Decadent writing and lush imagery
I’m afraid this book and I got off on the wrong foot. Otherwise how do you explain the fact that every review I’ve seen has been a gushing, five star review? This is How You Lose the Time War is exquisitely written, a poetic masterpiece created by two highly talented and seasoned writers. On one hand, I loved the interplay between not only the characters on the page, but the voices of Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar as they seamlessly weave together the story of Blue and Red. But honestly folks, this book was such a struggle for me to get into and I almost didn’t finish it. What should have easily been read in a day or two stretched into a week or more, because I kept putting it down to read something else. Simply put, you might need to be in the right frame of mind to read this.
But what I did learn, the more I got into the story, is that this novella isn’t about plot so much as emotions and atmosphere. The plot, in fact, is very basic, and I can tell it to you without giving anything away.
Red and Blue are two agents fighting on opposite sides of a time war. Red works for the Agency and Blue works for Garden, and throughout the years, bloody battles are fought with wins and losses on both sides. After one battle, Red finds a note that says “burn before reading,” a taunting challenge from Blue that Red gleefully accepts. And so the two begin a correspondence of the oddest kind, unique letters sent back and forth over the years and distance of the war, disguised so they won’t be detected. Because it turns out someone is shadowing their every move and knows about the forbidden letters. After all, two agents on opposite sides shouldn’t be writing letters to each other, should they?
The letters, which start out mocking, soon become confessional, emotion-filled notes, as Red and Blue begin to respect and eventually, fall in love with each other. But can their doomed relationship last? The Agency and Garden will not tolerate disobedience, let alone deception.
This novella is a treat for readers who love language, who want to roll it around on their tongues and savor the various meanings hidden in the sentences. If you love poetry, this can almost be read as one long poem, although that’s not the format it’s written in. As a work of art, it succeeds brilliantly. Without a doubt, This is How You Lose the Time War will be up for numerous genre awards next year, just wait and see.
But does it succeed as a piece of fiction, that is the question I’ve been asking myself. And I still haven’t decided. Clearly it has for lots of other readers, but I found it difficult to peel away the many layers of beautiful writing, clever sentences and stunning imagery to find the story underneath. I kept looking for hidden meanings but never found them. For example, what is the significance of "the Agency" and "Garden?" Were they meant to be metaphors for something I just couldn't grasp? Other reviewers have said things like "just go with it" and "don't worry about the plot," but I find that very hard to do. And the length was either too long or too short. I almost think it might have worked better as a short story, that a tighter, leaner narrative without all the dramatic and violent posturing of its main characters would force the writers to get to the point faster.
My favorite point in the story was the moment when a terrible decision must be made by one of the characters. It was a brilliant idea and beautifully written. It is at this point that the story becomes a love story. And I actually loved the ending. It was weird and complex and fit with the idea of two people moving up and down the strands of time.
But did I fall in love with it like so many other readers? I have to admit it was a unique reading experience, but unfortunately it won’t end up on my “best of the year” list in December. I envy all those readers who did fall in love with this story, but I’m just not feeling the emotions I was hoping to feel at the end. Ultimately, this is a book you’ll have to read for yourself and form your own opinion, and chances are, you’ll enjoy it more than I did.
But what I did learn, the more I got into the story, is that this novella isn’t about plot so much as emotions and atmosphere. The plot, in fact, is very basic, and I can tell it to you without giving anything away.
Red and Blue are two agents fighting on opposite sides of a time war. Red works for the Agency and Blue works for Garden, and throughout the years, bloody battles are fought with wins and losses on both sides. After one battle, Red finds a note that says “burn before reading,” a taunting challenge from Blue that Red gleefully accepts. And so the two begin a correspondence of the oddest kind, unique letters sent back and forth over the years and distance of the war, disguised so they won’t be detected. Because it turns out someone is shadowing their every move and knows about the forbidden letters. After all, two agents on opposite sides shouldn’t be writing letters to each other, should they?
The letters, which start out mocking, soon become confessional, emotion-filled notes, as Red and Blue begin to respect and eventually, fall in love with each other. But can their doomed relationship last? The Agency and Garden will not tolerate disobedience, let alone deception.
This novella is a treat for readers who love language, who want to roll it around on their tongues and savor the various meanings hidden in the sentences. If you love poetry, this can almost be read as one long poem, although that’s not the format it’s written in. As a work of art, it succeeds brilliantly. Without a doubt, This is How You Lose the Time War will be up for numerous genre awards next year, just wait and see.
But does it succeed as a piece of fiction, that is the question I’ve been asking myself. And I still haven’t decided. Clearly it has for lots of other readers, but I found it difficult to peel away the many layers of beautiful writing, clever sentences and stunning imagery to find the story underneath. I kept looking for hidden meanings but never found them. For example, what is the significance of "the Agency" and "Garden?" Were they meant to be metaphors for something I just couldn't grasp? Other reviewers have said things like "just go with it" and "don't worry about the plot," but I find that very hard to do. And the length was either too long or too short. I almost think it might have worked better as a short story, that a tighter, leaner narrative without all the dramatic and violent posturing of its main characters would force the writers to get to the point faster.
My favorite point in the story was the moment when a terrible decision must be made by one of the characters. It was a brilliant idea and beautifully written. It is at this point that the story becomes a love story. And I actually loved the ending. It was weird and complex and fit with the idea of two people moving up and down the strands of time.
But did I fall in love with it like so many other readers? I have to admit it was a unique reading experience, but unfortunately it won’t end up on my “best of the year” list in December. I envy all those readers who did fall in love with this story, but I’m just not feeling the emotions I was hoping to feel at the end. Ultimately, this is a book you’ll have to read for yourself and form your own opinion, and chances are, you’ll enjoy it more than I did.