User Profile

Unfortunately, the only thing that rescues this book is Franzen's skill with language. That the pacing is off and choice of an ending strange is the least of its issues. It's like he got bored with his commission gig and rushed the end. The book includes everything from misogyny to neolib white saviorism, ableism, fetishization of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx cultures, and insinuations of incest and pedophilia. If I remember "Freedom" correctly, Franzen loves his suburban family tragedies. Even if you do too, this one is NOT worth your time.

Jimenez does a phenomenal job at using an unusual mixed narration style (1st person plural, 2nd person singular, 3rd person limited) to draw the reader into a pan-Asian high fantasy depicting the fall of an empire tied to a queer romance and a family's legacy. Beautiful and immersive descriptions, easy to read, and captivating from beginning to end. Content warnings for depictions/descriptions of ableism, violence, gore, and incest.

Winman has a knack for vivid and sweeping descriptions. Nostalgic and beautiful if sometimes bordering on pastiche, the narration can be a bit self-indulgent in that "upper middle class American tourist in Europe" way. The main characters are easy to fall in love with though, and the prevalence and normalcy of queer relationships is refreshing. Content warnings for depictions/descriptions of war.