Sylphrena

This is a compelling narrative with excellent prose and Kristen Atherton is a perfect narrative for the tone. I didn't hear much more than vampires when this book was recommended to me so I wasn't entirely prepared for the visceral nature of the emotional abuse depicted.

I quite dislike the primary cover, it looks like an Stephen King novel, this is probably my main complaint about the book. I'm a bit shallow about a good cover. Besides that, I found the sequence when the protagonist discovered how to kill vampires a bit ridiculous in that it was so heavily built up that I expected a novel method that wouldn't have been told in folk stories in our protagonist's village. It's a minor thing, but it brought me out of the weight of the rebellion in a disappointing way.

I do wish that S.T. Gibson had kept the gender of "you" more ambiguous, I think this would have been an exceptional choice to complement the point of view so central to the novel.

I don't share other reviewers complaints that the book was too drawn out, I think it fits exceptionally in the world to understand the depth of the relationship in relation to the abuse and their vampirism. It's long, I agree, it might put some off, but i think it adds strength.

This short story is not for me. I think it could be generously classified as smut and as a raging lesbian I don't wish to be hear the details of the sex between this man and his lovers. I'm glad the A Dowry of Blood wasn't so graphic, but besides that it was an acceptable epilogue.

This felt like the middle chapters of of a much better book. It's unique in premise, but doesn't have much going in plot.

Amanda Dolan was a great narrator and it was short enough to finish without much ado.

This felt quite slow for me in the middle, and I take this as a sign I should take a break from the series before jumping into the newer books in this universe. The ending is as satisfying as previous books, but something about the setting change and pace put me off (and down half a star).

I understand how this book might not be everyone's cup of tea, for it does waffle a lot on the worldbuilding and the politics of tea in the Radch. I like sci-fi that focuses on the politics of empire, so this continues to be right up my alley.

It also does rely somewhat on the scifi ship sensors in its crew to convey emotions of characters, which i point out as something that might bother others, but not myself. I think the quirks really work for me, I continue to enjoy the single gender language and be enthralled by the characters... this doesn't feel as driven towards the series plot as the first book, but I enjoyed it as much as the the pilot.