I haven't read anything in Yang's Tensorate series before this, but I found this book (and the other novella that's paired with it) on the shelves of the local library, and the covers were so pretty I had to pick them up. I note that that beautiful cover has a quote from The New York Times that calls the book "joyously wild," but as far as I'm concerned there's precious little joy here. This is more tragedy than anything else.

It's beautifully written tragedy, I do admit, and I appreciate that the novella format has shaped the story, with chapters linked to specific years in the life of the protagonists, rather than a great epic sweep of detail that, frankly, I can often do without in fantasy. This is an epic fantasy story in bite-sized form, and Yang's done a really admirable job shaping the story so that the genre isn't constrained by the length. It's well-considered and clever, and I enjoyed the world-building. I was, in fact, all set to give this four stars, until it got to the end. Now, I'm not saying the end here isn't a valid choice, and I'm sure it does resonate with some people... but this particular choice is one of my pet hates in fiction, and even an author as clever as Yang can't make me like it. Some people are monsters, and they seed death and destruction on everyone around them, and if you have the chance to rid the world of their murderous presence and don't take it, because you fear the effect such a taking will have on your heart or soul or whatever... suck it up, you whiny bitch! I'm sorry, but when your hideous mother is responsible for the mass murder and torture of the people around her, and you have the chance to stop her and don't... you're partially responsible for every awful thing she'll do in the future, and I don't care if you worry killing her will define your character forever. I especially don't care if you don't even bother to consider the unending misery she will inflict on others in the future because of your idiot decision.

Akeha wussed out in the end, and I do not admire him for it.