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The Narrows
m craig's debut novel is a coming-of-age tale for those who have always known they were a little different. Follow Sim as she discovers the Bikeway Narrows, an abandoned industrial neighborhood populated by questers and magic-weavers, bikers and coffee shop denizens who are looking to escape the oppressive city of Terresin. In this magical world plagued by inequality, greed and environmental woes, Sim must hold her own with her fearless and often dominating new friends while coming to terms with her sexuality and accepting her latent magical abilities. The Narrows is an engrossing work of fiction that combines fantasy, philosophy and spirituality in an exploration of what it means to be yourself.
Update: The first 1000 copies of the book have sold, and the grammar errors from the first edition have been fixed for the 2nd edition. Thank you all so much for reading the book and supporting indie literature!
Update: The first 1000 copies of the book have sold, and the grammar errors from the first edition have been fixed for the 2nd edition. Thank you all so much for reading the book and supporting indie literature!
226 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2011
4 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
M. Craig
15 books32 followersm. craig (she/they) is a vagabond taurian wordsmith who wrote The Narrows and Simetra
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 28, 2013
I bought this book because it was a small press title at a small bookshop & had a really great cover design & texture. I didn't know what it was about or anything about the author. It sat on my shelf for maybe less than a year, and I picked it up a few days ago. Needless to say, I read the whole thing pretty quickly. Turns out it could be classified as a "lesbian steampunk" novel, but I think that this novel stands on its own without classification as an interesting read. The world that craig builds is extremely well done-- I'd love to see this made into a film or even a graphic novel. ALSO: I am really hoping there's a sequel? [SPOILERZ-ish ahead] I really want to find out more about Sim's lineage and also the quest that the end of the book has her going on. I feel like the mythology of the book is extremely well done, but Sim's ignorance to what's going on politically and environmentally holds readers back from knowing. I'm curious why Kai needs to be protected. I also LIKE these characters-- all 4 of them that live in the house and more. And I see potential in the fleshing out of some of the other minor characters who were well written for being minor characters. SO YEAH, m. craig, I'd like to revisit this place someday, and hope I get a chance to with a sequel/prequel, what-have-you. My first impression once I realized what "kind" of novel I was reading was: cool, I'd probably never pick up something like this by choice, so let's see where this goes. My final impression once I hit those last pages was: GAHH, I hope there's more. Not that the book doesn't stand on its own as a novel with decent narrative enough to be "finished", but yeah. I'd just like to go back.
July 2, 2012
This is a book with an interesting idea, good characters, and a great setting that just hasn't even come close to its full potential. Those strong elements were overshadowed by amateurish writing. The pacing is off, the main character is extremely passive, and there are too many plot-lines for M. Craig to juggle at once. This book is in serious need of an editor. I think if it had the right editor, it could be great, but it doesn't seem to have gone through enough revision. Typos throughout ("loose" vs "lose" is by far the biggest offender) set my teeth on edge.
All in all, I have a hunch the publisher just didn't pair the author with a good enough (or possibly any?) editor. The idea is a good one and the book has potential--it just seems like a first draft that needs a lot of work.
All in all, I have a hunch the publisher just didn't pair the author with a good enough (or possibly any?) editor. The idea is a good one and the book has potential--it just seems like a first draft that needs a lot of work.
June 21, 2024
Like other readers I found this book at a local book shop and was immediately drawn to it by the simple design of its cover. I remember flipping through the pages looking for a description but all there was to describe The Narrows was a quote by M. Craig saying: "Don't let anyone tell you what a story is about. Decide for yourself." The quote stuck with me. If this book strikes your interest I would highly recommend giving it a read.
My biggest mistake was waiting too long to actually read it. Once I started I found myself turning over the last page within two days. M. Craig if you are reading this I would like to say what a great job you did with the world you created and I am eagerly waiting for a sequel!
My biggest mistake was waiting too long to actually read it. Once I started I found myself turning over the last page within two days. M. Craig if you are reading this I would like to say what a great job you did with the world you created and I am eagerly waiting for a sequel!
July 29, 2015
This book is an amazing metaphor to society we live in today. I've been able to relate to this book on another level. Sequel? Im first in line to snatch it. <3
January 9, 2022
I appreciate the exploration of queer identity in this. Many of the scenes felt honest and earnest around the fear, joy, and community queer people experience. I appreciated getting to see two lesbians who are just friends and support each other, as well as having romantic connections. The world building and magic systems were also well-thought out and felt lived in and real. Unfortunately these elements really didn't make up for the really awful politics present throughout this.
At many times this felt like apathetic, doomer center-left hipsters riding around on bikes: the novel. The world is fucked up but hold on, let's go get a tattoo about it. Sure there's a lot of analysis of queer oppression, but there's also un-criticized animal abuse, fantasy Islamophobia, fatphobia, and slut shaming on top of the other things the main characters aren't interested in doing much of anything about.
The story consists mostly of the main characters going to bars and cafes, hanging out and vibing. This would all be fine in a different, escapist fantasy sort of novel. But this novel is decidedly political, and constantly draws the reader's attention back to all the problems in their world that directly mirror problems in our own: homophobia, racism, capitalism, and climate change. Yet our protagonists react to these issues how? Big ol' shrugs. They spend most of their time worried about their crushes, their jobs, or working on their sword swings.
Yes, this is realistic, but I mostly felt frustrated and disconnected with the characters because of it. They are given multiple opportunities to try to change things and chose almost every time to walk away instead. It also doesn't help the individual concerns that makes up their daily lives and feel rather paper-thin and poorly developed.
When our protagonists do decide to try one single bit of direct action to try to improve the state of things, it is the final chapter of the book. And even then, in the span of a few pages they are back on their, "nothing can be changed so why bother trying," train by the end of it. Political activism and revolution are dismissed with the wave of a hand as pointless without any of the main characters even getting involved at all. They also leave a bunch of oppressed immigrants to die in a fire. Our heroes! There's sequel-bait at the ending, but it's all again focused around the individual characters and nothing to do with the world at large.
I really don't know what else to say about this than boy did it make be frustrated with milquetoast, "I only care what immediately effects me" liberalism.
At many times this felt like apathetic, doomer center-left hipsters riding around on bikes: the novel. The world is fucked up but hold on, let's go get a tattoo about it. Sure there's a lot of analysis of queer oppression, but there's also un-criticized animal abuse, fantasy Islamophobia, fatphobia, and slut shaming on top of the other things the main characters aren't interested in doing much of anything about.
The story consists mostly of the main characters going to bars and cafes, hanging out and vibing. This would all be fine in a different, escapist fantasy sort of novel. But this novel is decidedly political, and constantly draws the reader's attention back to all the problems in their world that directly mirror problems in our own: homophobia, racism, capitalism, and climate change. Yet our protagonists react to these issues how? Big ol' shrugs. They spend most of their time worried about their crushes, their jobs, or working on their sword swings.
Yes, this is realistic, but I mostly felt frustrated and disconnected with the characters because of it. They are given multiple opportunities to try to change things and chose almost every time to walk away instead. It also doesn't help the individual concerns that makes up their daily lives and feel rather paper-thin and poorly developed.
When our protagonists do decide to try one single bit of direct action to try to improve the state of things, it is the final chapter of the book. And even then, in the span of a few pages they are back on their, "nothing can be changed so why bother trying," train by the end of it. Political activism and revolution are dismissed with the wave of a hand as pointless without any of the main characters even getting involved at all. They also leave a bunch of oppressed immigrants to die in a fire. Our heroes! There's sequel-bait at the ending, but it's all again focused around the individual characters and nothing to do with the world at large.
I really don't know what else to say about this than boy did it make be frustrated with milquetoast, "I only care what immediately effects me" liberalism.
December 10, 2020
Stumbled upon this book at an indie bookstore in Austin forever ago and have always been meaning to get around to reading it. I loved the genre-bendy nature of the novel, the queer characters, and the kinda picaresque plot within a relatable fantasy setting (based on Portland? Brooklyn? Oakland? not sure but I felt at home there in a weird way). It's a coming out story for sure, but it's also so much more than that. I really liked the social justice/evnironmental undertones too. Definitely worth a read!! It seems like there's a sequel coming out too- not sure when, but looking forward to it.
May 1, 2021
Absolutely loved it! The story felt like real life, but in a fantasy world. Loved all the characters, but Pru was def my favorite. 100% recommend for someone looking for a fantasy novel with queer characters and a story line that's relavent to today's world. Bit of a cliff hanger ending for sure, but hopefully there will be a sequel!
October 5, 2013
A clever celebration of bike culture, coffee, Brooklyn, and fantasy, with a bit of steam punk flavor thrown in -- my only quibble was with the poor editing. There were many errors of the lay/lie, die/dye variety, with the most egregious being "breaking" a bike to stop it, and there also was a paragraph in which a main character addresses himself by name...
M. Craig: I like your ideas and your press. Do you want me to proofread for you????
M. Craig: I like your ideas and your press. Do you want me to proofread for you????
June 24, 2017
I'M SO GLAD I BOUGHT THIS BOOK!
Holy fucking shit you guys. I got it on a whim because I wanted something about a queer girl that a million people hadn't already gushed about. Plus, I like small-time authors. Makes me feel good, and they're original, still.
I fucking sprinted through this. Read it. Don't think twice. Don't doubt yourself.
Holy fucking shit you guys. I got it on a whim because I wanted something about a queer girl that a million people hadn't already gushed about. Plus, I like small-time authors. Makes me feel good, and they're original, still.
I fucking sprinted through this. Read it. Don't think twice. Don't doubt yourself.
October 30, 2022
The Narrows is set in a fantasy world where everything is powered with magic dust and spell casting is somewhat normal. Sim is young and on the run from her dangerous employer, where she discovers the Bikeway Narrows, including the questers and magic weavers, explores the shops, and comes to understand herself.
I found this book is a small independent bookshop in Seattle and I definitely would not have known about it otherwise! It’s a high fantasy book and I loved the setting. It was very unique and easy to love the characters as their arcs progressed.
I found this book is a small independent bookshop in Seattle and I definitely would not have known about it otherwise! It’s a high fantasy book and I loved the setting. It was very unique and easy to love the characters as their arcs progressed.
March 17, 2025
Cozy antifash steampunk fantasy 4 gay bike obsessed hipsters ❤🔥
November 13, 2015
the issue with this book, i think--and the reason why it's not, say, four stars--is that the ending felt really unsatisfying to me. there was so much interesting worldbuilding that just didn't pay off. now, were this to become a series, i might feel a little differently. the concepts laid out were fascinating, the characters engaging, and the portrayal of queer life both realistic and refreshing, i just wish that those things had come to fruition.
June 3, 2016
This a very good first book and a fascinating world with a likable, interesting main character who also happens to be a lesbian. There's a fascinating mystery at its heart and a magic system that makes sense and a group of supporting characters who are strong enough and interesting enough to stand on their own. Can't wait for the next book!
December 2, 2024
This was a fun little fantasy read. I really wish there was more closure though. Maybe I just don't handle open-ended endings well lol. I really do feel like this book had potential to do more. I could just be used to series, but I truly feel like this could've been a successful series had it been one.
I'm really glad Sim is going off and finding herself because I felt like we were just stuck for a long time and she didn't have much of her own personality. I really like Cader and Pru. Kai, I'm still on the fence about. Not a fan of the homophobic things she said to BOTH Pru and Sim. Also, not really sure how I feel about Wood ?? She kinda did some messed up things and I'm kinda on Sim's side. On the other hand though, she did get kidnapped so LMAO
For how the book ended, I'd say this book has a fair pace. At first, I thought it was really slow and I wanted so many things to advance more, but given the ending doesn't really give much, the story building and character building were appreciated on my end.
Overall, there were some missed opportunities in my opinion, but it was still a fun and interesting read.
***
Chapter reactions:
chapters 1-2
- this is cute so far
- i’m such a map person tho when it comes to fantasy that i wish this book had one since so many places were mentioned. missed opportunity 3
- IS SIM GAY?
- she’s totally got some kind of magic in her but she just doesn’t know it yet. i hope she goes off to one of those battle houses
- ooooo cader and kai are doing illegal shitttt
- so this person named nogron is after sim for her wand that used to belong to her mother. but why did that governor guy have it then??
chapter 3
- oooo so they made beer (which is illegal to do) and met with a distributor at a bar named acheron who said she’ll take it
- how come said bar hasn’t been shut down if it’s also illegal to consume alcohol?
- and wasn’t kai for the idea of brewing? she and cader are literally doing illegal stuff of their own, how is this different?
- i still wanna know who this nogron person is and why they tasked sim with getting that governor person’s wand. a family member or something?
- i can’t believe sim’s mother cast her out for losing her money when she was literally robbed
- hmmmm sim’s powers are making me suspicious. something’s gonna come of that
chapter 4
- oooo i like that we’re at the battle house now
- azzer went on this whole rant about magic being taken advantage of by the rich and that sim needs to learn to calibrate bc he believes her magic could help people
- prudence is back ! but it’s clear she doesn’t really like sim
- i would’ve been so embarrassed to at training if the instructor put me in a corner to do basic steps over and over
chapters 5-6
- oof i really don’t think it was a good idea for sim to give wood her wand. what if nogron tracks it down somehow and she just put wood in danger?
- is a lil sumn sumn going on with prudence and sim? or am i crazy
- wood’s comments about those guys she hooked up with made me a lil sad for sim
- and i think sim is sharing a lil too much with wood
- this girl lilith is SKETCHY. she’s apparently a strix..whatever that is, we still don’t know. but pru was very surprised to hear that lilith didn’t attack sim and that sim saw her twice now
- these goggles that azzer gave sim are quite interesting
- pru took sim to a lesbian bar!! sim was also sharing a lil too much with the bartender, candace
chapters 7-8
- pru, i’m sorry, what do you mean you don’t know what’s going on. wtf just attacked yall and how did you kill all 3 of them
- so yes it’s confirmed sim is gay. been knew. and been knew she liked wood
- i really thought sim was gonna confide in prudence
- not kai being homophobic
- idk maybe they got attacked bc word is getting around that sim is really magical? i mean she helped acheron with that transportation spell and acheron said sim didn’t need to add that much juice to it
- kinda weird too that pru said she had a bad feeling that night and then they got attacked
chapters 9-10
- holy shit?? why would they bring pru to a hospital after some guards found her passed out drunk?? i mean there were patients in there with way worse conditions. like those cylinders filled with that green stuff being pumped into people?? wtf?? obviously there’s something bigger going on here
- and what was all that random shit about a revolution? i mean i know we’ve heard azzer talk about it but since when does wood care? maybe her date put that idea in her head idk. but then sim got all riled up about it too?
- go sim for standing up to kai! and she finally admitted she’s in love with a girl
- why do i feel like pru and sim are gonna end up together
chapters 11-12
- AH SHIT so a strix is a creature that can only live off of killing magic weavers and their magic would sustain a strix until it needed to kill again. and apparently sim’s magic would sustain a strix for years. jesus.
- i really like the chapters about the battle house and questing stuff. not so much the bars, incubator, and coffee shop with wood. i wish there was more of that in the book since magic seems like such an important theme. i wish sim would spend time developing her magic and wanting to learn more about it rather than fighting it
- my heart drops for sim every time wood says she’s gonna hang out with a guy
- so Lilith warned her to stop coming to the narrows bc the black magic that’s coming out of the factories will kill people over time. but I GUESS SHE DONT CAREEEE
- i’m getting worried bc the book is about to end soon but i feel like the scenes i want to happen aren’t going to happen. like this book has so much potential but i feel like we’re focusing on the wrong things. maybe i’m just used to fantasy books being a certain way tho. maybe a change from my norm is good. idk how its going to end tho bc there’s so many “big picture” things left hanging. like the whole revolution stuff and the black magic. is all that gonna get resolved? is sim gonna tell wood how she feels? is cader gonna go off and do something else since he doesn’t like staying in one place for too long? are they gonna go on a quest? like there’s SO MUCH. OH YEAH AND NOGRON? ARE THEY GONNA GO AFTER SIM?
- also are we just pretending to be okay with kai rn? bc I’m still not a fan of what she said to both pru and sim. homophobic BITCH
chapters 13-14
- omfg when acheron said “she’s the one” to pru I thought she meant like in a romantic way. but hmmmm maybe sim is the chosen one !!
- uhhh cader’s beer got busted and he didn’t tell sim??
- so wait, did azzer shut down the incubator for good??
- what if they do absolutely nothing and the book just ends with their impending doom
- WHY CANT WE GO ON A QUESTTTT HOW IS THIS GOING TO ENDDDD
- wood doesn’t deserve sim. sim was totally right that she’d just be another person wood strings along so she can feel admired
- i wish the poor girl would cheer up
- if a revolution is going to happen, it’s not gonna be in this book. i really don’t know how this is going to end, but i don’t think its going to be very climatic
chapter 15
- why did pru have to show off like that confessing her love for audrae and audrae liking pru back
- we kinda got a plot dump in this chapter (not my fav) and a sudden other thing to worry about with how this book is going to end
- sim’s mom’s wand was with that governor guy bc that’s her mom’s brother!! and her mom spelled the wand that way so only her blood relatives could touch it and her kids could use it
- there’s a literal quest out for sim and her wand?? that’s insane. and the fact that sim’s first thought WASNT to go get her wand back from wood to potentially SAVE WOOD from being taken is absolutely WILD to me
- also why are we not like…super worried about this? like there’s a literal QUEST out for her and she’ll probably be kidnapped. why aren’t we fleeing??
- so acheron didn’t get caught with the beer. cader and pru basically got rid of her bc she was started to suspect too much and ratted her out to the guards to protect sim :(
- ehhh i don’t think i like wood saying those sweet things to sim when wood knows damn well how that’ll make sim feel
- i just looked back at all my notes and i feel like there’s going to be so many unanswered questions at the end of this book >:(
chapter 16
- see why do i feel like this chapter was unnecessary. like there’s SO MANY OTHER THINGS WE COULD BE DOING
- basically pru and sim got hate crimed and sim took some really bad blows
- and now sim wants to go rescue all those people she thinks were being experimented on from the hospital
chapters 17-18
- UR KIDDING. THATS HOW IT ENDS??
- so they basically blew up the factories that were pumping the black magic into the air with the bombs they found at azzer’s shop. and they decided all of that fairly quickly. and the fact that it actually worked?? and they just casually went home afterwards?? and they didn’t get caught??
- and the fact that pru decided to leave so SOON?
- AZZER MF HANGED HIMSELF DEAR GOD
- so is lilith the girl that pru was in love with before and “died”?
- good for sim for finally speaking her mind on how she actually feels about wood. the fact that she was kidnapped however….AND CADER’S SISTER TOO :( HE’S LITERALLY BEEN LOOKING FOR HER FOR SO LONG
- uhhh so pru and cader made a deal with kai’s parents to protect her but we don’t know what for? so that’s why cader couldn’t go after wood and his sister
- damn, sim is finally going out and questing. the ending kinda made me emotional man
- but like what about nogron and the fact that he’ll probably just build more factories? it was so dark that we’re just accepting that fate
- so yeah, ofc so much shit happens in the last two chapters while the beginning of the book kinda dragged on
I'm really glad Sim is going off and finding herself because I felt like we were just stuck for a long time and she didn't have much of her own personality. I really like Cader and Pru. Kai, I'm still on the fence about. Not a fan of the homophobic things she said to BOTH Pru and Sim. Also, not really sure how I feel about Wood ?? She kinda did some messed up things and I'm kinda on Sim's side. On the other hand though, she did get kidnapped so LMAO
For how the book ended, I'd say this book has a fair pace. At first, I thought it was really slow and I wanted so many things to advance more, but given the ending doesn't really give much, the story building and character building were appreciated on my end.
Overall, there were some missed opportunities in my opinion, but it was still a fun and interesting read.
***
Chapter reactions:
chapters 1-2
- this is cute so far
- i’m such a map person tho when it comes to fantasy that i wish this book had one since so many places were mentioned. missed opportunity 3
- IS SIM GAY?
- she’s totally got some kind of magic in her but she just doesn’t know it yet. i hope she goes off to one of those battle houses
- ooooo cader and kai are doing illegal shitttt
- so this person named nogron is after sim for her wand that used to belong to her mother. but why did that governor guy have it then??
chapter 3
- oooo so they made beer (which is illegal to do) and met with a distributor at a bar named acheron who said she’ll take it
- how come said bar hasn’t been shut down if it’s also illegal to consume alcohol?
- and wasn’t kai for the idea of brewing? she and cader are literally doing illegal stuff of their own, how is this different?
- i still wanna know who this nogron person is and why they tasked sim with getting that governor person’s wand. a family member or something?
- i can’t believe sim’s mother cast her out for losing her money when she was literally robbed
- hmmmm sim’s powers are making me suspicious. something’s gonna come of that
chapter 4
- oooo i like that we’re at the battle house now
- azzer went on this whole rant about magic being taken advantage of by the rich and that sim needs to learn to calibrate bc he believes her magic could help people
- prudence is back ! but it’s clear she doesn’t really like sim
- i would’ve been so embarrassed to at training if the instructor put me in a corner to do basic steps over and over
chapters 5-6
- oof i really don’t think it was a good idea for sim to give wood her wand. what if nogron tracks it down somehow and she just put wood in danger?
- is a lil sumn sumn going on with prudence and sim? or am i crazy
- wood’s comments about those guys she hooked up with made me a lil sad for sim
- and i think sim is sharing a lil too much with wood
- this girl lilith is SKETCHY. she’s apparently a strix..whatever that is, we still don’t know. but pru was very surprised to hear that lilith didn’t attack sim and that sim saw her twice now
- these goggles that azzer gave sim are quite interesting
- pru took sim to a lesbian bar!! sim was also sharing a lil too much with the bartender, candace
chapters 7-8
- pru, i’m sorry, what do you mean you don’t know what’s going on. wtf just attacked yall and how did you kill all 3 of them
- so yes it’s confirmed sim is gay. been knew. and been knew she liked wood
- i really thought sim was gonna confide in prudence
- not kai being homophobic
- idk maybe they got attacked bc word is getting around that sim is really magical? i mean she helped acheron with that transportation spell and acheron said sim didn’t need to add that much juice to it
- kinda weird too that pru said she had a bad feeling that night and then they got attacked
chapters 9-10
- holy shit?? why would they bring pru to a hospital after some guards found her passed out drunk?? i mean there were patients in there with way worse conditions. like those cylinders filled with that green stuff being pumped into people?? wtf?? obviously there’s something bigger going on here
- and what was all that random shit about a revolution? i mean i know we’ve heard azzer talk about it but since when does wood care? maybe her date put that idea in her head idk. but then sim got all riled up about it too?
- go sim for standing up to kai! and she finally admitted she’s in love with a girl
- why do i feel like pru and sim are gonna end up together
chapters 11-12
- AH SHIT so a strix is a creature that can only live off of killing magic weavers and their magic would sustain a strix until it needed to kill again. and apparently sim’s magic would sustain a strix for years. jesus.
- i really like the chapters about the battle house and questing stuff. not so much the bars, incubator, and coffee shop with wood. i wish there was more of that in the book since magic seems like such an important theme. i wish sim would spend time developing her magic and wanting to learn more about it rather than fighting it
- my heart drops for sim every time wood says she’s gonna hang out with a guy
- so Lilith warned her to stop coming to the narrows bc the black magic that’s coming out of the factories will kill people over time. but I GUESS SHE DONT CAREEEE
- i’m getting worried bc the book is about to end soon but i feel like the scenes i want to happen aren’t going to happen. like this book has so much potential but i feel like we’re focusing on the wrong things. maybe i’m just used to fantasy books being a certain way tho. maybe a change from my norm is good. idk how its going to end tho bc there’s so many “big picture” things left hanging. like the whole revolution stuff and the black magic. is all that gonna get resolved? is sim gonna tell wood how she feels? is cader gonna go off and do something else since he doesn’t like staying in one place for too long? are they gonna go on a quest? like there’s SO MUCH. OH YEAH AND NOGRON? ARE THEY GONNA GO AFTER SIM?
- also are we just pretending to be okay with kai rn? bc I’m still not a fan of what she said to both pru and sim. homophobic BITCH
chapters 13-14
- omfg when acheron said “she’s the one” to pru I thought she meant like in a romantic way. but hmmmm maybe sim is the chosen one !!
- uhhh cader’s beer got busted and he didn’t tell sim??
- so wait, did azzer shut down the incubator for good??
- what if they do absolutely nothing and the book just ends with their impending doom
- WHY CANT WE GO ON A QUESTTTT HOW IS THIS GOING TO ENDDDD
- wood doesn’t deserve sim. sim was totally right that she’d just be another person wood strings along so she can feel admired
- i wish the poor girl would cheer up
- if a revolution is going to happen, it’s not gonna be in this book. i really don’t know how this is going to end, but i don’t think its going to be very climatic
chapter 15
- why did pru have to show off like that confessing her love for audrae and audrae liking pru back
- we kinda got a plot dump in this chapter (not my fav) and a sudden other thing to worry about with how this book is going to end
- sim’s mom’s wand was with that governor guy bc that’s her mom’s brother!! and her mom spelled the wand that way so only her blood relatives could touch it and her kids could use it
- there’s a literal quest out for sim and her wand?? that’s insane. and the fact that sim’s first thought WASNT to go get her wand back from wood to potentially SAVE WOOD from being taken is absolutely WILD to me
- also why are we not like…super worried about this? like there’s a literal QUEST out for her and she’ll probably be kidnapped. why aren’t we fleeing??
- so acheron didn’t get caught with the beer. cader and pru basically got rid of her bc she was started to suspect too much and ratted her out to the guards to protect sim :(
- ehhh i don’t think i like wood saying those sweet things to sim when wood knows damn well how that’ll make sim feel
- i just looked back at all my notes and i feel like there’s going to be so many unanswered questions at the end of this book >:(
chapter 16
- see why do i feel like this chapter was unnecessary. like there’s SO MANY OTHER THINGS WE COULD BE DOING
- basically pru and sim got hate crimed and sim took some really bad blows
- and now sim wants to go rescue all those people she thinks were being experimented on from the hospital
chapters 17-18
- UR KIDDING. THATS HOW IT ENDS??
- so they basically blew up the factories that were pumping the black magic into the air with the bombs they found at azzer’s shop. and they decided all of that fairly quickly. and the fact that it actually worked?? and they just casually went home afterwards?? and they didn’t get caught??
- and the fact that pru decided to leave so SOON?
- AZZER MF HANGED HIMSELF DEAR GOD
- so is lilith the girl that pru was in love with before and “died”?
- good for sim for finally speaking her mind on how she actually feels about wood. the fact that she was kidnapped however….AND CADER’S SISTER TOO :( HE’S LITERALLY BEEN LOOKING FOR HER FOR SO LONG
- uhhh so pru and cader made a deal with kai’s parents to protect her but we don’t know what for? so that’s why cader couldn’t go after wood and his sister
- damn, sim is finally going out and questing. the ending kinda made me emotional man
- but like what about nogron and the fact that he’ll probably just build more factories? it was so dark that we’re just accepting that fate
- so yeah, ofc so much shit happens in the last two chapters while the beginning of the book kinda dragged on
May 31, 2016
I liked the story. Looking forward to a sequel perhaps. I just felt that some of the characters weren't fleshed out enough so I really didn't care too much for them. The main character is a bit TOO passive. There were some loose ends...which would hopefully be tied up in a sequel perhaps.
April 9, 2012
Check out my review of "The Narrows" here: http://conceptualreception.blogspot.c...
August 4, 2015
CRUSHED IT
August 24, 2019
This book has its flaws, but I enjoyed it a lot. The highlight, for me, was the unique world building and the wacky combination of genres. I’d describe it as urban fantasy meets steampunk with plenty of real world social issues (the environment, gay rights, and economic inequality) but even that doesn’t really do it justice. I knew pretty much nothing about it before I read it, since I picked it up for free and it has no description on the back, but it turned out to be a good story, and I liked the experience of reading without knowing what to expect.
The story opens with the protagonist, Sim, on the run. She conveniently saves someone’s life and he offers to let her live with him and his friends. That conveniently leads to her getting an interesting job with an inventor who makes magical/mechanical gadgets, and she hangs out at a cafe where she conveniently meets a girl who becomes her friend and love interest. That’s one thing about this book: a lot of the plot seems to happen too easily. Then the book evolves into a coming out story for Sim. I kind of disliked the tone of these sections. Being gay is definitely frowned upon in the society of the Narrows, and Sim has a lot of guilt and conflicted feelings to work through. Personally, I’m tired of queer stories that deal with coming out and homophobia and having an unrequited crush on a straight person. Of course, these are things queer people go through in real life, but in real life things typically get better. It’s possible to tell stories about queer characters that have happy endings, or love stories that end badly just because the characters aren’t compatible. Plus, if you’re going to invent a fantasy world, why not make it more queer friendly, or at least challenging in a different way? The other main part of the plot involves societal issues: magic is getting weaker due to the fact that it’s being mined and harvested, which allows more people to use it without studying magic, but requires them to pay, reinforcing inequality. This is an opportunity for the author to go on rants about real world issues like pollution and capitalism that seem a bit forced for the book.
The real star of the book is the world building. There are unicats (cats with unicorn horns.) There is a coffee shop that makes lattes with steam from dragons’ mouths. There’s also some weird stuff that doesn’t make sense, like a strict alcohol prohibition. The characters are likable, but not fully developed. There’s a lot of things that aren’t fully explained, which I hope is because there are/were sequels planned, but it could also be lazy writing. Still, I have to applaud the author for doing something original.
The story opens with the protagonist, Sim, on the run. She conveniently saves someone’s life and he offers to let her live with him and his friends. That conveniently leads to her getting an interesting job with an inventor who makes magical/mechanical gadgets, and she hangs out at a cafe where she conveniently meets a girl who becomes her friend and love interest. That’s one thing about this book: a lot of the plot seems to happen too easily. Then the book evolves into a coming out story for Sim. I kind of disliked the tone of these sections. Being gay is definitely frowned upon in the society of the Narrows, and Sim has a lot of guilt and conflicted feelings to work through. Personally, I’m tired of queer stories that deal with coming out and homophobia and having an unrequited crush on a straight person. Of course, these are things queer people go through in real life, but in real life things typically get better. It’s possible to tell stories about queer characters that have happy endings, or love stories that end badly just because the characters aren’t compatible. Plus, if you’re going to invent a fantasy world, why not make it more queer friendly, or at least challenging in a different way? The other main part of the plot involves societal issues: magic is getting weaker due to the fact that it’s being mined and harvested, which allows more people to use it without studying magic, but requires them to pay, reinforcing inequality. This is an opportunity for the author to go on rants about real world issues like pollution and capitalism that seem a bit forced for the book.
The real star of the book is the world building. There are unicats (cats with unicorn horns.) There is a coffee shop that makes lattes with steam from dragons’ mouths. There’s also some weird stuff that doesn’t make sense, like a strict alcohol prohibition. The characters are likable, but not fully developed. There’s a lot of things that aren’t fully explained, which I hope is because there are/were sequels planned, but it could also be lazy writing. Still, I have to applaud the author for doing something original.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2020
This book… Has a lot going on. And I also didn’t realize it wasn’t a stand alone novel—published about nine years ago, so doubtful if the story will be finished.
It had a lot of cool ideas going on, but those ideas seemed to choke what ever the plot was supposed to be (was it about Sim’s first crush? Was it about clashing of cultures, discrimination of minorities? Of classes? Magic pollution? Theres a war going on!). All of those ideas were IMPORTANT and so they all had to be present all at the same time. So any shocking plot twist didn’t feel shocking. I see that the author was trying to build a complex fantasy world that was relevant, but I think it needed to have a central plot so it wasn’t meandering, and have one idea taking the forefront. The other ideas could be planting seeds to help with foreshadowing and world building while setting up for other stories/novels. Basically having details and events unfolding over time. This could have been spread out into more than one book— there’s a lot going on for a book this size. Certain events/plot points did come forward— but closer towards the end of the book, all of a sudden.
It also felt like a lot of the book was originally snippets and scenes that were sewn together, scenes. Which is fine, but again all the ideas and lack of cohesion.
I did like the city that Sim lived in (would have preferred a map, so I could place things better in my head) and reminded me a lot of the Borderland stories/novels with a mix of Rat Queens. It had some hints of DnD, or what little I know of it, with Questers and Magicweavers, healers, etc—which is probably where I get the Rat Queens vibe/feels from. The Mondran’s seemed kind of plucked in there, a bit on the nose for Amish Islamic people? So I think more world building would be helpful, like what places seem to use fairytale animals (what about animal cruelty?) and what places don’t, what areas are upper class, and what places are similar to Sim’s, or the slums? What shows that each area is different from the others? How is the Narrows different from everywhere else?
Some of the reviewers seem to know what the author was talking about, because they LIVED in the area that she was from and basing The Narrows off of—I haven’t. But a lot of the elements did feel a bit on the nose.
It had a lot of cool ideas going on, but those ideas seemed to choke what ever the plot was supposed to be (was it about Sim’s first crush? Was it about clashing of cultures, discrimination of minorities? Of classes? Magic pollution? Theres a war going on!). All of those ideas were IMPORTANT and so they all had to be present all at the same time. So any shocking plot twist didn’t feel shocking. I see that the author was trying to build a complex fantasy world that was relevant, but I think it needed to have a central plot so it wasn’t meandering, and have one idea taking the forefront. The other ideas could be planting seeds to help with foreshadowing and world building while setting up for other stories/novels. Basically having details and events unfolding over time. This could have been spread out into more than one book— there’s a lot going on for a book this size. Certain events/plot points did come forward— but closer towards the end of the book, all of a sudden.
It also felt like a lot of the book was originally snippets and scenes that were sewn together, scenes. Which is fine, but again all the ideas and lack of cohesion.
I did like the city that Sim lived in (would have preferred a map, so I could place things better in my head) and reminded me a lot of the Borderland stories/novels with a mix of Rat Queens. It had some hints of DnD, or what little I know of it, with Questers and Magicweavers, healers, etc—which is probably where I get the Rat Queens vibe/feels from. The Mondran’s seemed kind of plucked in there, a bit on the nose for Amish Islamic people? So I think more world building would be helpful, like what places seem to use fairytale animals (what about animal cruelty?) and what places don’t, what areas are upper class, and what places are similar to Sim’s, or the slums? What shows that each area is different from the others? How is the Narrows different from everywhere else?
Some of the reviewers seem to know what the author was talking about, because they LIVED in the area that she was from and basing The Narrows off of—I haven’t. But a lot of the elements did feel a bit on the nose.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2022
The characters in the book resonated with me on a level I can't even begin to describe. Sim's coming out story felt so real, which was an interesting contrast to the detailed fantasy world that was super unique and imaginative while also being an intriguing reflection of real-world cafe/bar/bike/queer culture. I was especially into how this story explores how personal struggles can create apathy in the face of huge and unignorable problems, in a way that felt genuine and realistic while also showing how even the best of intentions can go awry, especially with activism that isn't well thought out. I did find the pacing to be a little slow initially, while the ending was pretty abrupt. I feel like this book ought to have been twice as long to really do this material justice, but I've already started on the sequel and can't wait to see where this story goes.
April 14, 2023
This was a tough one for me to review. The first 80% of the book was a solid 4-4.5 stars for me. I loved the authenticity of the characters, the world building, and the relatable way the author handled a queer coming-of-age (and all of the anxiety and naivete that entails). But the the last 20% was such an about-face in pacing that it didn't even feel like the same book. Characters stopped acting like themselves, a "past love" gets thrown in the mix in the last few pages, the main (formerly wallflower) character suddenly helps set the world on fire and becomes a pirate....it's just not at all in keeping with the emphasis on character development and relationships I read in the first 3/4 of the book. It was almost like the author got to a point and just...gave up. And it was a wicked bummer. That said, I liked it enough to give the next book a shot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2018
I wanted to like this book more than I do- ultimately, while I liked many of the characters, I think the events covered in this novel were just too many and too complex for the page count it had. I think it should have been three times the length to really get the emotional resonance, and for it to convince me with its worldbuilding, which currently comes off very much like "imagine hipsters but with magic." I'm unconvinced as to why this completely different world would develop the same pattern of society as us, and that nagged at me even as I enjoyed Sim's journey.
November 11, 2022
This was not a book I liked one bit, BUT I do feel that others might like it so I definitely recommend at least trying it out.
It wasn't written poorly and I liked Pru a lot. If you're considering it, just know that the main source of turmoil here is fantasy-homophobia.
It wasn't written poorly and I liked Pru a lot. If you're considering it, just know that the main source of turmoil here is fantasy-homophobia.
April 29, 2025
3.5 rounded up. One of the weirder reading experiences of the year, because I was having a good time from beginning to end, then got to the end and was left like. Huh. Absolutely none of that really came together to land. Anywhere. Did it.
April 15, 2026
“This won’t be easy. But the things that are worth it never are.”
A solid story but it was absolutely a world builder leading up to adventure. I look forward to Simetra, and I hope there’s a little more punch to it. Overall, I really loved the characters, storylines, and grit in The Narrows.
A solid story but it was absolutely a world builder leading up to adventure. I look forward to Simetra, and I hope there’s a little more punch to it. Overall, I really loved the characters, storylines, and grit in The Narrows.
May 9, 2024
Fast read full of magic, adventure and self discovery. This book will have you questioning how you react to the world and the problems in
August 5, 2013
The Narrows by M. Craig is a coming-of-age urban fantasy. Sim has run away from her life of servitude to a land called Terresin. Quickly outfitted with a place to stay and a job by a quester she met on the way, Sim quickly adjusts to the black tank tops and skinny jeans, coffee-drinking, and bike-riding ways of her new, hip neighborhood The Narrows. She works at a small fix-it shop full of relics and charmed objects for bicyclists and questers and does some illegal beer brewing with one of her roommates on the side. As Sim adjusts to a life that is her own, she discovers more about her natural talent for magic and also befriends a girl named Wood in a coffee shop. The two become best friends, and Sim realizes that she wants to become more. As confusion and wonderment battle inside her, the outside world and its politics and war seep into her new secluded life.
M. Craig’s description and world-building in this urban fantasy novel is applause-worthy. Her attention to detail and use of metaphor is spell-binding and immerses readers in Terrasin and the Bikeway Narrows without hesitation. That being said, too many plots detract from Craig’s storytelling. Preachy diatribes that pepper the novel, delivered by impassioned characters, also suffer by being told instead of shown. The characters are interesting but aren’t explored to their full potential. A sequel is in progress and hopefully it will delve further into the characters and their tales. This book ends in a question mark but the world Craig has created is enough to ensure that readers will be back for more.
This book is recommended to open-minded readers who enjoy fantasy (and contemporary themes and worlds with magic—and dragons and fluffy teal pets!), the bicycling culture, and stories of self-discovery.
www.calamusworks.com/blog
M. Craig’s description and world-building in this urban fantasy novel is applause-worthy. Her attention to detail and use of metaphor is spell-binding and immerses readers in Terrasin and the Bikeway Narrows without hesitation. That being said, too many plots detract from Craig’s storytelling. Preachy diatribes that pepper the novel, delivered by impassioned characters, also suffer by being told instead of shown. The characters are interesting but aren’t explored to their full potential. A sequel is in progress and hopefully it will delve further into the characters and their tales. This book ends in a question mark but the world Craig has created is enough to ensure that readers will be back for more.
This book is recommended to open-minded readers who enjoy fantasy (and contemporary themes and worlds with magic—and dragons and fluffy teal pets!), the bicycling culture, and stories of self-discovery.
www.calamusworks.com/blog
August 13, 2016
I didn't rate this book very highly, but I can't wait for the second book to come out! My reasons for that are similar to others' reviews I read here... The magical world M. Craig has created is the best part of the book; magic has it's unique set of rules which I found very intriguing. I also like how the book criticises our failure to act against the wrongs in our world, without being judgemental towards the reader or distracting from the story. It simply acts as a mirror to point out how we ignore bad things in our world to protect our sense of normalcy. But the book severly suffers from flow issues... Despite loving the book at the end, I had to force myself to read the first half. The book takes too long to reveal it's potential and I hope that the next book will be better edited. *spoilers* Sim's only motivation to do anything is Wood for too long and then her sudden 180 seems unnatural. May I say that it's about time we see the badass side of Sim... she's done enough pining and whining! I loved Pru and Cader and am looking forward to learning more about them, along with the complete mystery/giant cliff hanger that is Kai...
November 18, 2012
Really want to give this 4.5. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would: the world of Terresin and the Bikeway Narrows is well thought out and includes elements of a bunch of different things: fantasy, realistic fiction, steampunk, which was interesting to me. Will write a more thorough review for the Lesbrary soon.
January 4, 2016
It's Christmas Day, so I'll keep my review short and to the point: aesthetically amazing, lacking a little bit in storytelling.
One of the first books I've read to blend the atmosphere of "today" with something magical, but eh, in my opinion it wasn't very interesting to read.
Ah well!
One of the first books I've read to blend the atmosphere of "today" with something magical, but eh, in my opinion it wasn't very interesting to read.
Ah well!
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