A postapocalyptic story without any escapism. Bleak and depressing, and sadly the most real-feeling take on the postapocalypse I've ever read or seen. Even still, the characters keep carrying the fire.

Sacred And Terrible Air by Robert Kurvitz

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Could've done with less sexualised descriptions of underaged characters and the anachronous order of events could've been less convoluted, but overall it was an enjoyable (if depressing) story about the fleeting nature of all things and people's (in)ability to let go of the past. All of that in one of the most interesting settings I've ever encountered in fiction.

After the world, the pale - after the pale, the world!

Content Warnings

Limberlost by Robbie Arnott

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emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Quite different from Arnott's first two novels - Limberlost is a moving slice of life story explored from several angles in time and space. There are no apparent instances of the fantastic as in Flames and The Rain Heron, but Arnott's prose is always infused with a sort of magic which makes even the mundane seem dream-like.

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bobo_smrad's reviews 89 reviews

bobo_smrad's reviews
89 reviews