Why this is a perfect novel

[@jaydee_augustine]

This is my comfort book. I re-read it a lot, and it still makes me cry.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Omg yessssss 😭

[@tomjohnson4462]

same

[@tomjohnson4462]

The blue name wrote blue, and the red name wrote red, the author spoke about it on goodreads. The whole, I am yours letter where one practically gave their life over to the other gave me chills.

[@MarcelleLeiturasPreguicosas]

I love people loving this book

[@ariannefowler455]

You've sold me! On Goodreads, Amal El-Mohtar said she wrote the blue and Max wrote the red. Interesting. She also links interviews (2 print interviews and one video) of them talking about their writing process. I'll read/watch them once i read the book.

[@leenakoponen5156]

Ah this book, it only gets better on rereading. The audiobook was also beautifully narrated.

[@thalita.carvalho]

Finally someone who agrees with me on this book. I've watched so many reviews of people trashing it because they couldn't understand it, they said it was difficult to read and made no sense. I mean, seriously? What have you been reading that you can't get a science fiction book that simply thrusts you into this universe and tells you a great love story? I've watched a review that the person said she couldn't even see the love story in the book. I was beginning to think I was crazy to believe this book to be absolutely genius. Thank you for making this video and validating my understanding of this book.

[@scal2025]

From what I've heard, you're absolutely right about the way the book was written - the authors sketched out the broad strokes, then one of them wrote as Red and the other one wrote as Blue (can't remember off the top of my head which author wrote which character)

[@user-cl6jp5vj1g]

gladstone wrote red; el mohtar wrote blue :)

[@zachreads]

Roses are Red Violets are Blue Intergalactic War leaves mountains of nameless dead Their love is all-consuming, pure and true This reminded me of one of the short stories in Angry Candy by Harlan Ellison, I think it was titled "On the Slab" but I don't remember exactly

[@a.g.7257]

So, I was thinking while reading this that despite the red and blue and all the imagery invoked, there was not a single purple metaphor! Only a single reminisce by Blue: the blue water and the red sunset above it. And then I had a realisation: wasn’t the entire thing written in purplish prose???? The two of their hues written in the words themselves as a mirror to the way their love was woven inside the threads of the universe they were braiding themselves. GOD, this was amazing. So lovely. Love your review.

[@arlyssstewart3040]

There is a joke in one of the letters (I am guessing blue's) about their prose going purple after a particular blatant example

[@PirateQueen1720]

This is the first time I finished a book, put it down...and then immediately read it again, so that I could enjoy the planting and payoff now that I knew what it meant!

[@groofay]

I'm only now about halfway through my first read of this book, and I am impossibly smitten. These characters are so ridiculously human and I love them both entirely. And it's only been about 100 pages. I don't want to finish reading this.

[@Kelpyinkpot]

I absolutely love this novel. I read it last winter and it kept me warm.

[@manoeksbooknook]

This is one of my all time favourite books and now I want to reread it

[@SPF500]

This book made me actually physically gasp at the romance of it all. It's fantastic

[@cocolecoquelicot9479]

I read it for the first time in 2020, I cried, and it's now my favourite book. It's perfect!!!

[@lindseylayton8420]

I have always enjoyed your channel, but didn't know you have a patreon until now. I really align with your reading tastes and your takes on literature, always weaving books like this into my TBR. I also really admire your energy and look forward to your videos. So I am your newest patron!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Thank you so much!!

[@cassandrahaymanfugal6337]

I do not like time travel novels and this was in my top 5 of 2022. It is amazing.

[@isirlasplace91]

I had to rewatch your review of this book because I read it today and it made this aro heart absolutely melt!! What a beautiful story!!

[@sarahwallace2585]

I adored this gorgeous little novel!!

[@theyoungfool.1895]

We getting some Sci-fi? noice.

[@peaamli]

We've just read this novel for class (midlife MFA'er here) and I 'missed the magic' on the first attempt and then was totally won over second time through, which by the way was via the audiobook, beautifully narrated as someone else has said, and in which it's basically impossible to miss how gorgeous and lyrical the language is, and how well the letters modulate and intensify through the course of the story. Thanks for this lovely review and I really do

[@zenli1407]

I read this a while ago and really liked it. wish more people knew about the book

[@asterismos5451]

YES I LOVE THIS BOOK

[@jadegecko]

The green lantern fist sounds like some prime superhero comedy. Our humble protagonist is mysteriously gifted the power to create anything he can imagine. But he's not very imaginative, so all he ever pictures is a big dumb fist to smash things with (i'm so glad this book is finally getting the attention it deserves)

[@vitoriar8753]

this is my favorite book of 2022!!! so much beneath the surface with this one. i annotated the shit out of it 🥴🥴

[@ninaandsimone3854]

amazing video, i love this book so much

[@rickysrockinreviews]

So what album is perfect?

[@sylviakanel9766]

❤What a compelling recommendation. Thank you! How can I not read this after that review!?!❤

[@lemon8283]

Lovely video! I absolutely adore this book, though it was a bit confusing while I read it since I’m still fairly new to the sci-fi genre. I wanted to mention that right now there is a Trans book/author readathon going on in the bookish community! On the week of the 20th of March, people will be reading as many books by trans authors or with trans rep in them as they can and pledging donations to causes that help trans people- specifically in the U.S. right now. If you want some recommendations for this, here they are (also lots more under the transreadathon hashtag): Specifically books that include trans rep: Hell followed with us, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Cemetery Boys, The T in LGBT, and Felix Ever After! Overall queer rep: Our Wives Under the Sea, Priory of the Orange Tree (and it’s sequel), We Have Always Been Here, Swimming in the Dark, Call Me By Your Name, This is How You Lose a Time War (of course), The Binding, The Drowning Empire trilogy, She Who Became the Sun (and it’s sequel coming out in August!!), The Starless Sea, These Violent Delights, The Jasmine Throne, Six of Crows, Song of Achilles, Heartstopper, It Came From the Closet, and Red, White, and Royal Blue. Wow that was a lot to type lol that’s all folks! Have a wonderful day ❤️🏳️‍⚧️

[@ChainsawCheese]

Sold! Added to list.

[@christinab5778]

I can’t lie, I didn’t vibe with this one at all. I found the love letters to reflect more infatuation and longing than true love, which is fine, but it just read like teenagers writing overly verbose and sappy notes to each other in a way that I couldn’t take seriously or care about. And the characters were really flat for me so that I wasn’t particularly rooting for either of them. But I’m glad you liked it and it’s always nice to see that someone got something out of a book that I didn’t-maybe I’m not romantic enough for this.

[@WeeLassReacts]

I got it, read the first chapter, was so lost and clueless as to what was actually happening and going on that I put it down and didn't pick it back up again. It made me feel stupid reading it 😅 does it get easier to follow, or is it maybe just not for me?

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I totally get what you mean and it really does chill out after chapter one :)

[@jadegecko]

@WeeLassReacts As somebody who watches your channel, give it another go, it's totally worth it

[@arlyssstewart3040]

The audiobook is excellent, I got it through my library. There are some things the authors describe off handedly they want you to let go off; they want you to feel that Blue & Red's understanding of time and technology is beyond our comprehension. They use some technobable to obscure the details of the traversal of times braids and the war. I think they wanted the only thing that truly made sense to be the relationship between red and blue, even when they themselves are in many ways immortal and inhuman. The authors aren't trying to be smarter they are trying to keep the focus of their short novella where it matters. That being said if you hate the feeling that you read an inside joke and didn't get it then it may be a pass. I know this is comment ridiculously untimely. I just like the story and read it recently. Intended with love

[@LeCube2047]

Is this SEO driven content? I ask because the past 2 reviews were the books I read when I wanted to read more a science-fiction. “Annihilation” was the first book and “This is How You Lose the Time War” was the second. The third book was “How high we go in the dark” which is when I found your channel. 👍

[@LeCube2047]

I’ll go sun to your Patreon.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

It’s not SEO-driven, necessarily, just the algorithm knowing that you like sci-fi. But I’m glad you found my stuff and enjoy it!

[@badger-1984]

I really wanted to like this one. The prose was beautiful and I enjoyed the way the world building was done but something about it didn't click for me

[@tweegerm]

I'm with you! It's funny to see such an effusive review and completely disagree. I'd categorise Time War as a flawed beauty. Love its ambition - absolute shotgun blast of emotions and ideas - and a lot of it lands, but its also frequently overwritten in my opinion. Too much of a rich dessert. Still ended up listening to hours of interviews from the authors though.

[@audreyfisher673]

This is a perfect video

[@linzihan]

girl omg this is the sign i wanted to pick up this book again

[@overtonwindowshopper]

This book was so aggressively mid and the writing is so so cringe. I guess this is written for Marvel consumers which I am not 😊

[@WillowTalksBooks]

LMAO look at you, waltzing in here, swishing your cape, tipping your fedora, and telling strangers on the internet that you are so much smarter and more cultured than they are, actually. Can’t wait for you to tell us what other tawdry forms of literature are far beneath you as you twirl your cane and twiddle your moustache.