Nobody would lift a finger to change the world for us. To make a place for us. What choice did we ever have, but to do it ourselves?
This is a m5/5
Nobody would lift a finger to change the world for us. To make a place for us. What choice did we ever have, but to do it ourselves?
This is a masterpiece. I have never encountered a book so visceral, I have never before encountered a book that bleeds. She Who Became the Sun is one of my favourite books of all-time and I just hoped beyond hope that He Who Drowned the World would live up to it. It is everything I could ever have possibly dreamed and more. This is my book. I am tethered to this story like it is my centre of gravity, I can't imagine a world without having read it. There has never been a book so perfect.
Shelley Parker-Chan writes so effortlessly, their construction of such a complex and riveting narrative is astounding. I am in such awe of their talent. You can feel the weight of the labour and the love that was put into this novel, yet it also reads like we're flying across the pages. Every detail is so vivid and steeped in emotion. The scenes spill off the page, creating such vibrant images as we dance between each word. There is clear intention behind every sentence that allows us to feel the raw emotional weight of every line. It is beautiful writing and even more beautiful storytelling.
Each character plays such an important role in the story and I found the addition of new perspectives to be so interesting. Each one brought something completely different to the story, yet Parker-Chan controlled all of these narratives with such refined skill, spinning these webs together, drawing parallels and contrasts, twisting each moving part until every action became bigger than what it was. In linking these characters together through this narrative, their every action became enlarged into the vastness of the question, what does this mean for the others? The links and subversions added upon this duology's themes created such a fascinating opportunity for exploration. He Who Drowned the World took everything that She Who Became the Sun said and delved deeper.
The core themes perpetuated in The Radiant Emperor duology have always been desire and suffering. If She Who Became the Sun was the focus on desire, He Who Drowned the World is the focus on suffering. She Who Became the Sun explores grasping the intent of desire with both hands and claiming your fate, it is the hunt for greatness, it is about the strength it takes to become great, it is the knowledge that you will do anything and suffer anything to achieve that greatness. He Who Drowned the World explores the consequences of greatness, it explores loss and pain and suffering to newer heights, and with savage glee tears apart the clarity of our understanding of suffering into something more warped, it questions whether the suffering that has been endured for greatness is worth it.
This is where He Who Drowned the World strides in larger steps than She Who Became the Sun (as perfect as that book also is). Its focus on suffering and on pain is where this book shone even brighter. We are tortured by the shifting moralities of the main characters, by the new ambiguity around how much suffering is worth the ultimate goal of greatness. We witness these characters driven to madness by their pain, we witness their suffering as it eclipses their hope, we witness them despair and cry and break. There are many ghosts that haunt the characters of this story, there are many torments that the world wounds them with, but the most fascinating element of this discussion around pain is when we witness the pain the characters inflict upon themselves.
Ouyang reaches into this place of pain to shield himself from a greater wound weeping inside of him. He is haunted by his duty, by his need for revenge. He drives himself onwards, against reason, running headfirst to his end. He wants to achieve this vengeance and have it be done, he wants this gaping wound inside of him to stop flowing out blood, he wants to reach the end before his pain bleeds him dry. He wants everything that he's done to get there to be worth it.
Another character overwhelmed by this pain is Baoxiang. Baoxiang's pain spills out of him and drowns the world in its darkness, it is a poisoning pain with a bitter touch. It is an uncontrollable pain that Baoxiang cannot recognise for what it is. He cannot recognise it for grief. This shared pain these two characters are plagued by pulls very evocative parallels, but it proves these character's differences more. We see the biting edge of a pain that is weaponised against the world and we see a maddening one that is sure to be their doom.
In Baoxiang we find an incredibly interesting perspective. What is so brilliant about these characters is that even if you dislike them, they are still riveting to witness and to explore. Baoxiang believes that through his pain he will find something worth its suffering. He believes, like Ouyang believes, like Zhu believes, that what he endures now will be worth it later. But his experience is immensely different to theirs and adds a whole new layer to the fascinating conversation this duology has around gender. Baoxiang wields his effeminacy against the Mongol Empire and its warriors like a sword. He becomes the things they think of him, as we have already seen in the first book. He shrouds himself in the worthlessness that they perceive of him. He performs the role that they have given him. What is so vital to understanding Baoxiang's character is to understand his hatred. He hates the way they view him, he hates the way they discard him, he hates that they find him worthless. But what he hates more is the hypocrisy he views. They condemn him because he is no warrior, yet their own true warriors are more like what they think of him than he is. He finds the secrets some of the great warriors keep indistinguishable from his own experiences and treatment. He hates their blindness, he hates their desire. He proves to us here how much his hatred infects every move he makes. And even when we start to unravel this hatred and glimpse his grief, it is an inescapable burden that he carries across his back as his pain turns in on himself and consumes him. There is a point where, after swallowing the world, the only thing left for his darkness to swallow is him.
Baoxiang is only one part of a very detailed and nuanced discussion of gender and queerness throughout these books, but a new layer that I thought was added in this story was the layer of perception. I found the element of perception hidden all throughout this book and what intrigued me most about it was the questions that it ended up asking. Whose perception truly matters? Is a thing real because it is perceived to be so or does another person's perception not matter at all to the truth of one's being? What then is the answer to whether love is real if only one person can perceive it? There is so much rich ground to cover here that I cannot without giving too much away, but I found these elements of the story so engrossing as I tried to pick apart every different angle that was uncovered.
What enriches the already ingenious conversation on gender (alongside this addition of perception) is that of performance. We see performance used in Baoxiang's perspective as he fits into the role they have decided for him, we see it in Zhu's perspective as she plays into and adjusts the world's perceptions to achieve her end, we see it in Madam Zhang and her porcelain surface, as well as in so much more.
Madam Zhang brings a new aspect to this in her performance. In her perspective, we witness how she uses her own body—detached from her mind—to wield other people's desires against themselves. We see sex used as a tool to discuss these elements of desire, body, performance and gender. Madam Zhang is so disconnected from the pain of her body that she becomes unfeeling, she controls her body as you would a clockwork toy and winds herself up again for her next performance. She is conniving because she has to be and she so desperately desires more of the world but her options and perceptions of her possibilities are limited. She is a porcelain doll, perfectly broken and made up again, all smooth surfaces without cracks and without scars. She need only apply another coating of makeup and slip into the appropriate façade. It is her means for survival in a world that does not care if she survives it.
Ultimately, The Radiant Emperor duology focuses on a collection of different characters who are all people that the world does not want to win. It shows us their brokenness, it shows us how fractured and desperate and damaged they are and asks us to root for them anyway.
I claim my place. And if the pattern of the world refuses to let that place exist, I will change it.
Zhu and Ouyang have always been the most interesting to me. In She Who Became the Sun we see their similarities discussed alongside their vast differences, but in this book we are allowed to see their connections in an even sharper light. We are allowed the clarity of their sameness, the ache of their joint wounds and sorrows, we feel the reverberations of that string pulled taut that binds them. And so it is with even greater betrayal that we see the jagged edges of their differences once more. This dance between them is so riveting because it is so visceral. We are as connected to them as they are to each other and so we root for this connection to hold true, for it to mean something, for it to forge a new path—a path that we can follow them down.
Zhu reckons with the themes of desire and suffering the most throughout the duology as this is, after all, her story. But she struggles more with desire's demands in this book than she ever has before. We know as well as she does that 'desire is the cause of all suffering,' and that 'the greater the desire, the greater the suffering, and now she desired greatness itself,' but how much is too much for Zhu to bear?
Have you ever thought that it might not be worth it?
Alongside these characters we go through devastating losses and haunting realisations, we are left shocked and speechless. Shelley Parker-Chan always knows the most harrowing ways to wrench our hearts straight from our chests. (I will, in fact, be demanding emotional reparations!) It's an agonising, all-consuming masterpiece of a book and you will not regret picking it up.
I absolutely devoured this story, I couldn't get enough of it and never wanted to stop reading! I cursed my body for needing sleep. I have never loved a series so unfalteringly, there is truly nothing that compares to it. My love for the characters is so exceptionally strong (Xu Da steals my heart as always) and I cannot exaggerate how viscerally I relate to them and how heart-breaking this book truly was. One thing I can say with absolute certainty is you guys are not prepared for this one! I'm astonished to find that it's over. I need a million more books set in this time and about these characters, complete with Parker-Chan's lush prose and evocative themes. I could go on and on about this book forever! When I next reread I'll do a spoiler review with all my increasingly rambly thoughts. Parker-Chan has secured their place with great surety as one of my absolute favourite authors, I will clamour for any scraps of writing they deign to give us. My life has been fundamentally changed with this duology and I am just honoured that I got to experience it.
Shelley Parker-Chan has not only created an exceptional piece of literature through their immersive and explosive storytelling, but has transported us through time into a world where we are as desperate and as ravenous as the characters themselves. It is always a shock to look up and discover that I am no longer inside the pages.
Perhaps in your next lives, or the ones after those, or in a thousand years, you'll find each other again, and the world will be different. Perhaps next time, you can have the courage.
I do want to issue a warning that this book is a lot darker than She Who Became the Sun so please look up the content warnings (I'll have them listed on my Storygraph) and read with care! Thank you Pan Macmillan and Tor Publishing Group for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review....more
5/5 I don’t know how I’m meant to read any other book ever again !! This book is an all-consuming expanse of dark gods and corrupted magic, rival house5/5 I don’t know how I’m meant to read any other book ever again !! This book is an all-consuming expanse of dark gods and corrupted magic, rival houses and gripping characters, intense plots with mysterious twists. I cannot find a single thing to fault this book on. Where do I even begin with my praises? Every single aspect of this book was incredible; the characters, the plot, the writing, the world-building, the magic system, the pacing, the twists. Every single aspect !! This book is everything high fantasy should be and more, it is the epic fantasy I have always been waiting for! World-building has always been my absolute favourite part of fantasy and this book did not disappoint! The world is so unique and interesting, full of opposing gods and intertwining realms. I loved working it all out and diving further and further into the mysteries of the world and unwinding each one, only to unravel the intrigue of more. The magic system is incredible and so complex and absorbing. The writing is some of the most beautiful writing that I’ve ever read, every moment is packed full of emotion and meaning. I felt exactly what the characters were feeling, I felt their power and their rage and their pain, and it was glorious ! The descriptions were heart-wrenchingly beautiful; they made me just want to put my head in my hands and sob at their divineness. Stunning prose is sometimes so hard to achieve, but Tara Sim does so effortlessly and gracefully, sweeping you up in the moment so wholly. Every scene was so vivid, I watched everything play out so clearly in my mind, as if watching a film. Normally I find myself checking what page I'm on (just out of habit) to see if I'm past certain markers, however I was too engrossed in this story to check. My mind was wrapped up in the scenes so intensely and I never wanted to put it down. I knew from the beginning that I would fall in love with this book, (although I underestimated just quite how much) but I convinced myself I couldn't decide this was a 5 star book only 20 pages in, but every page I read further proved just how right I was. This book was a head-over-heels instant love for me and every sentence, every word, only dragged me in deeper into its depths. And, oh boy, do I wish I could stay there forever! The characters are all incredibly complex and riddled with both compelling strengths and flaws. My favourite character was Taesia, but I adored and was fascinated with all the rest too! There are seven intriguing points of view in this story. The author slips between them easily, conveying such skill as she writes all these characters so uniquely, showing their individual motivations and beliefs. Taesia is the second child of the Lastrider family, born of Nyx's blood, wielder of shadows. Dante is her older brother, the heir of house Lastrider, with secret practices of his own to keep. Angelica is heir of house Mardova, born of Deia's blood, an elementalist with a vocation for fire. Risha is heir of house Vakara, born of Thana's blood, a necromancer trying to break into another realm. Nikolas is heir of house Cyr, born of Phos's blood, wielder of light. Julian is a hunter with a mysterious gift. The boy is guided by the voice, tired and hungry. There is so much action in this book, it’s full of mysteries and plot twists. The pacing was perfect, allowing for both important heartfelt scenes, yet making sure there was never a dull moment. Whenever it grew too quiet, I could feel the book whispering, this eager anticipation growing inside of me, waiting for the next strike. It was so much fun to read and I wanted desperately for it never to end! I can’t believe how long I’ll have to wait for the next one! Everyone go preorder this book RIGHT NOW, you won’t regret it, it’s the best epic fantasy you will ever read !! Thank you netgalley for sending me an e-arc, I will obviously also be getting my hands on a physical copy as soon as possible! :))))...more
5/5 570k words later, I am truly changed. WOW, just wow! MDZS quickly became one of my favourite things of all-time and I will absolutely never forget 5/5 570k words later, I am truly changed. WOW, just wow! MDZS quickly became one of my favourite things of all-time and I will absolutely never forget it! It was all done so cleverly. The plot was intricate and had so many plot twists, it shared the perfect amount of information at the exact right times–always quenching our need to know more whilst simultaneously asking several more intriguing questions, making us wait to discover these answers. It was so much fun from beginning to end and I just can't believe it's over. I devoured this in a week and I can't believe it's over! I never would have guessed where this story was going to take us and I truly did enjoy every single second. I adored the chapters fluctuating between the present and the past, it was so interesting to experience the story in that way. I adored the chapters and points of view we saw through Empathy as well. What a smart way to tell a story. (view spoiler)[SPOILER WARNING! I was hooked the minute I heard 'soul-eating goddess' and 'ghost general' literally what more could you ever ask from a book? Then I read the chapters that we first experienced in the past about when they were all kids studying in the Cloud Recesses, and I instantly fell in love. Those chapters gave me a very similar comforting feeling as the chapters in The Song of Achilles, where Achilles and Patroclus are studying with Chiron, did. Next we came to the unforgettable Grasses chapters. That sealed my fate and I will now go to my grave clutching this story in my heart. I was already sold, but those chapters won my soul! The story of Xiao XingChen, Xue Yang, Song Lan, and A-Qing was an evocative, emotional, heart-breaking one that I could not stop thinking about at all. Their story will haunt me forever. My favourite storyline was when we finally witnessed Wei WuXian's past and his downfall. I'd been waiting for so long to find out what happened and I was so invested in all these characters. Witnessing Wei Ying's slow corruption arc and the slow corruption and falling of so many of his relationships had me on the edge of my seat, heartbroken. What I loved most was that his corruption arc made sense and I loved that we were still on his side, I loved that we got to witness the other sects hypocrisy and fears. The world praised him when he fought alongside them, but as soon as he became his own power the world turned against him. Seeing Wei Ying antagonised like this made all his actions feel real and plausible. I finally understood how things got so bad, I finally understood why he was turned into the villain. It was all done incredibly. I'm in awe of the formulation of such a story as detailed and complex as this one. I adore it with all my heart. The characters were absolutely amazing and this is where my review is going to turn into me rambling about my opinions on all the characters (so don't expect any of this to make sense if you haven't read it and another spoiler warning for good measure!) Wei WuXian (Wei Ying)- My favourite character! My absolute beloved! He is the most chaotic character that you will literally ever meet and I just adore him with everything in me. He never failed to make me laugh and the more outrageous he was, the better! As I said before, his corruption arc and downfall were written so well and believably. So many aspects of this story made me sigh in awe at their construction whilst also fall apart at their emotion. I also think that as 'crooked' and dangerous as it may be, the cultivation path he walked was definitely the coolest. If I were alive in this world I would absolutely try to walk it to! (Would it end in my death? Inevitably, yes. Would it be worth it? Absolutely yes.) I'll talk about his relationships with characters as I encounter them... Lan WangJi (Lan Zhan)- My stoic kind-hearted hero. Lan Zhan truly is the sweetest and him and his rabbits make my heart melt. His powers on the guqin are so cool and the idea and meaning of him and Wei Ying duetting (Wei Ying on Chenqing) means so much to me. I adored him so much, all the characters in this story are written so complex and beautifully. I adored Wei Ying and Lan Zhan's relationship more than anything (WangXian stole my entire heart, of course they did, what did you expect?) I'd heard people talk about them and how infatuated they are with each other and oh my god were they right. These two dumb idiots need to learn how to communicate (although I do love slowburn) because there were some moments when it was so blindingly obvious I was screaming. Their story has stolen everything in me and they can keep it, it's all theirs, everything is theirs, they deserve it all. They deserve the world and I hope they live peacefully happily ever after. If anyone disturbs their peace I will personally see to it that they are...disposed of... Jin Ling- My bastard child. Jin Ling is the annoying kid who's kicking the back of your chair on the train, but just as you're turning around to yell at him, you realise he's all by himself–no friends, no family–and you can't help but feel bad for him so you give him a lollipop, but you still smack him when he kicks your chair again. I honestly don't know how else I can explain better how I feel about Jin Ling. He's an annoying little idiot, but if anyone else said that I'd beat them up. I love him and I just want him to be happy. His story had me heartbroken and as soon as we broke through his pretentious act I adored him. He deserved a much better life than the one that was handed to him and his pain hurt me just as much. I adored the writing of his complicated relationships with those around him (this man really did not have one single easy relationship), especially with Wei WuXian and Wen Ning. Through those interactions we really got to understand him better through his grief and his pain and what an amazingly complex character to write. Lan XiChen- The original WangXian shipper. I loved Lan XiChen and his subtle support. He was a kind, compassionate, understanding person and that was both his greatest strength and weakness. I think that that was incredibly clever. His inability to mistrust those he was loyal to (looking at you Jin GuangYao) ultimately broke him and I truly loved how that was done. I will come to him and Jin GuangYao in time, never fear. Wen Ning- I adore Wen Ning. I was intrigued by him the moment he appeared as the fearsome Ghost General, however when we witnessed the timid boy who helped save Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng I couldn't comprehend him as the same man. How was this sweet boy the slaughterer he was rumoured to be? I spent a long, long time curious about him and he quickly became one of my favourites as we witnessed him as Wen Ning the Person instead of Wen Ning the Legend. He was one of the kindest characters in the whole thing and I loved him very dearly. He really did deserve so much better. I loved his and Wei WuXian's relationship, their closeness and friendship was heart-warming. As I mentioned before, his relationship with Jin Ling was complicated and painful, but I loved that storyline and how it all played out. My favourite relationship of Wen Ning's was that of him and a lost relative that we'll come to...next... Lan SiZhui (Lan Yuan/Wen Yuan)- I loved Lan SiZhui from the very beginning; he was kind (in particular to Wei WuXian) when others were not and he instantly gained my favour. He only got kinder from there, he was loyal and compassionate and so very sweet. Wen Yuan (or A-Yuan) the baby made an appearance quite late into the book, but I nevertheless instantly grew attached and I adored the moments with him, especially the ones shared with Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. I said to myself, if anything happens to A-Yuan I will make sure they all perish! I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed when I found out Lan SiZhui and Wen Yuan were the same person, what an incredible plot twist. When I say sobbed, I mean SOBBED. Lan SiZhui's relationships with everyone were jovial and nice, just like his nature. I particularly loved his and Lan Zhan's relationship and finding out at the end that it was Lan Zhan who rescued him only solidified that fact. Lan SiZhui's and Wen Ning's relationship was my favourite, though, it felt like the joining of two limbs, like an echoing call from far away had finally reached the right ears. I was so happy that they found each other and I grieved for all the other fallen Wens (the nice ones). Jiang Cheng- A myriad of complex emotions. I never truly settled on how I felt about Jiang Cheng, even by the end of the story. Although not one of my favourites, I did still like him. He was a very well-written complex character too. His and Wei WuXian's everchanging relationship throughout the years was one of my favourites, they were real brothers. They both made great sacrifices for one another and finding out both of those immense sacrifices made me extremely emotional. Jin GuangYao- I hate this man. He is so incredibly annoying and manipulative. I like him as a villain because I did not expect him at all until it was obvious, but everything I learned only made me hate him more and more. I cannot imagine a single person liking him, but there are always weirdos in every fandom. I did, however, like the commentary on Jin GuangYao being made into a nightmare. I loved Wei WuXian realising that GuangYao was now assuming his fate and being written into the role of villain in every story. Whilst their characters and situations differ dramatically (Wei WuXian made mistakes, GuangYao was just horrible), seeing this familiar antagonism was quite eerie and I really loved how it was captured. In all fairness, Jin GuangYao was a clever villain, getting away with it for so long. One aspect I loved in his story was his relationship with Lan XiChen. I absolutely ship them, his declaration about never having thought about harming XiChen was nothing if not a declaration of love and I stand by that. Lan XiChen was blind to his flaws and loyal to a fault. What I love so much about their ending is that it is never explicitly specified whether GuangYao actually wanted to harm him or not. That made a situation that could be easily seen as morally black and white, very grey. It was such a smart writing choice. Jiang YanLi- She deserved so much better, I truly wish I could give her the world. I don't even want to think about her too much or I'll cry. It was obvious to anyone how much Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian cared for her and how far they'd go to protect her. That moment truly tore apart my heart and I'd give anything to reverse time and change it. She would have been such an incredible, kind mother. Xiao XingChen- He was so brave and virtuous. If someone said 'knight' he's the first person you'd think of. I adored him and his entire storyline so much. He had a good heart and sacrificed so much. He deserved so much better. His story read like a Shakespearean tragedy (in the best way possible). Song Lan- I loved everything between him and Xiao XingChen. SHIP! The sacrifices were incredible and everything about their story was heart-breaking. His death scene was gut-wrenching, I had my jaw dropped, tears streaming down my face. I knew it was coming but it still hurt so much. It was so poetic and, in a way, beautiful, but so, so painful. When he vowed to travel until him and XingChen would meet again one day, my heart erupted out of grief. Xue Yang- I think he truly did come to care for Xiao XingChen (and even A-Qing), why else would he have stayed for so long? Song Lan waltzed in and ruined the perfect fantasy he'd dreamed up, he reminded him of his anger and his hatred. I don't like Xue Yang as a person, but he's a great character. A-Qing- The bravest character in the entire thing. She was courageous until the end and long after, her bravery helped defeat Xue Yang in the end and I loved her so much. She was cunning and incredible and I only wish she'd killed Xue Yang whilst still alive. What an amazing person. Lan JingYi- He made me laugh, I liked his good-natured ribs at Jin Ling. I loved all the young disciples, their close relationships, and their trust in Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. Wen Qing- She was another character full of love. Her determination to do anything for Wen Ning and for her people was so admirable and courageous. I wish she hadn't met such an end, she deserved so much better. So many characters' stories ended in tragedy. Lan QiRen- i didn't like him much, but his absolute unfaltering hatred for Wei WuXian never failed to make me laugh. Nie HuaiSang- I loved his fans! I'm still stuck wondering if HuaiSang is a head-shaking coward or a genius mastermind. I love it either way. His character makes me laugh, however to say I like him would be a stretch, but I don't dislike him. (hide spoiler)] Overall, this was one of the BEST things. One of the best. I had such an incredible time reading it and I already want to reread. Everyone go read it right this second!...more
5/5 Where do I even begin? This is the most beautiful, well-written book that I've ever read. The writing is magical, every single line holds so much d5/5 Where do I even begin? This is the most beautiful, well-written book that I've ever read. The writing is magical, every single line holds so much depth and emotion. I loved every single aspect of this book! It's dark and bloody and so, so incredible. The relationship between the two main characters had me screaming in this venomous glee. It was–for lack of a better word–gloriously fucked up. Their relationship teetered precariously over the cliffside, swaying back and forth between the firmness of the crumbling soil and the black waters below. I cannot describe with words how perfect this book was. The relationship also reminded me a lot of the relationship between Hannibal and Will in the Hannibal TV show. This book delves into a shadowed city with a vengeance at its heart and a monster on its heels. I always adore when books explore what it means to be a monster and what it means to be human, this book did so flawlessly in a non-explicit way. Queer horror as a genre is something I always love and always come back to, please give me recommendations if you have any !! This book was everything and is something that I'll be recommending forever–I will not be forgetting about this book anytime soon! I always stand by the fact that magic is a metaphor for queerness and I think that the horror genre often holds its own unique spin on queerness in its bloody jaws and both of those factors I am in awe of every single time. This is quite a short book therefore this review doesn't go into immense detail because I don't want to spoil it, but trust me this book is worth your blood, sweat, tears and more. Some of my favourite quotes were; 'Don't you feel it, sometimes? As if the world wants to consume itself.' 'Magic is not in the brain, miss; it is in the bones.' 'Thin ice isn’t a problem for the sea; it’s a problem for the blind idiot who steps out on it.'...more
5/5 War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains. This is one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read! It’s a dark military fantas5/5 War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains. This is one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read! It’s a dark military fantasy with a heart wrenching story you could never begin to predict. The writing is so vivid and so beautiful, the writing style and pace is perfect and the story is told exactly how it should be. I could sing this books praises forever. The characters were all incredibly well-written and complex. They all had amazing character arcs (both positive and negative ones) that developed realistically and with such intrigue and nuance. Their morals were ever-changing and they faced difficult decisions with such human vulnerability. They seemed so real and complicated. This book is notorious for being the darkest thing you’ll ever read and it completely lives up to that so please check trigger warnings, there’s a lot of violence. It unflinchingly shows the horrors of war without remorse and without pity for ignorant eyes. It perfectly carves horrifying descriptions of true pain and suffering. It’s not for the faint of heart! Was she now a goddess or a monster? Perhaps neither. Perhaps both. The world politics and relations are incredibly written and poignant. The world building and innovative world history are developed so well and artfully tie into the current plot. I love any book with old gods and morally grey/corrupt characters and this book delivered over and over and over again. It was amazing from the beginning and only got better and better! I loved that there was no distinct hero and villain, no one person or country was wholly good or wholly evil. Every single character was woven into such a perfectly human mess of morality. There was no right answer in the face of this destruction. There was no honour in both the building or collapsing of empires. I adored every moment! Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands. When you taught them to fight a war, then you armed them and put them on the front lines, they were not children anymore. They were soldiers....more
As if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion...
Never before have I reacted so viscerally to a book. This was better than a5/5
As if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion...
Never before have I reacted so viscerally to a book. This was better than anything I could ever have possibly dreamed. I have been sobbing and sobbing and sobbing and it's been glorious. An instant favourite for me! Absolutely earth-shattering.
Every single part of this story is so emotional, down to the very bones of the writing and each structured choice. I have never before encountered a book that made me so incurably anxious that I felt like throwing up and (much to my despair) I don't think I ever will again. We, the reader, become so invested in the characters so quickly that it's impossible not to feel their every raw emotion, their dramatic, jarring highs and lows. It's a story that envelops you in it and suffocates you, and I can wholeheartedly say I have never then wanted to breathe less.
You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.
Shakespeare is, very obviously, a fundamental, core part of both the characters and the narrative. I love Shakespeare and so this was already exactly the kind of book that I'd love, but M.L. Rio goes even further as she expertly selects and places every word with such a refined, indomitable skill. Every single line chosen perfectly reflected the heart and soul of the characters and their woes, every line struck a deep chord that resonated throughout the rest of the story. It's so hard to explain how perfectly every word fits if you haven't already read it, but know that if I didn't know already who Shakespeare was or any of his plays, I would think every line was written for this book. The characters (pretentiously and so, so incredibly) slip in and out of Shakespeare like his words are their first language, ingrained into the roots of them. Every line is related to their situations. Even when they're acting, the scenes that we're shown always mean something.
That is what is key to understanding If We Were Villains: every line has another meaning, everything is riddled with subtext. It's a contradictory book, written in subtle words whilst showcasing explosive themes, and you feel this strain, this intensity, as you're reading. It's a book that demands your full attention and your every thought, I doubt it will ever release its hold on me. It's intelligent in a way I've rarely found even the smartest books of being, in that it knows every word's interpretation and fits every contrasting meaning. It knows exactly what it is and what it means, it's precise and unwavering and unconquerable.
I need language to live, like food—lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.
The characters were incredible. I won't even pretend to understand them in all their glory, but they were unceasingly fascinating. Choosing Oliver as our (unreliable) narrator was at times excruciatingly frustrating, but nevertheless a perfect decision. To his oblivious eyes, the world and all its players are opaque, their meanings elude him, their motivations barred behind immovable doors. Yet through Oliver we find a unique perspective we wouldn't find with any other character and in that we are able to see each character under a lighter lens. They are still complicated, scattered, broken things, but Oliver holds almost all of them in a fair gaze that allows us to connect with every one.
What I find most captivating about the characters is the predestined roles that they play. Shakespeare haunts every breath they take and rules their every thought. They fall into each role naturally and they let it affect them. They are pieces of every story that they love, every character that they play. And, as is the way of the obsessed intellectual, they crumble into themselves. M.L. Rio navigates their positions like an art in itself, relating their fears, their emotions and their actions to their character whilst deftly twisting the story into her own tragic creation. The shifting of dynamics and roles also plays such a huge, intriguing part in the substance of this story, making it almost impossible to ignore.
That is precisely how M.L. Rio constructs this story: she starts quietly, whispering in words beneath the text, hiding in its depths, afraid to show its true face until the reckoning. These whispers begin to build, other scenes demand their presence, other characters pull them from below the ground, other secrets stir. Then, finally, when the whispers have turned to deafening cries, the story has no choice but to say it aloud. It commands you listen to it.
Which of us could say we were more sinned against than sinning?
In short, this is the perfect book for me and it encapsulates everything that I love. I don't want to discuss the plot too much for fear of spoilers, but I will say that I have never felt so much; hatred, anger, pain, grief, all of it. It's an unforgettable story that accomplishes no small feat. I implore you to read this and let it consume you, you will never be the same.
I can honestly say I did not expect any of that to happen. This was absolutely incredible!
Where to start? I've written down notes but I genuinely d5/5
I can honestly say I did not expect any of that to happen. This was absolutely incredible!
Where to start? I've written down notes but I genuinely don't think I can ever put into words and explain the rollercoaster ride I just went on. Honestly just read it, ignore this review and just go read it (come back and read my review right after). I'm only joking, but in all honesty I can only sit here and process it right now, I'm in awe. I think that's the best way of putting it, I am in complete and utter awe of what Sanderson has done. This was the start of my Sanderson journey and I anticipated greatness after all that I'd heard, but I never expected something this great, I never expected something this huge. You can feel the enormity of the book whilst reading–the expansive world, the brilliant characters–the scope is so large. You know, as you're reading, that you're achieving something enormous.
World-building.
Let's begin with the world-building. Brandon Sanderson was rumoured to be the king of world-building, I heard it whispered in fantasy corners and screamed from far-away rooftops, and wow were they all right. I've never experienced world-building quite like this, it had so much depth and intricacy, whilst also being very unique. We're allowed to explore the world so vividly and feel its movements all around us. It was, to put it all into one word, phenomenal.
The magic system was what struck me instantly–and I think most people–as mind-blowing. It's so incredibly unique and resides on its own pedestal high above any other. You can see how much thought is put into this world and this story to craft something so spell-binding. The magic system always makes sense, it's got hard limitations and rules that make it very clear, whilst also keeping an air of mystery around it all (mystery that only increases). Every choice that Sanderson made (not only in regards to the magic system or even the world-building, but to the entire story) was smart and calculated and each one was impressive. The magic system in itself was probably the first–but by no means the only–time where I thought, genius!
Witnessing fight scenes and the abilities of magic always had me hooked, you could see every action in Sanderson's clear-voiced writing style (which I'll come to later) and I always searched every description for hidden secrets. (There's always another secret.) There is so much depth to everything that he writes, to every choice that he makes–I know I've said it a thousand times, but that doesn't make it any less true.
The landscape of the world-building was also incredibly interesting. There were many aspects that surprised and intrigued me. I also loved that most of these were of importance to the plot as well, foreshadowing really was hidden in every nook and cranny.
The mists were a beautiful, mysterious thing to add, they set the scene for our world perfectly. Their innate nature to shelter and to hide drew on similar feelings within, one of our main protagonist's, Vin. And as she grew more familiar with the mists she also became more free. The mists felt sentient, too, and I'm certain there's more to them to discover in the next books. As with every aspect of this book, they were explored intricately and I loved the legends and stories that bred fear about them, I loved the rumoured monsters that lived inside of them.
Another feature of the world that set the stage for our story was the ash-stained landscape. This instantly drew us even clearer lines between the common people in their blackened clothes and the nobility in their pristine ones, this was a very smart way to create another obstacle between them. But more than that, the ash-coloured landscape incapsulated the grey, barren, hopelessness of the world well. This is a world that has not been saved, that much is clear from the start.
The city of Luthadel is a city devoid of hope, but still alive, its heart still beating, its people still going through the daily motions of the lives they've resigned themselves to, lives that can barely be called lives that they're made to feel they deserve. Not only this exhausted mentality compelled me, the layout and structure of Luthadel also interested me a lot. It's a huge city thrumming with life and possibility laying inside great, looming walls, under the ever-watchful eye of the Lord Ruler in the Kredik Shaw. The Kredik Shaw, the Hill of a Thousand Spires, is intriguing for a multitude of reasons, however my intrigue was caught by its literal structure. Perhaps this isn't as interesting to others, you may even view it as mundane, but this palace and its spires painted an incredible portrait in my mind and I think it's so unique. It's representation of something jagged, something haunted and alone, something towering and indestructible play such an important part in our perception of the city and all that comes to follow. We see these spires/spikes used again in a similar ominous vein in the Steel Inquisitors.
I won't go too much into this for fear of spoilers, but another aspect that I couldn't stop thinking about was the Pits of Hathsin and every interaction we had with them throughout the story. I still can't stop thinking about them even now. Without saying too much, I think they're an incredible representation of a cardinal message about empire and the people that power controls.
The empire and all its lands remain quite foreign to us, but purposefully so. We perceive the empire as the Lord Ruler wants us to perceive it, as every other member of Luthadel could possibly perceive it. This is something forced upon us, alongside everyone else, until we're allowed a little room for growth, until our tiny seedling yearning for more information of this world is allowed to see the light. Sanderson carefully controls the knowledge and mysteries of his world with an unwavering hand. I can only ever admire his skill.
I can't expand on every aspect of the world-building (as much as I would like to) because we would be here forever, however the last aspects I want to comment on are the court and its inevitable court politics, and the intricate government and social classes that consisted of terrifying people. I always adore court politics and so I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses we got into the lives of the nobility and all their secret schemes, however this was a sub-plot, not a main focus of ours.
The most interesting, spine-chilling part of the Final Empire is its Steel Inquisitors. They were so intriguing and haunting. I go between calling them monsters and creatures in this review, however neither of those descriptors are accurate. Ultimately they are still human. I don't want to go into them too much (again, for fear of spoilers) however I think an important part of remembering the events of this book is to remember that just because something is unknown that does not make it monstrous, actions make it monstrous, and that ultimately all the monstrosities of this story were human. I would go into more depth, but I want this review to be accessible to those who haven't yet read it.
Characters.
The characters of this story were fascinating. They all had much more spirit and humour than I assumed they would and it only added to the story. Our ragtag team share laughter and joy and so we do alongside them. These moments of joy only make the painful ones that much more painful (something Sanderson is definitely aware of!) The most heart-warming/heart-wrenching aspect of following this team is seeing them grow together and learning to trust and find comfort in one another. They're all complex and opinionated and brilliant; no one falls into the background forgotten, they all have their part to play. There are lots of different relationships and dynamics between them and every single one is warm and engaging. They all have histories and pasts we read on to unravel and the absorbing possibilities of so many futures. And not one of them is invincible.
This is a great feat that Sanderson achieves that many authors struggle with. He limits his characters. They're not super-human, they're not all-powerful, they're not invincible. They can't do everything so their tasks get shared, they can't fight lots of foes and survive so they hurt, and so on. He sets out all his cards on the table and shows us how he will realistically win the game. It's a refreshing experience to have their wins and losses feel so natural and for the twists and turns to be well foreshadowed and, above all, make sense.
Kelsier was my favourite character right from the very beginning. He's reckless and impulsive, but smart and courageous, he's an amazing character and part of that is because he is flawed. His charisma and purposeful joy elevates and encourages those around him constantly, you could always feel his presence. He was always something palpable, even when not in a scene, the other characters carried his spark. It was unquestionably his fire, born through pain and grief, that started everything. His character is complex, yet also simple, he's a man who's found a purpose and that purpose is his everything. His bravado inspires the impossible and he gives purpose to those around him, too. One of my favourite scenes is a lesson he teaches Vin (an emotional one) where he confides that, you don't stop loving someone just because they hurt you. It's a beautiful conversation and I absolutely adored Kelsier and Vin's relationship. He teaches her to love and to trust and that it's okay to do those things, even if you get hurt in the end. It's better to have loved and to have lost and all that. Kelsier's entire backstory was so compelling and it added so much to his character when you finally understood all that he'd been through. Learning about Mare, too, was heart-breaking. Ultimately it's his bravery (and the foolishness that comes with) that makes him. He's determined and strong and he understands he's not invincible, but that he can become immortal through what he leaves behind.
Vin is another incredible protagonist. She's stubborn and strong, very similar to Kelsier in a lot of ways, but also very different. She's entirely her own person, she's had a hard life and is still discovering who she is and what to make of herself. She realises she's only ever lived hidden in the shadows, always wearing a disguise, not wanting to be seen, not wanting to be hurt, but Kelsier drops into her life and–as is his way–creates havoc and in doing so shows her a whole new world. Not only does he show her the world of allomancy, but also a world where people trust one another and where they even allow themselves to love. I know I've mentioned this already, but it feels right to reiterate when talking about Vin as she's the character most impacted by this. This questions her perspective of the world–this shallow pit of a world frothing with evil her brother has taught her will never change–and forces her to confront his voice in her head. She peeks around every corner, always waiting for the next betrayal, never allowing herself to truly know people, but Kelsier and the rest change everything. She has amazing character growth and forms a truly brave heart. She's a survivor and that is one of the main aspects that links her with the rest of the characters, I'd say it's the main aspect that links them all. What is so interesting about Vin is that she's still compassionate and kind even after all that she's been through, she still finds it in herself to feel for others. She's clever and unbreakable and once she's got a goal in mind she won't let it go.
Another of my favourite characters (there were so many great ones) was Sazed. Sazed is incredibly caring and loving, his compassion extends to so many and his heart is a pure one. He's extremely intelligent and stores so much knowledge of long-forgotten histories, cultures and religions in his mind. This is the factor that is the most interesting about him, the burden of the weight he must carry, the burden of remembering so much that is forgotten. He is strong in his soul, but he is also pained, he has lost much of his own culture and his search only yields small rewards, however he's a persistent optimist and a very humble hero. His duty and his care reach insurmountable heights, but what he carries with him is knowledge for long after he's gone.
I won't go into every character, but just know that they're all incredible and so much fun to read about.
Writing and themes.
Sanderson's writing is brilliant. He crafts beautiful descriptions and riveting dialogue, whilst still explaining his world naturally and precisely. His writing style is very accessible and not as heavy as some other adult fantasy works, so it's perfect for anyone, even if you haven't read much fantasy before. All his descriptions are so vivid and alive, I could see so clearly the scenes playing out in my mind as if I were there watching them. I could see Kelsier leaping across rooftops in the mist; I could feel every surge of happiness, fear and grief; I could see everything. It was all so dynamic and I was always fully immersed in the world.
One choice I adored was the passages written before each chapter. Now, again, I can't go into this too much because of spoilers, however I will say that once I realised what they were I couldn't stop thinking about them for a single moment. They made the story so much more complex and increased my already flaring intrigue tenfold. I always wanted to know more and more and more and couldn't put this book down.
There were so many plot twists and, as I said previously, they were all foreshadowed immensely well and all felt natural to the plot, whilst still being incredibly shocking. I was gasping and crying and my mouth was constantly hung agape by the end. Every twist and turn was satisfying and there truly were so many of them!
My favourite aspect of this book (and this is saying a lot because I absolutely adored every single thing in it) was the theme of hope. The themes of hope and resilience hit the hardest for me and every moment hung with anticipation as I tried to figure out what story Sanderson would be telling.
The Skaa people are a people who have been beaten down their entire lives, made to feel worthless and hopeless and afraid, resigned to the fact that this is all they will ever be. Finding that hope inside of them, finding a reason and the strength to fight was powerful. It was inspiring to read. Watching them find something to live for despite the darkness of their lives and the perceived uselessness of their resistance was incredible.
What I loved the most was the message that hope can never die. No matter how tired, no matter how beaten, no matter how exhausted you are, hope prevails. Hope is something that can preserve us and therefore we can also preserve it. It inspires us, even if we die there is the hope that we have changed something, that we have fought for something worth fighting for, that we will be remembered. We can leave behind a part of ourselves with our hope. It gives us courage and strength and no matter what it will be there, even if we forget it for a time.
Other themes that prevailed throughout this book were those of being remembered and being forgotten. We see it in the cultures that have been wiped out and the religions that have been extinguished. We see it in the sole few carriers of that knowledge and their memory. We see it again in this drive of hope. We see it in legends and stories. We see it in how the world remembers.
What the erasure of these civilisations shows us is that every empire can someday be forgotten and in this, too, we can find a message of hope. The empire that stands now may not stand forever, in fact, it is proof that it will not stand forever, that every empire can fall and thus be forgotten. It shows us our insignificance, that every person can be forgotten, but it also shows us the opposite, that every person can be remembered. The distinction between these two fates comes down to what you leave behind. Give people the desire to remember you, fuel them, inspire them. People will not, centuries later, remember those that they hated or those that they feared, they will remember the goodness that replaced those things, they will remember the hope they were given instead.
I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope.
We also walk the lurching line of mortality and learn that mortality is a fickle thing, even for a god, even for the noble and even for the monstrous. But nothing can last forever and, as I mentioned before, every empire must fall.
The Earth is littered with the ruins of empires that believed they were eternal. -Camille Paglia.
Alongside that, we also walk the line of morality. The morality in this book is complex, our main characters do morally corrupt things with a basis of good intentions, but then we also have that motivation questioned, too. Can going against the hero or going against a god ever be perceived as good? It's interesting how we step around the cracks of this matter and how all players are heavily dusted in grey (not just because of the ash) instead of either black or white. There is not simply good and evil, but there are still goods and evils. The line between hero and villain has been thoroughly blurred. Another interesting part of this conversation is where do the people driven to immorality by the world lie? Where do the people lie corrupted by such a power? Who is the one who draws this black and white line of good and evil and why does it swerve around certain people?
This story starts as a heist, but it becomes something so much more important. It becomes something revolutionary. I had an amazing time reading this, every second was filled with action and intrigue and fun! The ending left me broken and lost (all in the best way possible) and with so many more questions, I cannot wait to pick up the next one. I think all I can really say now is thank you Brandon Sanderson! Thank you!...more
The Fellowship of the Ring (21/8/22-31/8/22) The Two Towers (13/9/22-16/9/22) The Return of the King (17/1100/5
Quite simply, the best book ever written.
The Fellowship of the Ring (21/8/22-31/8/22) The Two Towers (13/9/22-16/9/22) The Return of the King (17/10/22-21/10/22)
I don't know if I'll ever be able to describe this book in my mere words, but I certainly won't be able to the first time around. RTC when I reread (I will quite literally go through this book chapter by chapter and sing its praises every step of the way, just you wait!)
5/5 This is a beast of a book! It’s won its place as my favourite book in the series so far (this is the third) because it was so incredibly captivating5/5 This is a beast of a book! It’s won its place as my favourite book in the series so far (this is the third) because it was so incredibly captivating from start to finish. The writing is always so detailed and beautiful, I’m in awe of it !! I think it’s my absolute favourite writing style. The world is so rich and plentiful and I love discovering more and more of it. There were so many twists and turns, every time you thought things would settle down again another twist struck you in the back of the head (in the best way possible)!! I discovered a new all-time favourite fight scene in this book, it was written perfectly and was very emotive and powerful, too. One of my favourite characters finally got a POV ! The characters are always so complex and fleshed out, with ever-changing morals and motivations. One of my favourite aspects of this book was the unexpected friendships and unlikely alliances of certain characters, seeing those unique dynamics was incredible. I also loved learning more world and family history (I’m a big nerd for all aspects of world-building) Every inch of this story was jam-packed with action and intrigue and I adored it!! It was very hefty (weighing in at almost 1200 pages!) but 100% worth it :)) Some of my favourite quotes were; ‘We are puppets dancing on the strings of those who came before us, and one day our own children will take up our strings and dance in our steads.’ ‘We look up at the same stars and see such different things.’ As a disclaimer, I do want to say that there’s obviously a lot you have to overlook in order to enjoy game of thrones and I completely understand that some people just aren’t able to do that. Please check trigger warnings before you read !!...more
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