these content warnings — the first in particular — are what’s keeping me from marking it as a rec — I feel like I can’t recommend it as wholeheartedly as I would like to. New Atlantis is profoundly fucked up, as a society, and Edwards doesn’t shy away from that. parts of this book are truly brutal, although — for me, at least — it never feels like narratively purposeless brutality, or brutality for the sake of being brutal.
*
nonetheless, I...unexepected loved this? I’d been on the fence about it; I have an increasingly ambivalent relationship with urban fantasy/fantasy narratives set on earth, and little to no interest in tarot. also it’s long. but finally my curiosity got the better of me and I decided, what the hell, why not.
holy shit.
I loved the characters, I loved the banter, the worldbuilding — while profoundly fucked up — was fascinating. the narrative itself was extremely engaging and, I thought, well-paced. there were ghouls, which is always a plus, and occasional experiences of embodying an inhuman force, which is also good. there were prophecies but without the weight — yet — of A Prophecy.
particular shoutout to...every single one of Rune’s reactions to seeing a hot guy, which were all extremely relatable; in particular, “I always felt a sharp sense of regret when I stared at a truly beautiful man.” he’s right and he should say it.
anyway, now I’m really looking forward to the second book; see you in a few weeks, The Hanged Man.
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