Book Review: Never the Wind by Francesco Dimitri
Posted on December 31, 2022 15 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Never the Wind by Francesco Dimitri
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Titan Books (June 7, 2022)
Length: 319 pages
Author Information: Twitter
Words cannot describe how excited I was when I found out about Never the Wind! It feels like I’d been waiting forever for another English novel by Francesco Dimitri after the magical, captivating read that was The Book of Hidden Things, and to my delight, this was as marvelous and breathtaking as expected.
The story takes readers to the quiet southern Italian countryside where thirteen-year-old Luca Saracino’s parents have just purchased a rundown farmhouse with the vision of turning it into a hotel. It has also been eight months since Luca has completely lost his sight, and learning his way around his new home is presenting yet another challenge to settling in. Puglia being his family’s ancestral home though, his parents are determined to make their venture a success especially after the double blow of Luca’s blindness and the fact that his older brother had just been kicked out of university for skipping his exams.
Then, Luca meets his neighbor Ada Guadalupi, a vivacious girl who takes him exploring the world he can’t see, encouraging him to break out of his shell and be bold. As their friendship grows, Luca begins learning more about his family’s history in Puglia as well as his grandfather’s bitter grudge against the Guadalupis, a feud that has had lingering effects to this day, drawing rumors and unwanted attention into Luca’s relationship with Ada.
One day, Luca experiences something strange—something impossible—leading others to believe he had himself some kind of stress-induced episode. Luca, however, is convinced what happened to him was real, and only Ada believes him because she has seen and felt those uncanny forces as well. But Ada also has her own problems, even if Luca hates to think anything less of his friend. After all, the Guadalupis are no stranger to tragedy, and Ada herself is a troubled girl, as the adults around him never seem to tire of reminding him.
Never the Wind has been described as “magical realism” and “gothic” which isn’t a combination I’ve seen too often, and certainly this is my first time reading a book like this. The story takes place in the 90’s, told in flashback by an older Luca looking back on this wild summer of changes and adventure, both wondrous and terrible. The effect was very nostalgic in a grown-up Studio Ghibli movie kind of way, and what’s still amazing to me is that Dimitri accomplishes all this by telling the entire story without the use of Luca’s sight. The region of Puglia feels no less alive because of it though, and the writing’s flow did not feel awkward or forced in any way because of Luca’s inability to see. Instead, the prose is filled with description of our protagonist’s other senses, as well as his mental visions and memories of when he was younger.
At its heart, Never the Wind is also a coming-of-age story, and it seems the author has a predilection for writing about adolescence and growing up. But obviously, Luca’s story feels very different from the typical offerings of the genre, since he also has his loss of sight to contend with on top of everything that comes with being a thirteen-year-old in a new place, like trying to fit in and falling in love. The story never really feels YA though, likely due to the story being told in flashback. And yet, although the voice belongs to an adult Luca, I had no trouble sympathizing with his teenage self. Such is the talent of Francesco Dimitri and his immaculate prose.
My only stumbling block was perhaps the fantastical elements of the plot, but I suspect this has more to do with me than with the book. I have always struggled with the more abstract characteristics of magical realism, and this was no exception, especially with regards to the vaguer and more confusing parts of the story. Other readers might not have that problem, and in any case, the story also had so much going for it beyond the magical aspects including small town politics, family conflicts, and long-buried secrets.
It’s so well-written that even non-fantasy readers will find lots to love in Never the Wind, I think. I probably enjoyed it as much as The Book of Hidden Things whose world this one also shares, a cool detail I found out when Art’s disappearance was unexpectedly referenced by Luca, though there is no required reading order and each book stands completely alone. I would recommend either book if you would like to experience Francesco Dimitri’s work for yourself, especially if you’re a fan of magic realism or coming-of-age stories.
Thursday Thriller Audio: The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
Posted on December 29, 2022 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Random House Audio (October 18, 2022)
Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Catherine Steadman
Some characters you love to hate, and some you just…well, HATE hate. I don’t usually mind the former; after all, unlikeable characters are what makes reading a thriller fun, and they often come with the genre territory. Regrettably though, the protagonist of The Family Game was an example of the latter. Everything she did, everything she thought and said was infuriating. So many times while listening to this audiobook I just wanted to yell, “Why are you so stoooopid?!”
But first, let’s back up a little and talk about the story. Meet Harriet Reed, our queen of dumb decisions. A British author who had just published her runaway debut, she moves to New York to be with her boyfriend Edward Holbeck, a successful businessman and the scion of the richest family in America. Of course, she didn’t know this about Edward when she first met him during a gala, and when one day he suddenly popped the question, it seemed Harry was on her way to starring in her own Cinderella story.
Except as it turns out, the Holbecks aren’t just crazy rich, they’re just flat out crazy. Edward had tried to warn her, and it was a big part of why he’d started distancing himself from the family business. But with the acceptance of his proposal, Harry will have to learn how to fit into her soon-to-be-new life of glitz and glamor. Not only do Edward’s parents have hopes for her to bring him back into the fold, they also want her to join in on all their family traditions. It’s the holidays, after all.
But just in case you start to think this sounds like the premise to a Christmas romcom, the creepy stuff starts almost right away. First, Harry is bamboozled into attending the Holbeck’s Thanksgiving dinner, where she is then ambushed into a private meeting with Robert, Edward’s father. During this meeting, he secretly slips her a cassette tape, telling her it’s his idea for a book, and since she’s such a successful author, couldn’t she just give it a listen and offer some feedback? Completely awed by the family patriarch and seriously crushing on him (ugh, can you get more tacky, Harry?), our protagonist practically trips over herself to do his bidding, and doing a really bad job at being inconspicuous. Then when she finally finds a player old enough to play the tape, she’s shocked to find that instead of Robert reading his story, what comes out is more like a confession.
Robert speaks of women who have disappeared or died, all under mysterious circumstances. But how does he know all the details? Did he have a hand in their fates? Are these women even real, or is Edward’s father just playing a sick game, testing Harry to see if she’s worthy of marrying his eldest son? As Harry becomes further embroiled in her quest for the truth, she must also keep her own deep dark secret hidden. If it is revealed, her chances at love and happiness, and all the glitz that comes with marrying into the Holbeck family, will crumble into nothing.
Goodness, but I do dislike characters who, in one way or another, are the cause of their own misery and misfortune. First off, one can’t turn on a TV, walk through a supermarket aisle, or just go about your normal everyday lives these days without seeing a reminder of when Thanksgiving is. Being British is no excuse; Harry should have known, and would not have been so easily tricked, if she didn’t always have her head so far up her own ass. And you know what? She was told that copying Robert’s tape would be a good idea. Even thought to herself, oh yes, it would be a good idea. Did she end up making a copy of the tape? Of course not. And did I mention that very early on in the book, Harry finds out she is pregnant? Rightfully, she and Edward make a fuss about being careful not to overexert herself or get into any dangerous or stressful situations, but then what does she do but immediately hurls herself headfirst into the Holbeck’s insane holiday traditions like their Krampus Nacht horror show or their traumatizing Christmas games. Harry, you could have just said no for the sake of your unborn child, you idiot. Instead, she’s too busy trying to prove herself good enough for the snooty family and concerned with impressing her fiancé’s hot dad. Man, that sounded so wrong to write.
I’ve enjoyed Catherine Steadman’s books in the past, which was why I was interested in checking out The Family Game, plus the fact that it took place during the holidays made me want to read it over the Christmas break. But wow, what a mess this was. Just so over-the-top and unreal, and not in the good way. That said, I’m no stranger to suspending my disbelief and I can deal with the outlandish. I’m less good at tolerating nitwit protagonists. If it weren’t for the superb performance of the author narrating her own book (she’s an experienced actress, after all), I probably would have rated this lower. And hey, at least Harry’s dopiness gave me a laugh.
Waiting on Wednesday 12/28/22
Posted on December 28, 2022 14 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Drift by C. J. Tudor (Jan 31, 2023 by Ballantine Books)
“Three ordinary people risk everything for a chance at redemption in this audacious, utterly gripping novel of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man
Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. During a hasty escape from a secluded boarding school, her coach careened over a hillside road during one of the year’s heaviest snowstorms, trapping her inside with a handful of survivors, a brewing virus, and no way to call for help. If she and the remaining few want to make it out alive, with their sanity–and secrets–intact, they’ll need to work together or they’ll be buried alive with the rest of the dead.
A former detective, Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She is in a cable car suspended far above a snowstorm and surrounded by strangers in the same uniform as her, with no memory of how they got there. They are heading to a mysterious place known to them only as “The Retreat,” but when they discover a dead man among their ranks and Meg spies a familiar face, she realizes that there is something far more insidious going on.
Carter is gazing out the window of the abandoned ski chalet that he and his ragtag compatriots call home. Together, they manage a precarious survival, manufacturing vaccines against a deadly virus in exchange for life’s essentials. But as their generator begins to waver, the threat of something lurking in the chalet’s depths looms larger, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails–for good.
The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater threat–one that threatens to consume all of humanity.”
Best of 2022 and the Year in Review
Posted on December 27, 2022 32 Comments
It’s once again that time of the year where I look back at the last twelve months and do a round up my favorite reads and goals! 2022 was an interesting year and, in many ways, a difficult one for me. There were some health issues and life changes that took me away from reading and blogging, and for the first time in more than a decade I almost missed my “Read 100 Books a Year” reading challenge and only managed to squeak past the finish line earlier this month. I’ve also been neglecting my quarterly updates for my Audiobook Challenge 2022, so I also plan to do the final wrap-up of it here in this post.
As for the books, I’m going to be listing my best-ofs in each genre category as always, though this year it might be extra random. As I’m sure many readers can relate, it’s hard enough to narrow a whole year’s worth of reading down to a “Top 3”, nor do I like trying to scrape together a list to fill a “Top 10” for each genre. Instead, what I usually do is highlight all the books that 1) were my favorites of the year, 2) I thought were most memorable, or 3) I think should be getting more love and attention. The one thing they have in common is that I loved them all.
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Horror
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Historical Fiction
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
As you can see, my 2022 was a year dominated by great horror and thriller reads, though there were a few gems in fantasy too, with my #1 Book of the Year award going to Justice of Kings by Richard Swan. You may have also noticed my Science Fiction list is rather sparse, which probably has to do with me reading fewer sci-fi books this year despite my best efforts during Sci-Fi November, so I was choosing from a pretty small pool to begin with. Still, I definitely read more science fiction than Young Adult in 2022. I don’t even have a YA category in this year’s wrap up post.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books!
Reading Challenges Update
I’ve been terrible with updates for my Audiobook Challenge this year, and looks like my last one was back in the first quarter, ugh! As a reminder, I was trying to complete 50 audiobooks in 2022. Let’s see if I made it…
Argghh, the final tally was 43 which meant I was only 7 short of my goal! This is the first time in many years where I didn’t finish at least 50 audiobooks, but it would make sense since my busy schedule in 2022 also ate into my listening time. Well, I’ll just have to try harder next year!
Overview: Books Read in 2022
And now for my favorite part of end-of-year roundup posts! Charts and infographics!
Goodreads Ratings:
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Best of 2014 and The Year in Review
Best of 2015 and The Year in Review
Best of 2016 and The Year in Review
Best of 2017 and The Year in Review
Best of 2018 and The Year in Review
Best of 2019 and The Year in Review
Best of 2020 and The Year in Review
Best of 2021 and The Year in Review
Marple: Twelve New Mysteries created by Agatha Christie
Posted on December 26, 2022 15 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Marple: Twelve New Mysteries created by Agatha Christie
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Short Stories
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: William Morrow & Company (September 13, 2022)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website
Marple: Twelve New Mysteries is a collection of stories featuring Jane Marple, the much-adored fictional detective created by Agatha Christie, given new life here in this anthology by twelve different contemporary writers. I must confess though, I’m not too familiar with the character or the original stories, but from what I do know I could tell the authors did an admirable job attempting to recreate the overall vibes of the source as well as Christie’s style. Each tale also brought something fresh to the table, perhaps a little of each writer’s personality and perspective.
That being said, not all the stories worked for me. Most did, but only a few were standouts, with the majority being middle-of-the-road or just okay.
Evil in Small Places by Lucy Foley was one of my favorites, and a great opener to this collection. Miss Marple makes a visit to an old friend and winds up having to solve the curious murder of a former singer. I loved the classic feel of this one.
The Second Murder at the Vicarage by Val McDermid was told from the vicar’s point of view and really showcases the effortless genius of Miss Marple as she shows up the local constabulary by figuring out who the murderer is. This was another good one, with subtle humor and charm.
Miss Marple Takes Manhattan by Alyssa Cole takes our protagonist to New York City with her nephew, and maybe it’s the change in setting and some of the more eccentric side characters, but this one did not feel very reminiscent of a Miss Marple story, not to mention there was barely a “mystery” to speak of.
The Unravelling by Natalie Haynes begins with the death of a farm worker, and the mystery is that no one can figure out why the murderer did it. This was one of the more unmemorable stories, with nothing really standing out so I was happy to just move on.
Miss Marple’s Christmas by Ruth Ware was one of the good ones! And no surprise, given this author. In this story, Miss Marple is on the case of some missing pearls, and the mystery appears to pull in a lot of elements from classic detective stories. On top of being one of my favorites, this tale was also the most fun while still staying true to the source material.
The Open Mind by Naomi Alderman follows Miss Marple as she attends a fancy dinner with a group of academics at Oxford. This is another story that fell into the unmemorable pile—serviceable but nothing to write home about.
The Jade Empress by Jean Kwok is another tale that takes our protagonist abroad, this time on a cruise ship to Hong Kong. Unlike Miss Marple Takes Manhattan though, this one retains the classic feel of the Marple stories, and the mystery involving two victims and a family entanglement had a very nostalgic vibe to it.
A Deadly Wedding Day by Dreda Say Mitchell takes place at a wedding reception where a baffling murder has occurred. The highlight of this one was no doubt Miss Bella, and the team up between the two characters.
Murder at the Villa Rosa by Elly Griffiths was a little unconventional, but very clever. In this story, a struggling writer goes to an Italian retreat hoping for some inspiration and meets some interesting guests along the way, including Miss Marple. Definitely one of my favorites as well.
The Murdering Sort by Karen M. McManus is told from the point-of-view of Miss Marple’s great grand niece Nicola, whose friend’s grandfather has just been murdered. Because of the age of the narrator, this one had a charming YA feel to it. Not one of the best stories in this collection, but it had an easy flow and I enjoyed it.
The Mystery of the Acid Soil by Kate Mosse follows Miss Marple as she embarks on a train ride to visit an old friend and instead becomes embroiled in a young woman’s disappearance. While this was another entertaining tale, it also falls into the middle-of-the-road pile.
The Disappearance by Leigh Bardugo was the story I was most excited to read out of this collection, since I love her work. Sadly, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t dislike it either. It stands out as one of the longer and more developed stories, featuring Miss Marple as she investigates the case of a missing person. As the final story of this collection, it also had a unique role to play.
Overall, I have to say Marple: Twelve New Mysteries was an interesting concept, and even though most of the stories here were just average, it was worth it for the few gems that really stood out and made the experience special.
Bookshelf Roundup 12/25/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on December 25, 2022 17 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone! I know have been relatively absent on the blog and around the blogosphere the past few days, but it’s for best of reasons. Earlier this week we added a new four-legged member to our family, and this little pup has been an absolute treasure to us but also a handful! He’ll be making his debut next week when things aren’t quite so hectic, and I promise pictures will be incoming (once he’s capable of staying still long enough to not look like a blur in every photo!) For now, to my readers I want to extend my warmest and most heartfelt holiday greetings to you all and your families. However you are celebrating today, I hope your day is filled with love, peace, and joy!
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Luckily another short update today so we can all get back to the festivities. Definitely felt like Christmas came early for me at the beginning of the week though, with the arrival of Witch King by Martha Wells. The author has taken the SFF world by storm the last few years with her Murderbot Diaries series, and as much as I love those books I’m also curious and thrilled to be checking out something by her that’s new and different. Thank you to Tordotcom for the ARC.
With thanks also to Minotaur Books for surprising me with a couple new arrivals. Picture in the Sand by Peter Blauner will hit bookstores in early January, and early in the week a finished copy of this historical suspense set in 1950s Egypt landed on my doorstep. I’m also very excited to read What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman, a thriller which was initially new to me, but once I looked it up, I am absolutely loving its description of Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door.
With thanks also to Macmillan Audio, I have a batch of listening copies to keep me entertained during the break! Abandon by Blake Crouch was first published in 2009 but is being reissued along with an audio edition. I also picked up Critical Mass by Daniel Suarez, which is the second in the Delta-V series but I’m hoping it can be read as a standalone. The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes also looked like an interesting thriller, and I couldn’t resist. And finally I also picked up Bad Cree by Jessica Johns, a supernatural horror following a young Cree woman whose dreams lead her on a perilous journey.
Reviews
The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson (2 of 5 stars)
Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans (3 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Audiobook Review: The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson
Posted on December 23, 2022 13 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (October 11, 2022)
Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
This year, I find many of my low ratings have been given to good books that didn’t quite float my boat for whatever reason. Generally, their stories are sound and the writing solid from a craft perspective, but maybe something in the style or pacing just didn’t work for me. The Hollow Kind is one of these books. Artistically, it is a well put together horror with a fascinating premise at its heart, but I had a hell of a time trying to get through it.
First off, it is a very complex family saga spanning generations and timelines, and to be a fair, these types of stories aren’t always the best suited for audio, which is the format I reviewed. As the book opens in 1989, we follow Nellie Gardner and her eleven-year-old son Max on their journey to Redfern Hill in Georgia, where she had just inherited her grandfather’s estate. There, they find a rundown house surrounded by a dying forest, which is all that’s left of a once proud turpentine mill. Although it’s not the prettiest place, it’s the safest Nellie can provide for Max while they go in hiding from her abusive husband, Wade. But soon after they move in, mother and son begin hearing unsettling noises from within the house’s dilapidated walls and experiencing strange things they can’t explain.
In a separate thread, the story also reveals the history the Redfern Hill, following Nellie’s grandfather August. This part of the tale begins in 1917, when August marries into the Baxter family and takes over their burgeoning turpentine business. This event also sets off a bitter dispute carrying into the present in which Lonnie Baxter, believing that the Redferns stole the mill from his family years ago, launches an aggressive campaign to retake the property by pressuring Nellie to sell. However, what no one realizes is that the place is cursed. Back when he tended the land, August thought he understood the evil force that lurked within the forest but quickly learned that the monster’s hunger will never be appeased.
Overall, The Hollow Kind is a unique take on a southern gothic horror novel, but the plot’s construction and its unconventional trajectories meant at times it became difficult to follow, and the pacing was slow. After having to restart the book multiple times because I kept zoning out during the intro, I almost gave up. I will say though, once each timeline gets a chance to get established, some things improved while a few other problems persisted.
One such problem was the overall flow of the novel. With the frequent switching between the two eras and the awkward transitioning, it wasn’t always clear who I was following right away, especially with my attention constantly in danger of wandering. As a result, I was often left feeling lost and disoriented. Granted, this problem was likely exacerbated by the audio format, but I feel in general the pacing was jerky and inconsistent, giving my brain whiplash as we went from the highs to the lows. There’s certainly no denying the story had its moments, but these were too few and far between, and when things dragged, they slow to a crawl.
I also felt ambivalent towards the characters. That said, that may have a lot to do with many of them being guilty of doing terrible things, and the theme of darkness and violence hidden in people’s hearts is one that crops up again and again. On the positive note though, the author does much better with the supernatural darkness of the novel, the demonic entity beneath the surface and the horrors that it manifests. While most of the time the story moved too slowly for me to fully appreciate the gothic atmosphere, when it came time for the outright terrifying and grotesque elements of the story to shine, that was when The Hollow Kind was at its best.
Still, even with its occasional high points, at the end of the day this book failed to hold my interest for the long term and I was underwhelmed by the overall experience due to the awkward structure and rough pacing. I also tend to struggle with audiobooks for stories featuring multiple timelines and/or perspectives with only one narrator, so despite the impressive performance by Susis James, I had a hard time getting into The Hollow Kind.
Waiting on Wednesday 12/21/22
Posted on December 21, 2022 12 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Night Angel Nemesis by Brent Weeks (April 25, 2023 by Orbit)
I first read the Night Angel trilogy around the time I started this blog, so that was quite a while ago! Super excited about Weeks returning to the world though, and sounds like it’s the beginning of a brand new adventure.
“Brent Weeks returns to the New York Times bestselling world of the Night Angel in Night Angel Nemesis, following master assassin Kylar on a new adventure as the High King Logan Gyre calls on him to save his kingdom and the hope of peace.
After the war that cost him so much, Kylar Stern is broken and alone. He’s determined not to kill again, but an impending amnesty will pardon the one murderer he can’t let walk free. He promises himself this is the last time. One last hit to tie up the loose ends of his old, lost life.
But Kylar’s best–and maybe only–friend, the High King Logan Gyre, needs him. To protect a fragile peace, Logan’s new kingdom, and the king’s twin sons, he needs Kylar to secure a powerful magical artifact that was unearthed during the war.
With rumors that a ka’kari may be found, adversaries both old and new are on the hunt. And if Kylar has learned anything, it’s that ancient magics are better left in the hands of those he can trust.
If he does the job right, he won’t need to kill at all. This isn’t an assassination—it’s a heist.
But some jobs are too hard for an easy conscience, and some enemies are so powerful the only answer lies in the shadows.”
Book Review: Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans
Posted on December 20, 2022 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Books of the Usurper
Publisher: Orbit (November 8, 2022)
Length: 448 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Twenty-seven years ago, there lived a ruthless duke who led a coup against the Empire of Semilla. Thousands died in the four-year rebellion, but in the end the duke was vanquished and put to death. A generation later, his overthrow attempt is still in the memories of many, but for the most part the people of the empire have put the conflict all behind them. Today, a young apprentice scribe named Quill arrives at the capital city to help collect and catalogue old artifacts for his supervisor at the Imperial Archive, not knowing what his findings will ultimately reveal.
Most of the artifacts Quill has been tasked to work with turn out to be instruments of the duke’s rebellion, though nothing stands out as too significant to begin with. But not long after he begins his work, a shocking murder leads Quill to examine the artifacts a little closer, as the secrets to a forgotten weapon may have been uncovered. Being young and inexperienced, Quill fears his witness testimony will not be taken seriously, leading him join forces with more seasoned archivists Amadea and Yinii as well as a detective named Richa. Quill also has a personal stake in this quest, as the killer implicated in the crime was a friend whom he believes was innocent. Something very strange is happening, and Quill and his new allies are determined to find out what it is.
I make it no secret I am a big fan of mysteries set in fantasy worlds, and for that reason I had thought Empire of Exiles would be right up my alley. Unpopular opinion time though, as it seems this novel has been very received by most readers, but I just struggled to form any kind of connection with it at all, despite it having a lot going for it.
My troubles began early, as I had several false starts. Simply put, I found it difficult to concentrate with the combination of info-dumping and the awkward writing style. The book introduces a large number of characters right off the bat, and the world-building was confusing. Not a great way to kick off a mystery plot, even if I understood why all this set up was required, but I definitely felt like the intro could have been better executed.
Things improved slightly once the murder took place, but it would take a lot to overcome the rough start. And while I thought the mystery was intriguing, the way it laboriously unfolded by splitting its focus into the past and present became too much of a drag on the pacing, which is a shame because I probably would have enjoyed the story a lot more if it hadn’t been so slow. In fact, I was truly quite interested in finding out more about Amadea’s secretive past of romance and scandal, but once again the details were revealed too slowly with so many interruptions by meandering POVs that it’s almost as if the book was actively sabotaging itself.
In a similar way, I found the world-building fascinating but somewhat difficult to envision in my mind. Compounding the issue was that certain parts of the novel were too wordy when it came to descriptions while other parts were aggravatingly sparse when I wanted more detail. Based on the descriptions of the different characters’ features and social habits, many different races populate the Empire of Semilla, and there apparently several magic systems involved as well. And yet, all of this meshes together rather poorly, like only having a few random pieces of a bigger jigsaw puzzle and trying to jam them together to make them fit without knowing the full picture. The result doesn’t feel like a fully realized setting or a true living and breathing ecosystem.
Unsurprisingly, I also felt little connection to no to the characters. For the most part, they were bland and unrelatable. Which pretty much sums up how I felt about this book—I didn’t love it, but I also didn’t hate it. It was a decent read if slightly unpolished, which made it a middle of the road fantasy for me. I wish I had enjoyed it more, I wanted to enjoy it more, but despite the ambitious mystery plot and the ostensibly epic scope of the world, I just didn’t feel the magic.
Perhaps other readers will have better luck with Empire of Exiles than I did, and judging by some of its rave reviews, many others have. There’s no denying its merits, and to be honest, even though I had my issues with the book, admittedly almost all of them had to do with the technical aspects of the way the book was written and put together, and I actually found the overall story to be quite good. Something was just missing for me though, and who knows, should I decided to continue the series, maybe I’ll find it in the sequel.
Bookshelf Roundup 12/18/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on December 18, 2022 17 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
It’s always a nice getting mail from Subterranean Press, and this week’s surprise was Under my Skin by K.J. Parker, a new collection containing almost 700 pages of the author’s novelettes and novellas. It’s a huge book, that’s for sure!
Thank you also to Del Rey Books for sending along an ARC of Nocturne by Alyssa Wees, a historical fantasy set in 1930s Chicago and looks at the competitive world of ballerinas. And the best part: it’s apparently a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Big thanks also to Tor Nightfire for the following ARCs: The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown is a sci-fi horror set aboard a doomed generation ship, and Piñata by Leopoldo Gout is a possession story that meshes the horrors of colonialism with indigenous folklore.
With thanks also to the kind folks at Macmillan Audio, I received a listening copy of What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall which sounds like a crazy dark and twisted thriller, as well as an ALC of Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt, a haunted house horror.
Reviews
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins (3.5 of 5 stars)
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse (3.5 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
The BiblioSanctum