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Book Review: Everfair by Nisi Shawl
Mar. 6th, 2017 01:13 amTitle: Everfair
Author: Nisi Shawl
Published: New York: Tor Books, 2016
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 380
Total Page Count: 207,565
Text Number: 632
Read Because: reading PoC, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: An alternate history in which a steampunk technological revolution changes the course of the Belgian colonization of the Congo. This is a clever, pointed use of steampunk; it's convincingly integrated into the historical setting and makes for a compelling reimagining. (The magical realist/fantasy elements aren't as successful—more on that in a moment.) Issues of race and nation-building are diverse and complicated, but never didactic; it's a promising and ambitious combination of premise and themes. But it would have worked better with a narrower focus or as a series. Cast and timescale are both huge, and the narrative is composed of vignettes that headhop between characters; too much action occurs offscreen, some elements (especially the fantasy/magical) go underdeveloped, and, as engaging as many of the characters and their relationships are, there's never enough time to develop emotional investment. This is an inspired but unsuccessful effort, and left me wanting.
Author: Nisi Shawl
Published: New York: Tor Books, 2016
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 380
Total Page Count: 207,565
Text Number: 632
Read Because: reading PoC, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: An alternate history in which a steampunk technological revolution changes the course of the Belgian colonization of the Congo. This is a clever, pointed use of steampunk; it's convincingly integrated into the historical setting and makes for a compelling reimagining. (The magical realist/fantasy elements aren't as successful—more on that in a moment.) Issues of race and nation-building are diverse and complicated, but never didactic; it's a promising and ambitious combination of premise and themes. But it would have worked better with a narrower focus or as a series. Cast and timescale are both huge, and the narrative is composed of vignettes that headhop between characters; too much action occurs offscreen, some elements (especially the fantasy/magical) go underdeveloped, and, as engaging as many of the characters and their relationships are, there's never enough time to develop emotional investment. This is an inspired but unsuccessful effort, and left me wanting.
