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FFS, really?

More characters and crazy made-up names and factions than even in The Goblin Emperor's Elflands

Fantastic interesting premise; WAY over-written. People love Ann Leckie, but woof.

Enae | Reet | Quen

CW, ch. 3: Quen

Ch. 3: I remember now why I shied away from Translation State. It's got a gruesome edge. Very gruesome.

trying this again

first books try to do too much

misogyny

The place (more or less) where I thought to ask if this was a first novel. It was. And it has all the problems a first novel has.

Ch. 27: more circular arguing.

End of Ch. 20: Unlikable Protagonist makes increasing & obvious mess of intimate partner relationship.

Ch. 20: long and pointless arguing. TL|DR they figure out that The Summoner is trying to create a Dickensian underworld which is pulling at The Street as it tries to come into being.

SKIP CHAPTER 18

I wonder if I need to read David Copperfield

Metaphor for living with mentally ill family member ?

some of the top rated low reviews complain that this is too obviously political or too derivative (of The Awakening ??) It's not that. The problem with When Women Were Dragons is that it's just not very well edited. Unlike crowd-pleasing genres like romantacy, books that deal with socially uncomfortable topics like misogyny can't afford to be poorly edited. The story has - in many ways - much to offer:

Oh no. this is just feeling sloppier and sloppier.

Oh no. Is this turning into The Time Traveler's Wife?

Oh - evidently - and the misogyny of everyone else.

1. Generously, this is a story about the misogyny of children. 2. Wondering if Barnhill will always use BC and AD.

also curious: decision to hire a boomer to narrate

This is curious as a product of 2022. My frustration with Girl Who Drank The Moon was that it felt a little facile: not as good or clever or insightful as I wanted it to be. And in hindsight, vibes vaguely appropriative. How will this one measure up.

Reading according to the rec from a friend. As a kind of good-faith favor, as it were.

Ch. 5: this has morphed into a low-key funny satire of academics/academia