The Traitor Baru Cormorant (Spoiler Free) | REVIEW

[@MrOpotamus]

Just finished this today, and I shared a lot of your feelings. The prose felt opaque and made it hard for me to feel like I was living in this world. Still, I'm curious to see what happens next, so I'll keep reading.

[@arcticsprendogs4311]

I listened to the audiobook of this book and really liked it. Unfortunately though, I did find myself losing track of things that were going on, so I would recommend reading rather than listening. I’m excited for the next one though!

[@SuperHappyNotMerry]

This book was on sale in the Kindle store a while ago and I was thinking of buying it but if you found it dry then I probably will as well. I might still read it sometime in the future but it's not on the top of my tbr anymore. Great review!

[@Lezpez1408]

I honestly had similar feelings about this book- especially how dry it was. I do think we’re supposed to see the big political machinations coming so that wasn’t as big a problem for me, but the book really dragged for me and I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue either. However I did end up getting the second book and really liking it! There’s a much smaller cast of characters so you do get more development there, as well as some more potentially magical elements.

[@Thatdumbgremlin]

Never heard of the book, but that scarf tho. 👍👍😀

[@kittymachine3798]

What a relief, I'm not the only one!!!!! This book had everything I needed to be wildly in love, except I wasn't. The density and complexity didn't bother me at all, it was a lack of spark. You mentioned things like the battle scenes being kind of boring. Yeah, they kinda were. When I think of how utterly thrilling and cinematic Brandon Sanderson's battle scenes are, I know it's not the content, it's the style that failed. I kinda want to lament about some of the big twists and reveals but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

[@ToddsBookTube91]

Nice quick review

[@nerditthisway1375]

It's on my TBR, and I was unsure about how I would feel about it. Thanks for the review

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Thanks for this review. This has been on my tbr for a while now and I'll definitely keep your thoughts in mind when I start it. Funnily enough the premise sounds kinda similar to my book coming out 1 April called Delphine Descends. I'd love for you to review it and get your thoughts. 🙃

[@biancareads]

I’ve read both this and the sequel and it’s been a while since I’ve read the first book but I remember pretty similar things. I found it pretty dense and it took me a long time to get through (though I attributed this half to being busy and half to the denseness) but I was really attached to Baru, Taranoke and Tain Hu. I didn’t really understand the masquerade (I don’t think you’re supposed to?), and I didn’t see the end coming while seeing it coming at the same time. More an “oh no they’re not gonna do that are they??? *sobs*”. And it was mainly my attachment to the ending that made me pick up book 2. And I will just say that book 2 is FASTER. by far. I think more actually happens close up rather than at a distance, and it really has a focus on different religious systems and the problems of colonialism. I don’t know if it’s because I live in a country that really has felt the effect of colonialism, especially on our indigenous population, but those themes really resonated with me. So yeah I think book 2 really pulled more close in to the story and balanced those aspects better than the first :) not that I really care if you continue with the series or not Hahahaha

[@safinan8008]

Hi thank u for the book review!! Happy reading to u!! 📖😄🥳

[@BookloverMichie]

I like when you review books I have never seen the cover of or heard anything about., 👍

[@liviamartin3641]

MICHELLE B same!

[@theinkedpath9631]

Hi Sam!! Wow this has a lot of ticks for me (political, cunning character, opposing societies, revenge) but I can feel the slow and not connecting aspect that you highlighted can be frustrating for me. I find that when you create a world, a society, it is very easily to miss on the pace or the way of explaining the elements of this new world that the characters live in...and when this is not done well, I tend to get lost. And as aspiring writer it is really hard to get it right. However, thanks for doing the review...I was very curious about this book

[@Abstractreference260]

Have you read the prince of nothing series by scott bakker

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

nope

[@Abstractreference260]

@@ThoughtsOnTomes its a really interesting take on epic fantasy...one of the most sophisticated deconstruction's of the chosen one trope it is criminally underrated. Would love to hear your thoughts on it

[@kayleighnicgearailt7335]

I've been humming and hawing about this book recently. I love political intrigue in fantasy, but I also love The Tigers Daughter so......

[@mightymyax5108]

Wait I’ve loved both of those books👀 do you have any recommendations?

[@ashm2454]

omg I couldnt wait for you to review this! The wikipedia esque ness took me out of the story and I didnt really connect with the characters. I should love this, its a lady love story and a critique on colonialism but the writingggg. I wanted to love this but couldnt

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

exactly my thoughts

[@rdpa4019]

This sounds like Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. Dense, plenty of moving pieces, fantasy, political as fuck, you have no idea what’s happening and there’s no explanation

[@amyr3293]

I’m always drawn to politics and manipulation in books but I’ve not read this yet because I have been worried it would be too dry and boring. I need to be connected to the characters to care about politics.

[@arlenelewis1908]

Totally disagreed with weach point you made. By the end I hated the protagonist and declared I am so upset I will never read the other two books. After I calmed down I realized how the author had me so invested. I was blindsided at the end. The characters? Who knows who they really are and what they are capable of? You were meant to feel that. It was the recurring theme of the book.i knew what they wore what color their skin, how they wore their hair. The descriptions were there. I loved the subtle way the masquerade took over countries without war. Made me think of US foreign relations. Any author who can make me detail Baru and want to throw the book accross the room is a powerful writer. So later I thought - well done. Now I will read the next book. Excellent writing. It is a very cerebral book. By that I mean one needs to understand, foresee strategies and adapt when they go wrong. I gave this book 5 out of 5 for twisting me around so many times without foreseeing the books end. How YOU did, I cannot figure. Highly recommend this book for thinkers and those who like strategies. Or super surprise endings.

[@sayalisadh4202]

She hasn't read this book, who's gonna tell her that we know? Just browsing through Wikipedia and reading other people's reviews doesn't make you a reader. She doesn't even talk about the book much, only how other people felt about it and how the genre is not for these kind of people or it is for those kind of people.. Nope, nothing!

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

um.... what? lol I definitely did read it, just didn't like it. accusing someone of not reading a book because you disagree with them is..... very weird.

[@sayalisadh4202]

@@ThoughtsOnTomes if you can't take criticism, just turn off the comments and if you read carefully, I am saying your style of reviewing is bad, you don't give much information, and most of what you say is from Wikipedia, other review blogs and videos. If I am seeking a review, I should get a review. If you tell me, "if you don't like it, you should've stopped the video." Then, your channel will fall if you don't give thought to what a viewer says.

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

​@@sayalisadh4202 my 60k subscribers say otherwise about my channel "falling", bestie. you sound very.... pressed. maybe take a break from the internet.

[@TheFlowerbeast]

You OK? Have you met your therapist today?

[@sayalisadh4202]

@@TheFlowerbeast Yeah, I did. Thank you for your concern. 😘