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chloefrizzle 's review for:
City of Last Chances
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
This book reads like a collection of interconnected short stories. Each chapter, we are jumping POV to a different denizen of the city with fingers in different pies. As the book continues, the stories become more interconnected and we get repeats of the same characters.
(Yes, I know that what I'm describing is just a multi-POV novel. However, it really does feel like each chapter is a short story, and I think that's the correct expectation to have. If you're expecting a novel, you're probably going to be disappointed. If you're expecting a collecting of highly interconnected short stories, you might just have a great time.)
I would expect fans of Malazan to have a blast with this book.
City of Last Chances is a portrait of a magical and political city. It's a melting pot of cultures, including freshly-arrived invaders. There are districts under different curses, and bars that have portals to other realms in the back. It's a story about impossible quests, cultural identity, duty, and faith.
This book made me laugh several times. It's delightfully witty.
In the beginning, I really struggled with this book. The disconnect between each chapter/short story made it impossible for me to engage with the plot. However, I then made a decision that changed it all around. I chose a character, and searched the ebook for chapters featuring that character. I read those chapters, following a somewhat cohesive plotline that circled that character. And then I chose another character, until I had crossed all of the chapters off the list. If you're not loving the book, I would recommend trying out this reading order.
Here's some of my suggested characters to follow. Just start with whomever you're most intrigued by.
HELLGRAM (Jem's Reasons for Leaving, The Hospitality of the Varatsins, Ruslav in the Teeth, Breaking Things, Hellgram's War, Unity and Division, Resurrections).
YASNIC (Yasnic's Relationship With God, Nihilostes Loses A Convert, Conservations About God, Price of Rope, Drinking Alone, The Apostate, Port to Nowhere, Another Round).
RUSLAV (Ruslav in Love Again, Ruslav's Master's Voice, Jem's Reasons for Leaving, Hospitality of the Varatsins, Ruslav in the Teeth, Nihilostes Loses A Convert, Chains, Price of Rope, Wings, The Bitter Sisters, The Dousing, Resurrections, Another Round).
A video review including this book will appear on my channel in the coming weeks, at https://youtube.com/chloefrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
(Yes, I know that what I'm describing is just a multi-POV novel. However, it really does feel like each chapter is a short story, and I think that's the correct expectation to have. If you're expecting a novel, you're probably going to be disappointed. If you're expecting a collecting of highly interconnected short stories, you might just have a great time.)
I would expect fans of Malazan to have a blast with this book.
City of Last Chances is a portrait of a magical and political city. It's a melting pot of cultures, including freshly-arrived invaders. There are districts under different curses, and bars that have portals to other realms in the back. It's a story about impossible quests, cultural identity, duty, and faith.
This book made me laugh several times. It's delightfully witty.
In the beginning, I really struggled with this book. The disconnect between each chapter/short story made it impossible for me to engage with the plot. However, I then made a decision that changed it all around. I chose a character, and searched the ebook for chapters featuring that character. I read those chapters, following a somewhat cohesive plotline that circled that character. And then I chose another character, until I had crossed all of the chapters off the list. If you're not loving the book, I would recommend trying out this reading order.
Here's some of my suggested characters to follow. Just start with whomever you're most intrigued by.
HELLGRAM (Jem's Reasons for Leaving, The Hospitality of the Varatsins, Ruslav in the Teeth, Breaking Things, Hellgram's War, Unity and Division, Resurrections).
YASNIC (Yasnic's Relationship With God, Nihilostes Loses A Convert, Conservations About God, Price of Rope, Drinking Alone, The Apostate, Port to Nowhere, Another Round).
RUSLAV (Ruslav in Love Again, Ruslav's Master's Voice, Jem's Reasons for Leaving, Hospitality of the Varatsins, Ruslav in the Teeth, Nihilostes Loses A Convert, Chains, Price of Rope, Wings, The Bitter Sisters, The Dousing, Resurrections, Another Round).
A video review including this book will appear on my channel in the coming weeks, at https://youtube.com/chloefrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.