NWil’s Reviews > The Traitor Baru Cormorant > Status Update

Oh God. That ilykari priestess is an agent of Falcrest??!! Oh God. Baru’s tribadism secret is known by the Republic! I wan die!

Heingyl Ri is manipulating Abel Latheman against Cattlson??? She’s part of the rebellion?? Truly Aurdwynn cannot be ruled!! My God. Cattlson was arrogant is his belief, at the beginning of the book, in his control of the dukes. They’re all just playing him! My God. Jaw on the floor. Also fucking Cartone!

Fucking Purity Cartone. He’s with the rebels! I cannot believe this shit. This book is going to kill me 😭

Fuck. Nayauru. Abeg. 😭

You can feel the book barreling toward its climax as the tensions change and the stakes increase. I’m quite anxious but I want to take my time and manage what is clearly gonna be a bloody climax.

In the final third, I think I’m leaning toward a 5* read. Even with some issues with pacing and emotive connection, Dickinson is such a great storyteller and has told a great story.

I really love the theory of the Traitor’s Qualm.

Because we’re in Baru’s POV, it’s easy to forget that the Empire is still made up of expert military tacticians. If Baru and company need the midlands to take treatymont but their company is too hungry and sick to be merciful to Nayauru’s people, they’ll lose on both ends and arrive weakened when facing them. This is an expert plan.

Small battle dem don do friendly fire, kill one of their own guys. Na wa.

“You have been given a permit of brotherhood, Baru Fisher, and you have no say in when they will revoke it, or why.”

She’s running up against the problem of misogyny. I’d like to see how Dickinson handles this.

“Aurdwynn would never rise to match Falcrest until the feudal nobility could be torn down.
It would be a better land if only it could be ruled sensibly.”

She wants to be emperor.