The Sun and The Void

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There's manatees. It was my favorite part. Them or Maior. I think her story is much more interesting than, for example, Eva’s. It’s a shame she’s just a side character. Actually, maybe sideline Eva entirely and make this Reina and Maior’s story? This is one of those books I’d probably rate higher had I read it way before the release date, imagining there’s enough time for trimming and polishing, but this is already out in the US and that doesn’t give me hope. The plot started to meander at some point, and it was ultimately very predictable. I’m left with questions I doubt there’ll be answers to and some anachronisms and questionable adjective choices left much to be desired in what was otherwise writing I actually enjoyed. I had zero emotional connection with any of the characters. Eva and Reina, our main characters, were incapable of the barest amount of critical thinking, and they read as frustrating, immature, unsympathetic characters to me. And speaking of characters, they are all quite well-developed for the most part and their journeys, albeit long, are astounding. Reina and Eva grow from such uncertain young woman to strong and powerful women skilled in combat (mostly Reina) and geomancia. With the exception of the aforementioned bishop, most of the side characters are well-developed as well, especially Javier whose future and relationship with Eva most interest me. Even Maior, an aid to Reina, has great development. Ursulina is also a great villain, such a cruel and calculating vieja. The characters are just great!

Physician, heal thyself! Because publishing is doing better. Really. Compare the selection of books we get now versus 10, 20, 30 years ago. Beautiful, diverse, interesting books come out every year. More and more care is put into representation, dissection, and discussion than ever before. Of course no piece of art is perfect, and of course there is always room for improvement, but that is the nature of art. Orbit US Editor Angeline Rodriguez bought North American rights from Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary in a two-book deal. I found that pivotal scenes were anticlimactic, except maybe the last bit. The story dragged in a lot of places. Part I has a lot of Eva and Reina bemoaning their fates and acceding to the demands of those around them. A year later, in Part II, it’s pretty much the same, until they are both compelled to leave their home and travel to the same location. Then it’s a bunch of unimportant scenes mixed in with the traveling. Parties and meals feel like filler because nothing significant happens. Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries to be the perfect daughter, but Eva is hiding a secret: Magic calls to her. you. If you'd like to get the latest publication news, special editions, events and more, please update your preferences below.The author has interesting ways of describing things. Sunlight is spicy, gazes and dresses "surf." Overall the writing is fine. “He’s got another think coming” did make me laugh, not sure if it’s a typo? Also Javier asks if Celeste attempted to "troubleshoot" something, a word that comes from working on phone lines, something that doesn't exist in this world. Thought that was weird. Romero Lacruz excels in her enchanting world building, with lush descriptions of beautiful landscapes and vivid depictions of folklore and traditions with a hint of realism (aguinaldos and arepas are real, after all). Fans of N.K. Jemisin, Tomi Adeyemi, and Nisi Shawl will appreciate this fresh voice in fiction, especially when it comes to its commentary on colonialism, strong female characters, and the intricacies of magic used for good and evil.” ―Booklist I received a copy of this lush, slowburn, literary south american fantasy from daphne press. absolutely gorgeous edition, and you can tell the love that went into both the writing (including the almost Malazan levels of worldbuilding + unusual 'geomancia' magic system + quiet sapphic romance arc) and the production of the book itself, as an art object. Side note: I'm glad to see this trend of beautiful books returning so strong in the UK. It seemed like the author used a thesaurus to change up her words rather than just writing ~naturally~ or whatever. Or maybe English isn't her first language. Which, major respect for writing this long ass book in your non-native language. But I'm sorry, it's still not good though. 😬

Set in a beautiful and engaging world with fascinating characters and even more fascinating magic, The Sun and the Voidis an excellent addition to any fantasy reader's collection." World building: I really liked the world and the magic system. I think the author did a fantastic job describing the world, especially the plant and wildlife. After looking up some of the plants, I got really clear pictures in my mind of the setting. And it was new and fresh because you don't see many epic fantasies in settings inspired by South America.It was a curse, not a blessing, that I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. 😔 I loved the premise set out in the blurb, but the execution was unfortunately terrible. If I hadn't received my copy as an e-arc, I would've dnf'd, but I felt compelled to finish out of guilt. The frequent focus on food descriptions also became bothersome, as characters seemed to eat excessively, and the incessant details about their meals grew tiresome. Moreover, the dialogue felt unnatural, as if the characters were merely serving the plot rather than engaging in authentic conversations. No. Please Google the Habsburgs, most European monarchies, and British Gothic fiction before saying crap like that. I did genuinely enjoy the South American-inspired setting. That's the star in my one-star rating. It's always refreshing to see a fantasy book not set in Europe. In the first chapter, one of the main characters is almost killed while being chased, but I found myself completely apathetic towards her fate. The book tries to create a sense of urgency and emotional investment, but it fails to establish any reason for me to care about the characters in the first place. The book tells us about character relationships without adequately showing them, leaving me with nothing to empathize or connect with.

I never got a sense of what they could actually do with the magic or what connection is between metal and the gods that give them power. Overall, there's nothing positive or praiseworthy to say about the writing. Reading the words became physically uncomfortable, as they strained my eyes and made it impossible to continue without frustration. The author mentions a sapphic romance in her promotion of this book, but the actual romance is very minor. This is more of a political story than a romance story. Do not go into this expecting a significant romance, or you will likely be disappointed.Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet it’s hard to ignore power when it has always been denied you. Eva is walking a dangerous path. And in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined.

Over and over, across the past couple of years, I've observed with distaste the feeding frenzy of pompous negativity surrounding bipoc queer debut books. Over and over I see folks say, "Publishing, do better!" An enthralling new world of gods and monsters...This ambitious, thrilling series opener pulses with vitality and imagination.”— Shelf Awareness

Eva has had a very different upbringing in a noble family, but she's also an outcast as she's half-Valco, a dying race who are also shunned despite their 'seemingly' superior qualities to Humans. She hates her life and wishes she could just escape all the shame and learn magic properly, but magic is looked down on by most of society. I also didn't really jive with Eva, although I think her story was a little more relatable at first. She's also very ignorant of the wider world and the consequences her choices might have, and I did find her quite rash at times. Thank you NetGalley for approving me for a eARC in exchange for a honest review. This was an impressive debut fantasy novel. I was impressed with the world building and the intricately woven politics of the book. I loved the chapter titles and artwork. I would’ve even loved to see more of it throughout the book, as the story lends itself to artwork. Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries her best to be perfect and to hide her oddities. But Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her.