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Her Pitiless Command #1
Winterglass
Winterglass is a sci-fantasy about one woman’s love for her homeland (Sirapirat) and her determination to defeat the Winter Queen who has overtaken the land.
The city-state Sirapirat once knew only warmth and monsoon. When the Winter Queen conquered it, she remade the land in her image, turning Sirapirat into a country of snow and unending frost. But an empire is not her only goal. In secret, she seeks the fragments of a mirror whose power will grant her deepest desire.
At her right hand is General Lussadh, who bears a mirror shard in her heart, as loyal to winter as she is plagued by her past as a traitor to her country. Tasked with locating other glass-bearers, she finds one in Nuawa, an insurgent who’s forged herself into a weapon that will strike down the queen.
To earn her place in the queen’s army, Nuawa must enter a deadly tournament where the losers’ souls are given in service to winter. To free Sirapirat, she is prepared to make sacrifices: those she loves, herself, and the complicated bond slowly forming between her and Lussadh.
If the splinter of glass in Nuawa's heart doesn't destroy her first.
"A fairy tale, beautiful like an ice crystal, and razor sharp."
--Silvia Moreno-Garcia, World Fantasy Award-winning co-editor of She Walks in Shadows
"Winterglass is rich with diamondine prose, a scintillant retelling of the Ice Queen that challenges Occidental aesthetics, colonial mentality, and personal identity."
--Cassandra Khaw, author of Hammers on Bone, BFA & Locus Award nominee
"An exquisite gem of a novella. Politics, relationships, and combat presented as a matryoshka, the beauty of which is there's no easy way of telling which shells are within which. Sriduangkaew’s sensuous metaphors and elegant imagery are never less than a pleasure to read. Thoroughly recommended. "
--Jonathan L. Howard, author of Johannes Cabal the Necromancer
The city-state Sirapirat once knew only warmth and monsoon. When the Winter Queen conquered it, she remade the land in her image, turning Sirapirat into a country of snow and unending frost. But an empire is not her only goal. In secret, she seeks the fragments of a mirror whose power will grant her deepest desire.
At her right hand is General Lussadh, who bears a mirror shard in her heart, as loyal to winter as she is plagued by her past as a traitor to her country. Tasked with locating other glass-bearers, she finds one in Nuawa, an insurgent who’s forged herself into a weapon that will strike down the queen.
To earn her place in the queen’s army, Nuawa must enter a deadly tournament where the losers’ souls are given in service to winter. To free Sirapirat, she is prepared to make sacrifices: those she loves, herself, and the complicated bond slowly forming between her and Lussadh.
If the splinter of glass in Nuawa's heart doesn't destroy her first.
"A fairy tale, beautiful like an ice crystal, and razor sharp."
--Silvia Moreno-Garcia, World Fantasy Award-winning co-editor of She Walks in Shadows
"Winterglass is rich with diamondine prose, a scintillant retelling of the Ice Queen that challenges Occidental aesthetics, colonial mentality, and personal identity."
--Cassandra Khaw, author of Hammers on Bone, BFA & Locus Award nominee
"An exquisite gem of a novella. Politics, relationships, and combat presented as a matryoshka, the beauty of which is there's no easy way of telling which shells are within which. Sriduangkaew’s sensuous metaphors and elegant imagery are never less than a pleasure to read. Thoroughly recommended. "
--Jonathan L. Howard, author of Johannes Cabal the Necromancer
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2017
62 people are currently reading
2250 people want to read
About the author
Benjanun Sriduangkaew
83 books404 followersScience fiction, fantasy, and others in the between. Cute kissing ladies? I write those. Ruthless genocidal commanders? Got that covered too! 2014 finalist for Campbell Award for Best New Writer, 2015 BSFA finalist for Best Short Fiction (SCALE-BRIGHT). I like beautiful bugs and strange cities.
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February 8, 2018
„One day you will fire all that you are, like a bullet, into the heart of the winter queen.“
Even though I was really intrigued after reading the description, Sadly I DNFd it at 44%.
I’m not able to really give you a proper review, so I’ll give you this:
The story has
✅ a queen made of armor and ice which loves her female general
✅ a badass main character who does not care if her lover is female or male
✅ a competition to become a lieutenant of the queen and be trained by the general
✅ people who have fragments of the queens mirror in their bodies
Good/bad things in the book:
✔️ the writing was sometimes really beautiful
✔️ the female-female love sounded awesome especially that the queen had a female lover that was also her general
❌ in my opinion it was way too much filled with descriptions
❌ it was really confusing and slowly even though it only had ~150 pages
❌ throughout the book the author says lord/prince only to then say it was a “she”
Also the author says one name and then says “they” which is really really confusing
❌ I thought the language itself and the writing were really hard and I had trouble to read it fluently. I always needed to read it slowly. Maybe that’s because English isn’t my mother language, but I still guess it’s just a really complicated writing style
All in all I wasn’t as intrigued as I hoped I was and I couldn’t continue, because I was way too confused and kind of bored.
But the diversity was great...
Sorry not sorry 🤷🏻♀️
Even though I was really intrigued after reading the description, Sadly I DNFd it at 44%.
I’m not able to really give you a proper review, so I’ll give you this:
The story has
✅ a queen made of armor and ice which loves her female general
✅ a badass main character who does not care if her lover is female or male
✅ a competition to become a lieutenant of the queen and be trained by the general
✅ people who have fragments of the queens mirror in their bodies
Good/bad things in the book:
✔️ the writing was sometimes really beautiful
✔️ the female-female love sounded awesome especially that the queen had a female lover that was also her general
❌ in my opinion it was way too much filled with descriptions
❌ it was really confusing and slowly even though it only had ~150 pages
❌ throughout the book the author says lord/prince only to then say it was a “she”
Also the author says one name and then says “they” which is really really confusing
❌ I thought the language itself and the writing were really hard and I had trouble to read it fluently. I always needed to read it slowly. Maybe that’s because English isn’t my mother language, but I still guess it’s just a really complicated writing style
All in all I wasn’t as intrigued as I hoped I was and I couldn’t continue, because I was way too confused and kind of bored.
But the diversity was great...
Sorry not sorry 🤷🏻♀️
December 22, 2017
When we read stories, we are driven by a desire for closure, but we also long to have our satisfaction deferred until it is earned. We feel cheated if closure comes too soon, so the success of any story depends on keeping us in a protracted state of suspense as much as releasing that tension in a gratifying way. These contradictory impulses – a desire for the end and for making the end desirable – were dubbed “textual erotics” by the literary theorist Peter Brooks, a term that applies in both a literal and theoretical sense when discussing Benjanun Sriduangkaew’s new novella, Winterglass.
Nuawa Dasaret has known that her life was a story since the age of six, when her mother saved her from execution by putting a shard of the Winter Queen’s mirror in her heart. From that moment on, her story could only end one way – with Nuawa assassinating the Winter Queen and liberating her homeland of Sirapirat from the monarch’s brutal, icy reign. Being a story, though, there are detours and digressions, particularly in the form of General Lussadh, the Queen’s right hand, charged with finding all the glass-bearers. Nuawa’s attraction to Lussadh, which is reciprocated, causes her to question exactly what conclusion would satisfy her desire.
Both Lussadh and Nuawa are aware that the engines that power their respective stories are fragile, that satisfaction is more complicated than simply finding closure. Nuawa, who makes her living as a fighter, enters a tribute tournament that would, if she wins, land her in the service of the Winter Queen. When Lussadh discovers that Nuawa is the last glass-bearer, she knows she could simply bring Nuawa directly to the Winter Queen and fulfill her charge, but is compelled to learn more about Nuawa, and to get closer to her. Nuawa herself must suppress the ever-present desire to strike out at her nation’s conqueror when she is near; others have tried and failed, and Nuawa needs to understand why or else she risks failure too.
Sriduangkaew’s prose carries an intense lyricism that flirts with decadence, and often writers like this – who push and pull words like a photographer or painter manipulates colors – can lead readers down an aesthetic rabbit hole that loses sight of fiction's other goals. Sriduangkaew herself has been guilty of this on occasion, but not so with Winterglass. With her best stories, she knows what stimulates our need to consume them, our desire to earn their riches. That the characters in Winterglass know it too is a flourish just delicate enough to savor.
Nuawa Dasaret has known that her life was a story since the age of six, when her mother saved her from execution by putting a shard of the Winter Queen’s mirror in her heart. From that moment on, her story could only end one way – with Nuawa assassinating the Winter Queen and liberating her homeland of Sirapirat from the monarch’s brutal, icy reign. Being a story, though, there are detours and digressions, particularly in the form of General Lussadh, the Queen’s right hand, charged with finding all the glass-bearers. Nuawa’s attraction to Lussadh, which is reciprocated, causes her to question exactly what conclusion would satisfy her desire.
Both Lussadh and Nuawa are aware that the engines that power their respective stories are fragile, that satisfaction is more complicated than simply finding closure. Nuawa, who makes her living as a fighter, enters a tribute tournament that would, if she wins, land her in the service of the Winter Queen. When Lussadh discovers that Nuawa is the last glass-bearer, she knows she could simply bring Nuawa directly to the Winter Queen and fulfill her charge, but is compelled to learn more about Nuawa, and to get closer to her. Nuawa herself must suppress the ever-present desire to strike out at her nation’s conqueror when she is near; others have tried and failed, and Nuawa needs to understand why or else she risks failure too.
Sriduangkaew’s prose carries an intense lyricism that flirts with decadence, and often writers like this – who push and pull words like a photographer or painter manipulates colors – can lead readers down an aesthetic rabbit hole that loses sight of fiction's other goals. Sriduangkaew herself has been guilty of this on occasion, but not so with Winterglass. With her best stories, she knows what stimulates our need to consume them, our desire to earn their riches. That the characters in Winterglass know it too is a flourish just delicate enough to savor.
January 12, 2018
I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
DNF @79%
I didn’t really like this and even though I DNF’d it around 80% I marked it as read because I could have just as easily kept skim reading until the end and it would have made no difference.
I wasn’t interested in the romance or in the world building but honestly the writing was what ruined this for me completely.
I’m not someone who complains about writing style a lot, especially when I see that there’s something unique about it. And this was definitely unique, but it also didn’t feel genuine at all. It wasn’t fluid and it felt like every sentence was written in a contorted way on purpose to achieve some specific kind of style that I couldn’t even begin to try to describe. It’s not bad per se, it’s just something I can’t seem to understand or be able to enjoy.
The writing was really what ruined this for me, and paired with a story that starts without much explanation about the world building at all, it meant that I had almost no idea what was going on most of the time. I’m okay with being thrown into a world without it being explained but I can’t focus on that if I’m also trying to understand what every sentence means.
The only thing I loved about this was the diversity because there was absolutely no heteronormativity or cisnormativity and there were different sexualities and genders portrayed. I also believe that the world might have been interesting had I been able to understand it.
Rep: multiple queer and nonbinary characters, nonbinary femme LI
DNF @79%
I didn’t really like this and even though I DNF’d it around 80% I marked it as read because I could have just as easily kept skim reading until the end and it would have made no difference.
I wasn’t interested in the romance or in the world building but honestly the writing was what ruined this for me completely.
I’m not someone who complains about writing style a lot, especially when I see that there’s something unique about it. And this was definitely unique, but it also didn’t feel genuine at all. It wasn’t fluid and it felt like every sentence was written in a contorted way on purpose to achieve some specific kind of style that I couldn’t even begin to try to describe. It’s not bad per se, it’s just something I can’t seem to understand or be able to enjoy.
The writing was really what ruined this for me, and paired with a story that starts without much explanation about the world building at all, it meant that I had almost no idea what was going on most of the time. I’m okay with being thrown into a world without it being explained but I can’t focus on that if I’m also trying to understand what every sentence means.
The only thing I loved about this was the diversity because there was absolutely no heteronormativity or cisnormativity and there were different sexualities and genders portrayed. I also believe that the world might have been interesting had I been able to understand it.
Rep: multiple queer and nonbinary characters, nonbinary femme LI
December 3, 2021
3 1/2 Stars. This is high fantasy with steampunk like elements. It is a loose retelling of the Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Due to the length, I guess you would consider this a novella, but I didn’t even realize that while reading. Considering all the world building that was needed, there was a lot packed into this story in such a short time.
There was a lot of LGBT representation in this book which I liked. lesbian characters, trans, gender-fluid, and there was no issues, everything just was accepted. There is a relationship building and some sex scenes, but I would not consider this book a romance.
I enjoyed this read. I thought Sriduangkaew writes really well. But I must admit this was not an easy read for me. I like to think I have a decent vocabulary, but I found myself looking up a lot of words. Some even my Kindle did not know so I’m not sure if those were made up for the story, or just beyond my Kindle’s capabilities. And because of having to look up more words than I am used to, the book’s flow was a little stop/start for me. I like to get really immersed in my reading so this did jar me out of it at times.
My other issue, I’m left with some questions. I could not tell from the ending if this story is over, or if there will be a book two. The storyline itself is not close to over, but I’m not sure if the author will continue. If I knew for sure the story will continue, I might rate this a tad higher. Not knowing if my questions will ever be answered is leaving me a tad unbalanced. If there is a book two, I will absolutely read it. I’m keeping my fingers crossed there is.
An ARC was given to me by Netgalley, for a honest review.
There was a lot of LGBT representation in this book which I liked. lesbian characters, trans, gender-fluid, and there was no issues, everything just was accepted. There is a relationship building and some sex scenes, but I would not consider this book a romance.
I enjoyed this read. I thought Sriduangkaew writes really well. But I must admit this was not an easy read for me. I like to think I have a decent vocabulary, but I found myself looking up a lot of words. Some even my Kindle did not know so I’m not sure if those were made up for the story, or just beyond my Kindle’s capabilities. And because of having to look up more words than I am used to, the book’s flow was a little stop/start for me. I like to get really immersed in my reading so this did jar me out of it at times.
My other issue, I’m left with some questions. I could not tell from the ending if this story is over, or if there will be a book two. The storyline itself is not close to over, but I’m not sure if the author will continue. If I knew for sure the story will continue, I might rate this a tad higher. Not knowing if my questions will ever be answered is leaving me a tad unbalanced. If there is a book two, I will absolutely read it. I’m keeping my fingers crossed there is.
An ARC was given to me by Netgalley, for a honest review.
January 11, 2019
[edit: oh my god, I did not realize that this author was Requires Hate, the horrible abusive racist troll/harasser. I regret giving them any of my money and won’t be any more. ]
Just as you’re really getting into it, *record screech* it’s ‘please deposit coin to continue’, ie it’s a novel that is being put out in pieces, not a stand alone story at all. I’m really getting tired of that trend and I’m not inclined to encourage it.
(Murderbot I love you but you should not have been four hardcover books at $17 each, you were one novel)
Just as you’re really getting into it, *record screech* it’s ‘please deposit coin to continue’, ie it’s a novel that is being put out in pieces, not a stand alone story at all. I’m really getting tired of that trend and I’m not inclined to encourage it.
(Murderbot I love you but you should not have been four hardcover books at $17 each, you were one novel)
December 11, 2017
This is an appropriate book to finish out my year and my reading challenge for 2017.
Winterglass is a beautifully written story...
“It is beautiful at first, snow, Mother would say, until is erases and turns all you know into a copy of itself. Soon you no longer recall a time without; soon you forget warmth and buffaloes dozing by the riverbank. Soon, you remember only what it wants you to remember.”
First and foremost, I loved the diversity in this book, LBGTQ forward in a totally normative context--it didn't seem like the author was trying too hard or awkward with any of it--felt right.
That being said, the characters are very strong. Our protagonist, Nuawa was almost put to death at the age of 6 but she has a special shard of glass in her heart that both prevented her death and makes her a threat to the Winter Queen.
General Lussadh is tasked with locating other glass-bearers, finds one in Nuawa who has forged herself into an enemy and is trying to get into the Queen's army so she can exact revenge.
Interesting relationships build!!
Much more than the worldbuilding actually.
Which is a flaw in this tale for me. In fantasy, I need a bit of a set up so I can find my bearings and some stability in my new surroundings. This story moves so fast, I felt buried under trying to keep the new characters straight as well as pay attention to all the complicated relationships.
Things got better once the action started but I still had to re read portions of the story to figure out what was going on sometimes.
I also felt like the author rushed through descriptions of objects and back story in order to keep tight to the present day drama but I really needed those gaps to be filled in--I wanted to know more about the Winter Queen and the glass shards in people's hearts, ultimately I had more questions to wrestle with than I had satisfactory answers for.
However, this doesn't deter me from rating this with high marks! This author has excellent writing skills. I was very impressed and I hope there is more from this land with these characters. I'd read more for sure!
Winterglass is a beautifully written story...
“It is beautiful at first, snow, Mother would say, until is erases and turns all you know into a copy of itself. Soon you no longer recall a time without; soon you forget warmth and buffaloes dozing by the riverbank. Soon, you remember only what it wants you to remember.”
First and foremost, I loved the diversity in this book, LBGTQ forward in a totally normative context--it didn't seem like the author was trying too hard or awkward with any of it--felt right.
That being said, the characters are very strong. Our protagonist, Nuawa was almost put to death at the age of 6 but she has a special shard of glass in her heart that both prevented her death and makes her a threat to the Winter Queen.
General Lussadh is tasked with locating other glass-bearers, finds one in Nuawa who has forged herself into an enemy and is trying to get into the Queen's army so she can exact revenge.
Interesting relationships build!!
Much more than the worldbuilding actually.
Which is a flaw in this tale for me. In fantasy, I need a bit of a set up so I can find my bearings and some stability in my new surroundings. This story moves so fast, I felt buried under trying to keep the new characters straight as well as pay attention to all the complicated relationships.
Things got better once the action started but I still had to re read portions of the story to figure out what was going on sometimes.
I also felt like the author rushed through descriptions of objects and back story in order to keep tight to the present day drama but I really needed those gaps to be filled in--I wanted to know more about the Winter Queen and the glass shards in people's hearts, ultimately I had more questions to wrestle with than I had satisfactory answers for.
However, this doesn't deter me from rating this with high marks! This author has excellent writing skills. I was very impressed and I hope there is more from this land with these characters. I'd read more for sure!
November 7, 2017
I need to add a little snippet to this before I completely forget. Complete review some time in early October.
Completely gorgeous prose, typical for Sriduangkaew's work at this point. Unapologetically queer. Women living their best and worst lives. Is it sci-fi, is it fantasy? Who cares, it's perfect.
**11/6/17: I first read this almost 2 months ago and it's still ENTIRELY FRESH in my mind, always a great sign. Winterglass seamlessly blurs the lines between sci-fi and fantasy, which I love if it's done well. (It is done well.) This is a very loose Snow Queen retelling with an all-POC cast and full spread of queer characters. Nuawa and Lussadh are flawed and wonderful and their dynamic is absolutely amazing. The sex? HOT, raw, and gorgeously rendered like everything else.
Thanks so much to Apex for the review copy!
Completely gorgeous prose, typical for Sriduangkaew's work at this point. Unapologetically queer. Women living their best and worst lives. Is it sci-fi, is it fantasy? Who cares, it's perfect.
**11/6/17: I first read this almost 2 months ago and it's still ENTIRELY FRESH in my mind, always a great sign. Winterglass seamlessly blurs the lines between sci-fi and fantasy, which I love if it's done well. (It is done well.) This is a very loose Snow Queen retelling with an all-POC cast and full spread of queer characters. Nuawa and Lussadh are flawed and wonderful and their dynamic is absolutely amazing. The sex? HOT, raw, and gorgeously rendered like everything else.
Thanks so much to Apex for the review copy!
Read
December 30, 2017DNF @ 60%
I loved the diversity in this story, but the writing wasn’t for me. Maybe if it was a full book and had time for more explanations of the world and events, but as it stands, there’s too much info crammed into too small of a space for me to connect with it.
I loved the diversity in this story, but the writing wasn’t for me. Maybe if it was a full book and had time for more explanations of the world and events, but as it stands, there’s too much info crammed into too small of a space for me to connect with it.
December 4, 2017
My full review and more also on my blog!
Actual Rating: 3.25
This story is beautifully written. A queer retelling of the snow queen. It has fantasy, sci-fi and steampunk elements. Interesting and tough characters that I did like reading about. The world-building was beautiful too.
Fantasy sometimes goes over my head as it did here. I would have liked a bit more explanation and in-depth but I don't think it's a story fault. I think it's more so me being easily confused and not well versed in fantasy or the snow queen fairy tale. If you are more into fantasy, steampunk or the snow queen retelling I'd bet you'd understand it more than I did.
That said I still did enjoy reading it. I got it at least some of the story, enough to like what I was reading. There are also some erotic elements to it (which I enjoy but I know everyone has different tastes).
I loved how it's unapologetically queer! Being trans, different pronouns, being queer, it's no big deal and I loved that! I do highly recommend this. I'm sorry I didn't fully understand everything but what I did was beautiful and I'm thinking I'll need to do a re-read of it in the future. Thank you to Apex publishing for providing me with a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
My Booktube Channel
Actual Rating: 3.25
This story is beautifully written. A queer retelling of the snow queen. It has fantasy, sci-fi and steampunk elements. Interesting and tough characters that I did like reading about. The world-building was beautiful too.
Fantasy sometimes goes over my head as it did here. I would have liked a bit more explanation and in-depth but I don't think it's a story fault. I think it's more so me being easily confused and not well versed in fantasy or the snow queen fairy tale. If you are more into fantasy, steampunk or the snow queen retelling I'd bet you'd understand it more than I did.
That said I still did enjoy reading it. I got it at least some of the story, enough to like what I was reading. There are also some erotic elements to it (which I enjoy but I know everyone has different tastes).
I loved how it's unapologetically queer! Being trans, different pronouns, being queer, it's no big deal and I loved that! I do highly recommend this. I'm sorry I didn't fully understand everything but what I did was beautiful and I'm thinking I'll need to do a re-read of it in the future. Thank you to Apex publishing for providing me with a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
My Booktube Channel
December 13, 2017
Galley provided by publisher
I am angry at this book. Angry because that's not an ending. Angry because there's throwing you straight into a world, but then there's lazy worldbuilding. Angry because of the lazy characterisation and lazy relationship development. But mostly angry because I put up with all that in the hopes that I'd get a satisfying ending and I didn't.
(But Charlotte, you say. Life often doesn't have satisfying endings. Yeah, but this ain't life, is it. This is fiction, and I would like my satisfying ending.)
But, ranting aside, this book did nothing special for me. Sure, it had potential, but ultimately, it was just a bit too short to live up to it. Short and underdeveloped.
The two main characters are primarily archetypes: the perfect warrior, and the loyal general. They aren't ever seen as much more than that, and it's boring. Because these are the people I'm supposed to be rooting for (though how I can root for Lussadh, the loyal general of a colonising invader, when she is so completely loyal she believes the invader to be right in every aspect, I don't know - but that's a whole other kettle of fish). And I just didn't connect, because they didn't seem to be anything beyond those archetypes.
Then there's the fact that there's never any intensity to any of the scenes. Not the fight scenes, and not the sex scenes. You know, the two types of scene in particular where you might want there to be something on the line? And also, you're telling me that Nuawa, the perfect warrior, meets no one close to her match in a tournament of 400 people? That she passes through it perfectly, almost without even having to break a sweat? Heck, even having one battle put in where she doesn't win it easily would be enough to raise the intensity. As it is, we breeze through these fight scenes (I'm not kidding, they take 2 pages, maximum), without any conflict. What would have happened to Nuawa's plan to assassinate the queen if she had failed at any point to become part of her army? What if she'd ever been in a position where that would have threatened to have happened? Who knows, because she's never put there. And it's frustrating because there's so much more that could have been done, but no. She's the Perfect Warrior, and thus will not be defeated.
The lack of intensity in the sex scenes also arises from their shortness, but also from the fact that the characters don't seem to have any personality of their own (archetypes, remember?), and it's just boring. Give me more. Actually develop the relationship. It's not even instalove here, it's just shoving two people together when they have no chemistry and being like "now kiss". Does not work.
And, finally, the ending. Don't even get me talking about that ending. It's like this isn't actually a standalone book. Like maybe the author planned another. Well, you're not getting me with that hook. I'm out.
I am angry at this book. Angry because that's not an ending. Angry because there's throwing you straight into a world, but then there's lazy worldbuilding. Angry because of the lazy characterisation and lazy relationship development. But mostly angry because I put up with all that in the hopes that I'd get a satisfying ending and I didn't.
(But Charlotte, you say. Life often doesn't have satisfying endings. Yeah, but this ain't life, is it. This is fiction, and I would like my satisfying ending.)
But, ranting aside, this book did nothing special for me. Sure, it had potential, but ultimately, it was just a bit too short to live up to it. Short and underdeveloped.
The two main characters are primarily archetypes: the perfect warrior, and the loyal general. They aren't ever seen as much more than that, and it's boring. Because these are the people I'm supposed to be rooting for (though how I can root for Lussadh, the loyal general of a colonising invader, when she is so completely loyal she believes the invader to be right in every aspect, I don't know - but that's a whole other kettle of fish). And I just didn't connect, because they didn't seem to be anything beyond those archetypes.
Then there's the fact that there's never any intensity to any of the scenes. Not the fight scenes, and not the sex scenes. You know, the two types of scene in particular where you might want there to be something on the line? And also, you're telling me that Nuawa, the perfect warrior, meets no one close to her match in a tournament of 400 people? That she passes through it perfectly, almost without even having to break a sweat? Heck, even having one battle put in where she doesn't win it easily would be enough to raise the intensity. As it is, we breeze through these fight scenes (I'm not kidding, they take 2 pages, maximum), without any conflict. What would have happened to Nuawa's plan to assassinate the queen if she had failed at any point to become part of her army? What if she'd ever been in a position where that would have threatened to have happened? Who knows, because she's never put there. And it's frustrating because there's so much more that could have been done, but no. She's the Perfect Warrior, and thus will not be defeated.
The lack of intensity in the sex scenes also arises from their shortness, but also from the fact that the characters don't seem to have any personality of their own (archetypes, remember?), and it's just boring. Give me more. Actually develop the relationship. It's not even instalove here, it's just shoving two people together when they have no chemistry and being like "now kiss". Does not work.
And, finally, the ending. Don't even get me talking about that ending. It's like this isn't actually a standalone book. Like maybe the author planned another. Well, you're not getting me with that hook. I'm out.
November 12, 2017
DNF at 28%
I had no idea what was going on. NONE. The writing style is weird and we are just thrown into this world with no explanation of anything.
It has a lovely cover with a fantastic queer world but it was putting me on a slump.
I had no idea what was going on. NONE. The writing style is weird and we are just thrown into this world with no explanation of anything.
It has a lovely cover with a fantastic queer world but it was putting me on a slump.
December 17, 2017
I absolutely adored this, it's one of my favourite reads of 2017 and has so much re-reading potential I'm already looking forward to reading this again
Might write a proper review in the future!
Might write a proper review in the future!
January 7, 2019
The author attacked rape victims. No amount of beautiful writing can redeem that
November 30, 2017
I loved the atmosphere and the slow pace. I couldn't quite picture the world, there weren't enough details about it but the imagery and descriptive prose created an atmosphere, a feeling, so strong it almost didn't matter to me. I'm left with lasting impressions of an icy, powerful queen and a beautiful, cold world here you have to be ruthless to survive.
Winterglass meshes sci-fi and fantasy - I'd say it's sci-fi at the core but it's based on a retelling of Snow White and the fantasy feel is very strong. It's so well combined that it wasn't until afterwards that I found myself wondering what genre it is. It's definitely original and inventive and brings something new to both genres.
The writing falls just short of (or goes a bit too far over) the beautiful, descriptive style the author seems to be aiming for. Edging just too far into complicated, it made it difficult for me to follow the story. It ends up in 'why use one word when you can use ten' territory and drops in so many unusual 'big' words that I found myself having to use the Kindle dictionary on nearly every page. I don't mind looking up words every so often but this was too excessive for me and interrupted my enjoyment of the story.
Near the end, I was struggling to concentrate enough to follow what was happening. I found myself reading other books as a break from the amount of brain power I had to use on this. I'm still not sure what the author was trying to do with the ending and I can't tell if the story is done or not. It's open-ended so a sequel is possible but it's also possible that the author intended the story to be done.
Nuanced, intricate stories where you have to work out for yourself the characters motivations might be your thing, if so I think Winterglass could easily be a four-star book for you. I appreciated the depth but I found it hard to follow and I couldn't grasp the reasons behind Nuawa's actions at the end. I also felt the use of so many fancy words came across as the author trying too hard to impress. For these reasons, I'm only giving three stars.
I received a free copy from the publisher in return for an honest review.
Winterglass meshes sci-fi and fantasy - I'd say it's sci-fi at the core but it's based on a retelling of Snow White and the fantasy feel is very strong. It's so well combined that it wasn't until afterwards that I found myself wondering what genre it is. It's definitely original and inventive and brings something new to both genres.
The writing falls just short of (or goes a bit too far over) the beautiful, descriptive style the author seems to be aiming for. Edging just too far into complicated, it made it difficult for me to follow the story. It ends up in 'why use one word when you can use ten' territory and drops in so many unusual 'big' words that I found myself having to use the Kindle dictionary on nearly every page. I don't mind looking up words every so often but this was too excessive for me and interrupted my enjoyment of the story.
Near the end, I was struggling to concentrate enough to follow what was happening. I found myself reading other books as a break from the amount of brain power I had to use on this. I'm still not sure what the author was trying to do with the ending and I can't tell if the story is done or not. It's open-ended so a sequel is possible but it's also possible that the author intended the story to be done.
Nuanced, intricate stories where you have to work out for yourself the characters motivations might be your thing, if so I think Winterglass could easily be a four-star book for you. I appreciated the depth but I found it hard to follow and I couldn't grasp the reasons behind Nuawa's actions at the end. I also felt the use of so many fancy words came across as the author trying too hard to impress. For these reasons, I'm only giving three stars.
I received a free copy from the publisher in return for an honest review.
April 2, 2018
I am really not certain how to review this book - it's unlike anything I've ever read before. The setting blurs the lines between sci-fi and fantasy in some really interesting and unusual ways, which kept me off-balance as I read. The world building is intricate, and lovingly conceived, but since you are thrown into the deep end and very little is ever explained it, again, left me feeling off-balance. It's a very slippery little book.
The writing is artful and lovely, and the imagery is striking and fresh. I also enjoyed how unapologetically queer it was. Yet, I could never quite connect to the story nor characters. I think it might be a case of me trying too hard to riddle out all the rules of the world when it was more like being emerged in dream-logic. You are bombarded with so many fascinating little pieces of setting, character, and mood, but they are rarely expanded upon (it is a novella after all). This is one of those reads that's going to be very appealing to people who can relax and float through the painting Sriduangkaew has rendered, but off-putting to people who want to examine and make sense of the canvass being used. It has a strong style, and I think overall this one is going to come down to whether or not it suits your particular tastes and reading style. I remain glad I read it, but still uncertain how I feel about it.
The writing is artful and lovely, and the imagery is striking and fresh. I also enjoyed how unapologetically queer it was. Yet, I could never quite connect to the story nor characters. I think it might be a case of me trying too hard to riddle out all the rules of the world when it was more like being emerged in dream-logic. You are bombarded with so many fascinating little pieces of setting, character, and mood, but they are rarely expanded upon (it is a novella after all). This is one of those reads that's going to be very appealing to people who can relax and float through the painting Sriduangkaew has rendered, but off-putting to people who want to examine and make sense of the canvass being used. It has a strong style, and I think overall this one is going to come down to whether or not it suits your particular tastes and reading style. I remain glad I read it, but still uncertain how I feel about it.
December 19, 2017
My first impressions of this book were very positive - Sriduangkaew has a knack for description and vivid prose, and her world-building is creative, original and intriguing. Her book is also unapologetically, matter-of-factly queer, which I appreciated.
Both main characters are complex and well-drawn, although some readers might find neither of them especially sympathetic (though this wasn't a problem for me) - there's an (appropriate!) lack of human warmth here. The ambiguious dance of their relationship is also compelling, even if their initial chemistry seems to come perhaps a little too quickly.
Although this is a retelling of the Snow Queen - monarch and mirror-shards both present - the plot quickly goes down entirely unfamiliar and subtler routes.
The prose is occasionally so dense with formal description that it can feel a little stiff, but this book's main fault is being only the first chapter of what's clearly intended to be a larger story - there's no closure here, only the setup for greater mysteries.
Both main characters are complex and well-drawn, although some readers might find neither of them especially sympathetic (though this wasn't a problem for me) - there's an (appropriate!) lack of human warmth here. The ambiguious dance of their relationship is also compelling, even if their initial chemistry seems to come perhaps a little too quickly.
Although this is a retelling of the Snow Queen - monarch and mirror-shards both present - the plot quickly goes down entirely unfamiliar and subtler routes.
The prose is occasionally so dense with formal description that it can feel a little stiff, but this book's main fault is being only the first chapter of what's clearly intended to be a larger story - there's no closure here, only the setup for greater mysteries.
March 29, 2019
Winterglass is the first book of the year that I have given 1 Star. So congratulations on that. I wasn't sure what I was going into when I picked it up, but my hopes weren't especially high because it's so thin. But I was not expecting the confusing/ boring/ uneventfulstory. Because there was only 114 pages I found that the more exciting parts of the book fell flat with no emotion or tension. There was too much description on matters that weren't important, while others which are INSANELY more interesting got the barest minimum of explanations. I also didn't love the romance in Winterglass - if it were taken out completely, there could have been a stronger plot. The sex seemed like it was put in just to keep the reader's attention through particularly slow pages.
Even though I'm curious about how it all ends, I don't think I'll force myself through the next book.
Even though I'm curious about how it all ends, I don't think I'll force myself through the next book.
Want to read
November 14, 2017Looking fw to this one, as I totally loved The Snow Queen as a child.
May 20, 2018
I loved the world building & the queer characters (so many non-binary characters, plus a lesbian lead). However, I was a little let down by the ending. I hope that there will be a sequel novella one day.
December 6, 2017
Muy chachi. La prosa es una pasada y todo es queer.
Read
January 22, 2022I am not reviewing the book, although it is well written. I had the misfortune of discovering, when I was almost done with this book, that this author also has at least two other internet personalities, or sockpuppets, "Winterfox" and "Requires Hate." And that under those fake identities, this author spent years spewing abuse, violence, racist and misogynistic thoughts, just pure vile and malicious hatred, at other authors. She stalked a rape victim online for months. Her harassment caused another author to attempt suicide. Google her name. I dare you.
I have read authors before, whom I've loved, and then discovered the real person behind the pen. I still struggle in dealing with Marion Zimmer Bradley, the beauty of the author and the abusiveness of the person.
Here, I am glad that I discovered the true nature of the author when I am only one book in. I will not read another book by this author.
I have read authors before, whom I've loved, and then discovered the real person behind the pen. I still struggle in dealing with Marion Zimmer Bradley, the beauty of the author and the abusiveness of the person.
Here, I am glad that I discovered the true nature of the author when I am only one book in. I will not read another book by this author.
May 28, 2021
Well, this was a shitshow.
1) This does not hold up as a standalone in any way.
2) the audioversion is so bad I only managed to get through it at 1.25 speed, I'll look up the narrator to avoid them like the plague in the future.
3) The worldbuilding was maybe promising, but the characters were cardboard cutouts that I couldn't care less about.
The queer representation was nice, but did not make drudging through this worth it, unfortunately.
1) This does not hold up as a standalone in any way.
2) the audioversion is so bad I only managed to get through it at 1.25 speed, I'll look up the narrator to avoid them like the plague in the future.
3) The worldbuilding was maybe promising, but the characters were cardboard cutouts that I couldn't care less about.
The queer representation was nice, but did not make drudging through this worth it, unfortunately.
December 20, 2017
There is some irony in "Winterglass" feeling like, of all things, a warm bath.
This retelling of "The Snow Queen" takes such care to describe in exquisite (yet never florid) detail the land of Sirapirat, from its architecture to its fruits to the clothes on its people's backs, that the experience of visiting Sriduangkaew's world is a sensuous one indeed. Lovers of captivating and succinct worldbuilding should find plenty to love here.
Main character Nuawa, a master duelist and extreme trauma survivor, finds herself in an arena wholly unknown to her as she decides to enter a special tournament with entry to the Queen's inner circle as a reward. Come to oversee the proceedings is General Lussadh, a woman from the province of Kemiraj with her own misgivings about her role in the glacial empire.
These women circle each other in a tense game of intrigue which the author ably relays in verbal jousting, pulse-pounding action and -- I can't deny it -- extremely hot lesbian romance. In fact, the whole cast is wonderfully queer to the extent I actually learned about pronouns I'd never heard of thanks to a certain Kemiraj assassin.
Pick up this novella if you're into wonderfully weird R-rated steampunk and I'm sure you'll have a (ghost-powered ice)blast.
This retelling of "The Snow Queen" takes such care to describe in exquisite (yet never florid) detail the land of Sirapirat, from its architecture to its fruits to the clothes on its people's backs, that the experience of visiting Sriduangkaew's world is a sensuous one indeed. Lovers of captivating and succinct worldbuilding should find plenty to love here.
Main character Nuawa, a master duelist and extreme trauma survivor, finds herself in an arena wholly unknown to her as she decides to enter a special tournament with entry to the Queen's inner circle as a reward. Come to oversee the proceedings is General Lussadh, a woman from the province of Kemiraj with her own misgivings about her role in the glacial empire.
These women circle each other in a tense game of intrigue which the author ably relays in verbal jousting, pulse-pounding action and -- I can't deny it -- extremely hot lesbian romance. In fact, the whole cast is wonderfully queer to the extent I actually learned about pronouns I'd never heard of thanks to a certain Kemiraj assassin.
Pick up this novella if you're into wonderfully weird R-rated steampunk and I'm sure you'll have a (ghost-powered ice)blast.
March 23, 2022
i'm still not entirely sure what's going on but alas
December 20, 2017
Full review posted here.
Thanks to Apex Book Company and Netgalley for the ARC to review.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I struggled with it for the first thirty pages as I acclimated to the setting and the style of writing, but then I found myself invested in both main characters. I knew they would likely end up working against each other and I wanted to see what would happen, especially as their relationships developed. The descriptive prose blew me away, and I loved that the story was set in a AU of Southeast-Asia.
My only complaint about the novella is that it feels unfinished. I expected the story to get further than it did based on the synopsis, and I hope there's a sequel in the works.
Thanks to Apex Book Company and Netgalley for the ARC to review.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I struggled with it for the first thirty pages as I acclimated to the setting and the style of writing, but then I found myself invested in both main characters. I knew they would likely end up working against each other and I wanted to see what would happen, especially as their relationships developed. The descriptive prose blew me away, and I loved that the story was set in a AU of Southeast-Asia.
My only complaint about the novella is that it feels unfinished. I expected the story to get further than it did based on the synopsis, and I hope there's a sequel in the works.
January 29, 2021
read a more grammatically correct and coherent version of this review on my blog!
Maybe I just don’t have enough brain cells to understand this book properly (there are no wrinkles up in my cranium, yo. Up there, it’s as smooth as the rolling sea), but I must say: Winterglass was rather difficult to dig through!
Maybe I just don’t have enough brain cells to understand this book properly (there are no wrinkles up in my cranium, yo. Up there, it’s as smooth as the rolling sea), but I must say: Winterglass was rather difficult to dig through!
October 15, 2019
A short read that is worth much more than the time you'll put into it. Sriduangkaew impressively creates worlds that feel bigger than the page, characters navigating risky and compromising positions, and sentences with punch that drive home descriptions. 5/5 would read one of the sex scenes on a crowded train again.
September 8, 2018
Entirely amazing. Read it for the gorgeous prose, for the excellent world-building, for the original retelling of the Snow Queen story, for the queerness (yay! non-binary representation). Just read it.
November 12, 2017
This book is mysterious and the writing is beautiful. However, I didn't care for the characters. They are so ruthless. This book just wasn't really for me.
August 12, 2019
Read in almost one sitting. It's that good.
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