A review by lizshayne
Tasmakat by Rachel Neumeier

challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

So this is basically my definition of what epic fantasy ought to be - the characters are front and center, the worldbuilding is both extremely detailed and does not make scientific or logical sense, the real world mythological roots are not too intrusive into the story, and I don’t have to deal with too many people’s point of view. 
Oh and also there’s a real ethical dilemma at the heart of the story that is not about people being terrible, but about trying to do good against impossible odds. I really needed it.