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A review by entazis
No Gods for Drowning by Hailey Piper
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First book of 2023 and it's this glorious story of blood, floods, sacrifice and hope.
The worldbuilding is very rich, the lore complex and the setting noir even though it's not our world. But it's refreshing to see a time that's not medieval or generic dnd, but instead the grayness and grit of old school noir movies. And the apocalyptic feel to it, the dark atmosphere of neverending floods, of knowing that monsters lurk in the sea and the constant dampness. Love it. Love the characters also. It was very easy to root for them even when they choose to do some very questionable things. In a world that's so rough, so harsh, there was place for vulnerability and tender love, both sapphic love and familial love. The book is a combination of different genres, mostly fantasy, but also a detective story and a bit of horror, and the way it blends together made for an interesting read. I was hooked from the beginning (that first chapter! awesome!). My only objection (a tiny one) is that I felt the ending was taking a bit too long, but otherwise I really have no complaints.
The audiobook is also amazing because Jodie Harris did such a great job narrating, giving us so many different voices and emotions. It was so easy to get lost in this world for hours.
The worldbuilding is very rich, the lore complex and the setting noir even though it's not our world. But it's refreshing to see a time that's not medieval or generic dnd, but instead the grayness and grit of old school noir movies. And the apocalyptic feel to it, the dark atmosphere of neverending floods, of knowing that monsters lurk in the sea and the constant dampness. Love it. Love the characters also. It was very easy to root for them even when they choose to do some very questionable things. In a world that's so rough, so harsh, there was place for vulnerability and tender love, both sapphic love and familial love. The book is a combination of different genres, mostly fantasy, but also a detective story and a bit of horror, and the way it blends together made for an interesting read. I was hooked from the beginning (that first chapter! awesome!). My only objection (a tiny one) is that I felt the ending was taking a bit too long, but otherwise I really have no complaints.
The audiobook is also amazing because Jodie Harris did such a great job narrating, giving us so many different voices and emotions. It was so easy to get lost in this world for hours.