Took A While But …

Chapters 1 thru 12

I have been trying to listen to this book for well over a week but I kept falling asleep after chapter 2 … and not because it was boring. I just have been really exhausted lately but I wanted to start something new now that my audible credits have renewed.

It’s taken me a few days to get far enough into it to really be able to start a react page. I wasn’t sure I was going to continue with this but I stuck it out and I have to say I’m kind of glad I decided to.

I am a fan of Saskia’s voice work and I chose this book purely because she was narrating it. I had no idea what it was about but it looked interesting and sapphic from the cover. It is sapphic but not in one of those overly obvious and trashy kind of ways. This is a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers (I think) kind of story.

There’s the ice queen trope in this as well which sometimes bores me but I like Lorelei as a character so I don’t mind listening to her journey. She reminds me a lot of me in many ways especially her struggles and the oppression of her culture and people and how she has to navigate that while trying to fulfill her dreams in a world that despises her existence.

This is a story all about scholars and academics and a quest to uncover the truth of lore and I ADORE stories like that. Plus it has the added bonus of being a bit of a murder mystery with the whole “And Then There Were None” kind of feel; a bunch of people on an expedition, someone is murdered, a lot is at stake.

I love the world Saft has built. It is easily recognizable as being a world we know but it has wonderful fantasy, magic, and unique elements that take it into a whole other level. As someone with aphantasia, fantasy books are sometimes a chore for me to read because I can’t imagine things that don’t exist. Saft’s world is familiar enough that I can feel like a part of it but also don’t have to conjure things purely from my non-existent imagination.

I’m absolutely intrigued and can’t wait to dive back in tonight!

Story this session: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Narration: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Just What I Needed

Chapters 20 thru 29

This was much shorter than I would have liked it to be and only because I just loved the characters so much and wanted to have much more adventures with them and in the world Saft has lovingly crafted.

Given the mood of the world right now, it’s nice to read books that are about sane people who understand what it means to love themselves in a healthy way and love others with understanding and depth. I think it’s even more important as the end of the world looms, to find ways of healing, forgiving, and growing stronger. It is more important than ever to discover the wonder and uniqueness of those around us and learn to celebrate that instead of fearing being diminished or overshadowed by the things that make people different from us.

Like Saft’s book I’m aware that this desire is pure fantasy and that the reality of things is that the world we knew is gone forever and soon … well … people like me won’t last long in this new world. So, I think, that is why this book was a nice change and a welcome experience.

I’ll save the rest for my full review.

Story this session: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Narration: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0