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Technically it was a good book. I can understand why it won awards. I just didn't enjoy reading it due to the heavy subject matter. I mean, it features genocide, war, screwed up father/son, sister/brother, and stockholm syndrome relationships. There is a LOT going on theme-wise, for people to sink their teeth into, if they like dark themes. I don't. Also I didn't get the author's sense of humour, if it exists, so there was no respite here either.



I am kind of sick of fantasy books written by men where the female characters are essentially prostitutes/boring/use sex/are completely powerless outside of using their looks/sex/husband. I mean sure it is a function of the kind of feudal society which is usually depicted in fantasy but it is depressing and it makes it hard for me to relate to the women in these stories. All they think about is the guys in their life. They are dull.

I'm not suggesting I find the representation of women in this book sexist. I found some of the male characters equally flat e.g. alessan.

I started out neutral to Dia-whateverhernameis and wound up disliking her. She does have the legitimate excuse of growing up in a warzone. In fact her fucked-up-ness is completely understandable and a believable depiction of what war does to kids. This didn't mean I liked her. I mean the (view spoiler)[incest (hide spoiler)] and the creepy stockholm syndrome relationship with brandin. Depressing. This guy committed genocide (and it's ongoing!), ain't nothing that's gonna make me sympathise with you.

She's mentally ill & the problem is that even reading from the POV of someone who is mentally ill, it's just impossible to relate or understand the mental illness better, because they are bloody crazy. They are irrational and often screwed up in the moral compass too and there isn't anything to 'understand'.

Not fun to read about. I read ~300 pages and skipped thru the rest.