ken_bookhermit's reviews
1289 reviews

I'm always a sucker for stories about fairy tales because of that one course I took on fairy tales and fantasy conventions. Every Heart a Doorway is spot on with the tropes in a non-conventional way that it was such a fun read, regardless of how short it was. It had darker vibes than The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, and less detailed. Almost expecting the reader to have some form of knowledge regarding fairy tales and its rules. More importantly for me, though, is the fact of Nancy's asexuality. How the author used the word for it, and made it enough of a big deal but did not make it the central part of Nancy's story. She just happened to be ace, and it was awesome.

Reading Medalon was hardly a struggle unlike the other fantasy novels I've tried to read. The characters are likeable while at the same time they bear the faults that make them realistic. I read a few reviews that describe R'shiel as a Mary Sue and I don't understand why (probably because I'm not misogynist) since she has a share of her faults. Sure, she has "unrealistic abilities" but this is fantasy and she's the Chosen One™ If she had been male, I'm sure people who label R'shiel as a Mary Sue won't have a problem with it. Tarja was more of a Mary Sue, being full human and yet having the stamina that rivals gods.

The pacing is brilliant. It's enough to keep me reading while not feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things that are happening all at once. However, by the middle of the book, the pattern of 'out of the fire, into the frying pan' became noticeable. It wouldn't have been a problem but there were hardly any moments of relaxation for R'shiel and her companions that I got stressed out for them.

World-building-wise, I found the centrality of religion to be interesting and while not quite unique, it was entertaining to read. Having the Harshini and the half-Harshini as the bridge that links humans to the gods is a fascinating concept that not only prevents the idea that humans are special snowflakes, but also gives another dimension for the universe (namely, information that the Sisters of the Blade tried to tamp down but is now failing to do so.)

The ending was a bit of a problem for me, but at the same time, I liked how it did not have a long winded denouement. The ending was abrupt and succinct and it was a good technique, especially if the author intends me to read the next book (which I will).

I didn't realise I would be really into this format of novel but it was so interesting and not as clunky as some prose-y SF/Fantasy books I've read recently. But oh man this book was really good. The characters were so interesting but of course the most enigmatic one that caught my attention was the nameless person. I enjoyed how he was really just "mush inside" and how he grew to care for the pilots.

BUT OH MAN. THAT ENDING THO.