updated on second read: lowered score to 4 (from 4,75) because there were parts of the pacing and how quickly conflicts were resolved that just didn’t vibe with me. That said, the story itself is solid. Feels like it’s 60/40 romance to fantasy, and I think it would be better if there was a 50/50 balance. Some of the world building could go deeper, get more into the politics of it. Definitely excels in its characters and that’s what keeps you reading. 

A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE is one of my favorite things I’ve read all year, in a year where I’ve already read more than two hundred books. It might be my favorite arranged/political marriage book, if it’s not the winner it’s at least in good company. It’s instantly achieved the rank of my favorite fantasy book dealing with rape (a strange category to have, but as I make a podcast dealing with fictional depictions of trauma, an almost necessary category to be aware of).  If you’re uncomfortable with that content, please choose another book, with my best wishes, as this deals with the actual event and long aftermath of a (graphic but brief) sexual assault by someone who until very recently was the victim’s romantic partner. 

There are two major countries, one of which is barely shown but heavily felt (Ralia), and the other is where almost all of the story takes place (Tithena). That means the reader's main understanding of Ralia is through Velasin's recollections and Tithenai gossip. The story's focus on Velasin's arranged marriage to a man, combined with Ralian homophobia, means that most descriptions of Ralia are unflattering, focusing on much that Velasin was unable to freely do in his former country. Most of the story is set in Tithena, in or around Caethari's home (now Velasin's new home). This allows the opportunity for both the official Tithenian line and the reality to appear side by side in a way that doesn't happen for Ralia. It makes it clear that even though Tithena is more egalitarian in many respects, 

Velasin and his soon-to-be husband, Caethari, are the two narrators. I love Velasin and Caethari, both separately and together. However, unlike most books with dual narrators, this gives each narrator several chapters in a row before switching to the other. This helps with immersion into each man's perspective, and means that in this emotionally fraught story based on a colossal and nearly catastrophic misunderstanding, the reader doesn't get an immediate narrative resolution merely by switching to the other person. They're very different people, something which really gets to shine when Velasin gets more comfortable and begins turning his people skills and political mind to the mystery at hand.

We meet Velasin on the road, almost immediately reaching his father's home after fleeing his unfaithful partner (and accompanied by Markel, his servant and friend). Upon his arrival he's notified by his father of his impending arranged marriage to a Tithenai woman. Moments later his former partner arrives, having pursued him, then assaults him. After his father and the Tithenai envoy walk in on them (not understand that it was rape), the envoy offers him a marriage to a man instead. He accepts with as little consent as was involved in the former arrangement, and then travels to Tithena, where the rest of the plot unfolds. 

Markel is Velasin's servant and best friend. He's mute, using signs, writing, and other non-verbal signals to communicate with Velasin (and anyone else who'll learn). I like Markel, and he gets a lot of space in Velasin's thoughts, but not quite as much in the actual narrative (as he spends much of it recovering from a very serious injury). He's very important to the story, playing much more of a role before he's attacked and after he's mostly recovered. 

Caethari wasn't expecting to be the one getting married, since Ralia's endemic homophobia is well-known in Tithena. Tithenia as a country is so casually queer that saying it's more accepting of queerness than Ralia does a disservice in the comparison. It is not, however, free of other problems. Before Caethari can greet Velasin, the incoming party is attacked and their introduction is made under rather stressful circumstances.

The rest of the plot weaves together a series of strange and possibly politically-motivated attacks, investigations of the same, Velasin's internal struggles, Caethari's attempts to help, and many long conversations about cultural differences which range from extremely serious to mere curiosities. There's also the lingering threat that Velasin's attacker might pursue him further, a (not unfounded) worry which complicates his recovery. I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters, but I'm generally terrible with names and was still able to track most of what was happening. Much of the narrative is structured like a mystery, where they're trying to figure out the person or group behind the attacks and don't know who they can trust. This is interwoven with Velasin and Caethari getting to know each other, and Velasin's introductions to Caethari's family and a few other important persons. 

Read this for a kind of mystery story, full of political machinations, focused on recovery from trauma in a situation where bad things are still happening.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is told in both first (Vel) and second (Cae) person, swapping between the perspectives of the two man characters - Velasin and Caethari. Both of them are highborn men in a pseudo-medieval setting who are fairly educated, which is reflected in the writing style. This is especially apparent in Velasin's sections. The sentence structure and wording takes time to adjust too and may not work for some readers. It's important to note though, this a clear and deliberate choice by the author, not just bad writing. The style makes sense for the character even if it's a bit disorienting.

The novel as a whole takes place over a relatively short period of time and a lot happens within its pages. While I wish there were points where things slowed down and there was time to digest, I didn't think it was too over the top, and the progression of events made sense. I appreciated that the main characters were given a chance to somewhat (again, very short timeframe) organically find their way to each other instead of instalove. We get to enjoy those almost moments instead of diving in head first.

I thought motive behind the unravelling events was very interesting and I liked the way it played out. I also appreciated that there were real consequences for character's actions, which we don't always see.

I know that one major deterrent for some readers will be the r*pe scene early on. Reviews I've seen call it "extremely graphic" and make it seem very excessive, but I disagree with that.

It does play out on the page, but the emphasis is more specifically on the coercion of the main character and their feeling of helplessness at the hands of somebody they trusted. It talks about the conflicting signals between their body and their mind, as well as the humiliation of their body's reaction in the moment.

This is not something that happens just for a throwaway plot point to add drama. There is a genuine motivating factor and the character effected spends the rest of the book dealing with the trauma from it.

I would never advocate for someone to read something that makes them triggered or uncomfortable but I think it's important to shed light on the author's representation of the act, instead of immediately assuming the worst because of what it is. 

There's a lot to enjoy about this book! The worldbuilding is intricate and feels lived-in, and the primary characters are quite appealing. The plot, however, feels oddly stuck between a fantasy romance and a political fantasy, with the result that the pacing is uneven and bounces somewhat awkwardly between lulls and action. Most of the side characters feel under-developed -- which, again, would suit a fantasy romance just fine but undercuts (and makes pretty predictable) the political plotline. (It doesn't help that several functionary characters have names that are very similar, with just the same consonants arranged in slightly different orders). Overall, I enjoyed the read and the romance, but the book felt a little underbaked.

At times this is a very dark book, and definitely not for everyone, but ultimately it’s hopeful. And while I did have slightly difficulty with keeping the side characters names apart listening to the audiobook I absolutely loved the world building. I didn’t want to put this book down! I would definitely recommend this book if you like queer fantasy and are in the headspace for a dark but ultimately hopeful book. Do check the content warnings first though