenge and contradiction and ugliness of truth - and the absolutely bullshit cover of “civilized” to quash truth/honesty - is spicy! And ahhhhhh the limitations imposed on an unknowing populace when the “victors” account of history is the only one made available is so applicable to the washing away of diversity (CRT, DEI, queer POVs, etc.) that is happening in schools/public spaces right now. It's infuriating! Wang also calls out the hypocrisy and double standards in religion and patriarchy in no uncertain terms. Gorgeously done. I also loved the way Wang systematically dismantles all the “if people can only see the evil, they’ll stand against it” arguments that are so common of the closer-to-privilege-and-kind-of-progressive groups. These haven’t worked IRL as we consider the world watching Palestinian genocide and doing nothing for over a year...and she lights that perspective up in these pages. Finally, I thought the philosophical discourse on good and evil (and really in general) - is it the intention or outcome that matters in the end, the abstract (intention) or concrete effect on the balance of the world (outcome) - was so interesting.

Regarding characters, their development was also fantastic. I am going to focus on our two MCs, Sciona and Thomil, in this review. But it's important that I note how each of the supporting cast members was equally detailed and developed and represented very real "types" of people. Anyways, this impossible and flawed allyship between Sciona and Thomil is perfect - nuanced and slow building and hesitantly believing and full of righteous/defensive anger and growing admiration for each other as those pre-set biases/understandings are overcome. Their finding of common ground against a system is such a highlight of this reading experience; the message that “experiences may not be the same, but they are connected” is a cornerstone of allyship and the fight for a more equitable future. And while it is not a trauma-competition, Sciona’s journey of cognitive dissonance (as she realizes that her oppression is still hand-in-hand with many privileges) to rejecting a faith system and culture based on getting ahead through oppression of others, of stopping lying to herself because looking away and mental gymnastics is easier, is admirable and should be emulated by MANY (too bad none of them will read this book). Watching her struggle to find the line between being aware and working to fix things and not thinking/dwelling too much (and thus slipping into emotional paralysis) is too relatable right now, but in a way that really highlights Wang's skill as a writer.

Ok people, the portrayal of the complexities of oppression in myriad and overlapping forms, and the way they all stem from the same power structures at the end of the day, no matter how different their manipulations/manifestations look, is stunning. The magic system and world that is built, the nuance of the characters and their interactions and developments, are also stunning. The emotionally crushing power of hope and renewal this book ends with is stunning too. Overall, I am stunned. Dare I say, this is like what Babel did, but better? Just as clear, but tighter? At least for me. (Though shoutout to that word magic in Babel, which is untouched colonializer magic, conceptually). To repeat myself: this is a new all time favorite book. Holy shit.

“If I can’t clear that clouded glass, there’s nothing left to do but break through it.”

“We Kwen have a word for that - taking ancestral items from people who aren’t dead. It’s called stealing.”

“It’s much easier to tell yourself you’re a good person than it is to actually be one.” and “…obliviously paving their way to Hell with pride.”

“What if we don’t treat emotion as matter? What if we treat it as energy? Not as a poison, limited in its potential, but as a power source, infinite in its potential? […] I don’t need to stop feeling this way. I just need to take control of the energy the feeling has created inside me.”

“They did what a man was supposed to: they revered and obeyed the men above them, pursued greatness in the model of their predecessors, and, in the end, they were rewarded with power, acclaim, and dominion over lesser beings - a small godhood of their own. [...] The path to God wasn't laid for women like her. It was laid on their backs.”

“…but I’m starting to understand how ridiculous it is to demand civility when the world is so disgustingly uncivil.”

“Good people will turn monstrous when it’s down to their survival or someone else’s.”

“Just that, if suffering counts as damage…is it better to be safe and broken than it is to be dead?”

“Truth before comfort.” and “It’s not an attack to tell the truth.” (and you LIVE that discomfort, Sciona, hot damn!)

“You took reality and reimagined it to be a story with you at the center, all designed for you, all for your taking. Well, not today! This story is about my ego and what it will do to the world!”

Content Warnings

The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

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adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

It's been years, like so many that I think all of them were pre-book-blogging Paige, but I have read and loved a number of Kearsley's novels. The Winter Sea was a particular favorite - the first one I picked up - and I sped through like five more immediately after that. When I saw this most recent release come through the library, I realized I was definitely in the mood for another from her, after all these years. And so, I brought it home with me. (Ahhhh, the dangers of working in a library...)

The King’s Messenger was a bit of a slower-roll read, compared to what I remember of her previous novels. It is very clear that her years of research and knowledge of these time periods and settings are vast, and she makes that known on every page, from character interactions to location description to the intricacies of court life and political nuance. (A note here: the afterword, on the historical characters and IRL research Kearsley did and how it informed her novel and where she diverged and why, was fantastic!) However, that being said, I am glad I had the audiobook to move me through some of it, as it may have been a bit too slow for reading with my eyeballs. Yet, with the help of a narrator, I sank right into this historical fiction world.

I absolutely love a Scottish setting, especially historical ones like this (please see how many novels I read that are set there, from The Lost Queen to The Girl from the Sea to Shuggie Bain to City of Ghosts to Lady Macbeth, review forthcoming). It's sweeping and gorgeous and perfectly spooky. Which lends itself spectacularly to Kearsley's signature interweaving of the mystical/paranormal into her stories. In this case, Andrew Logan, one of our male MCs, has a variation on second sight and can see phantom spectres of the past, and some visions of the future. Speaking of Andrew Logan, his relationship with our female MC, Phoebe Westaway, was the romantic centerpiece of my dreams. It was a sweet and tender, softly fiery, slow burn romance that fit the mood of the story and setting perfectly. And to the plot itself, it was dramatic in nature, but quiet in delivery. A combination that again, I enjoyed in this context, but for which I was glad of the audiobook.

Altogether, this was a sweet and tangible historical plot and HEA. One that I fell into fully and gladly and enjoyed my time with.

“They’re not the same, though, are they? Education and intelligence. A learned man can yet be witless in all other aspects of his life, while an uneducated man who's never set foot in a classroom can possess a fine and gifted mind.”

Content Warnings

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just_one_more_paige's reviews 1541 reviews

just_one_more_paige's reviews
1541 reviews