5 star listen

They chose the perfect narrator for this story. The plot is so complex and at times confusing, but so worth sticking it out.

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It does what a film cannot.

A curious story that ducks and weaves. I’m left not quite understanding the epilogue (I’ve listened 3 times now), thinking I understand what’s going on but not sure of it.

The writer reminds me of someone who attends a creative writing class that everyone quickly realised has much more skill than the teacher.

I can’t decide if it’s brilliant writing and Tamsyn Muir will be this generations James Joyce or if just another potboiler author.

I’m definitely up for book 3 because I really want to know if Muir is Joyce or just a necromantic BV Larson. Deep down I hope that she’s a Joyce or a new Ursula Le Guin but we will have to wait and see.

I read the reviews before listening and this book with its myriad tossing and turning and requirement that you have read the first book or it would throw you off was still a very interesting place to lose myself.

I doubt they could make this into a film without destroying it and I like that about the writing. It’ seems writing wise to be a bit of an FU to Hollywood but they wouldn’t give it a try i suspect. Too busy recycling last decades underperforming imaginations and making new screenplays with everything seen before..

The edges in this book, tho subtle are too sharp for Hollywood and that’s interesting.

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Mental whiplash with a satisfying climax

The start of this novel completely took me off guard and I felt as thought I had hallucinated the first novel. Without getting into spoiler majority of the first books history is “rewritten” with an almost omniscient third/first person perspective.

It took me a few attempts to get into the book but once I got over the first few chapters and was reintroduced to the world and God - I was hooked. I absolutely love the world and post apocalyptic magic that let humanity live on.

It was a little scattered in its pacing but I throughly enjoyed getting to know other characters that didn’t get much time on the first novel. Moira Quirk is an absolute standout and powerhouse for narrating this series and would highly recommend if you enjoy her cadence.

Overall I loved getting back into this world but felt as though I was swimming through the river in a few moments that spoiled the fun.

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interesting story

I enjoyed listening to this book, it can be confusing, but once it progresses, you begin to understand how the story fits together. I have listened to it twice already. narrator is 10/10.

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insanely brilliant

I can't thank you enough, Tamsyn, for an insanely brilliant piece of work. The intentionally confusing style, subject and complex narrative has forced me to read the series at least twice; the fact I took the time to do that is a testament to your brilliance. I am hooked and eagerly await the conclusion.

I would also like to thank Moira for the passion that went into the narration. With a wide range of voices, it was easy to tell who was speaking and the mood they were in at the time. Inclination and cheekiness helped immensely with the engagement.

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Not what I’d normally read but brilliant

Twists turns an intrigue, there are parts of the story that ramble a bit but the performance from the narrator raises the piece as a whole.

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Enjoyable but mixed

Good for people who enjoy wild flights of imagination, theoretical gymnastics, conspiracies and gore. The plot is really confusing for most of the book and does drag in places, you have to let go and roll with it. Enjoy the mental exercise. By the end it will be mostly explained and made worthwhile. The characters are almost all raging ar**holes with no redeming features. But...there is beautiful heart and revelation at the close. Have courage.

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Really really good, but very different to the first book

This is a great book, but it’s absolutely baffling for the majority because, and this really is the strength of the author, there is a lot not being explained and being set up. But then once all the pieces in place, it flies along at breakneck speed and blows your mind.

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Just as good as the first

Muir is brilliant - the second installment brings new characters and new mysteries, with plenty more twists and turns.
Quirk's narration, like the first book, brings the characters to life in such a wonderfully compelling way - truly brilliant performance.

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1 person found this helpful

Entrancing complex, nuanced and sometimes funny

Great imaginative leap into a sci-fi necromancy. Characterisation is superb, dialogue a poetry of the mundane and metaphysical, imagery a florid arrangement of gore. Compelling.

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