"Hmmm...

I don't really know what to make of this one.

Don't get me wrong, it was really well written, full of clever ideas and novelty. It just...

Well, let's go back to the writing and the ideas. I thought the writing was great, prose-wise. Not quite as good as some of my favourites, Laini Taylor, Josiah Bancroft, Alix E. Harrow, and Robert V.S. Redick, but much better than average. And the 'magic system' based on large-scale manipulation of the bedrock, was novel, exciting, and interesting - meshing neatly with the world's issues.

The characters were interesting if largely (to me) unsympathetic despite their suffering - I guess I just didn't find them ... like-able? I did enjoy following their story though.

I think it's the story I had most issue with, and again it's not a huge issue - I enjoyed reading the book and consumed it more swiftly than I do most novels. But the story did feel rather disconnected with some erratic pacing. I found the pirate section with the 3-way relationship, and the under-ground comm section both to drag a little.

The plot assembles itself in a novel manner and things picked up for me as it did so. The story still didn't really hang together in a particularly satisfying manner for me, and the ending ... well, it's very definitely a book 1, and it doesn't really come to much of a crescendo at the end. It did leave me wanting to read on though and see how the puzzle unfolds.

So, yes. I can see why lots of people are excited about it, and I enjoyed the book. Jemisin's a very good writer. The structure had its pros and cons but was a refreshing change. I just wish I'd been more emotionally involved in the story, more excited, rather than just intrigued. Intrigued is good though.








..."