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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Bird King in Books

May 22, 2019

The Bird King

G. Willow Wilson | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

I have not yet read G. Willow Wilson's first novel, Alif the Unseen, but I really want to now, because this one was beautiful. I really enjoyed this story, watching Fatima mature through her travels and change from the sheltered Sultan's concubine/possession to become - well - what she becomes.

The Bird King is the story of Fatima, concubine, and Hassan, mapmaker, on the run from the Inquisition. They were both members of the house of the last Sultan in Iberia. When the Spanish (and the Inquisition) came to negotiate his surrender, one of their conditions was they wanted Hassan, because of the magic he used in his maps. Hassan has been Fatima's only real friend; he's the only man that wanted nothing from her, because he's gay and unmoved by her beauty. His sexuality has been largely ignored by the court; his maps were too important to the war effort, so it was tolerated and just not spoken of. When Fatima discovers the Sultan intends to turn Hassan over, she runs away with him. She has some unexpected help in her journey, which, along with Hassan's mapmaking, makes this a kind of magical realist historical fantasy novel. It's not really alternate history, because nobody's actions change how history plays out on a large scale.You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com

Kudos

Debbiereadsbook (1715 KP) rated Out Of The Penalty Box in Books

Feb 28, 2018

good, but not one for me.

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I struggled with this one. And here's why.

Aidan is, or has been, straight. Here, he is attracted to Christophe, who is gay. You'd expect a whole lotta more soul searching and questioning going on, but there isn't. Aidan just jumps almost straight away into bed with Christophe, after he first expresses his feeling for Aidan.

I know its only a short book, some 100 odd pages and you can only do so much in those pages, but I did not feel any sort of emotional attachment to Aidan, at all.

We also only get Aidan. Yes yes YES, I KNOW I say it often enough, but think I might have enjoyed it a little more had Christophe had a say too.

And, aside from that very first chapter, there isn't any hockey!

So, a nice book, but not one that grabbed me. An easy read, maybe a little too easy. Someone will LOVE this book, I have no doubt. And I might have at any other time, but it just landed in the queue at the wrong time.

Not my best review, but I'll plead illness and hope that someone will forgive me.

3 solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**