 Disobedience is a powerful exploration of individual and communal identities and the places in which those two concepts both converge and diverge. A reader's reaction to this novel will likely be heavily influenced by expectation, so that's what I'll focus my review on.
WHAT TO EXPECT * Flowing, well-written prose that examines the inner thoughts, experiences, and perceptions of the three main characters. Alderman occasionally lingers too long on a particular theme or thought, even for literary fiction. This is easily forgiven, however, when you pay her credit for the beautiful and effective symbolism, the brilliant dialogue, and evocative sensory imagery. * A confronting and important commentary about the role/s played by organised religion in the lives of individuals, families, and villages. This commentary respects religion in many ways, but it may also offend those who do not wish to see tradition or religion questioned - showing where belief can become distorted by humanity's hubris. For me, as an agnostic who enjoys learning about religions from a social and cultural standpoint (not to follow or believe them), this novel was enjoyable, fascinating, and thought-provoking. WHAT NOT TO EXPECT * A 'lesfic' romance. The world of lesbian fiction is diversifying but, in my experience, the majority of readers tend to expect a romance that ends happily, a love affair that can overcome absolutely every challenge thrown at the couple, and which takes up the majority of the book in terms of word count. For those readers, this book will disappoint and frustrate them. 'Disobedience' is a literary fiction that focuses on religion, sexuality, and individuality. It is not a lesbian romance and the romantic connection between Esti and Ronit is not the focus of the book. It is part of the landscape, it is important, but it is not the central component. The new cover for the book, inspired by a film that clearly differs from the book (even what we see of Dovid in the trailer is completely different to the kind-hearted, sympathetic, patient man we get to know in the book) won't help things in regard to setting readers up with false expectations. Spoiler ahead (I allude to the ending, though don't directly spell it out)... # # # # * Also not to expect: A neat, happily-ever-after ending. With the film being released soon, there's been much discussion of the book's ending. I don't think the ending if all that awful, it actually makes a lot of sense because Esti is very much a devout Orthodox Jew. Her inner-thoughts show us, all the way through, how much her faith means to her (such as her worrying about breaking the rules of Shabbat). She is, however, released/freed in many ways, as is Ronit. The powerful use of symbolism makes it clear that both women, and their dear friend Dovid, become much more comfortable with their own lives and their own choices by the end of the book. It's a character piece in which everyone experiences growth. But if you want a story that is tied up with a neat bow at the end, this won't be for you. Overall, I'm really glad I read 'Disobedience'. I'm such a big fan of books where sexuality is part of the landscape rather than the driving force of the plot. Ronit isn't sent away from her hometown, she just floats farther and farther from orthodoxy - and it isn't even because of her sexuality (which the film seems to be suggesting with the trailer) but rather her generally disquiet spirit. Anything that explores religion with a critical (but not TOO critical) eye is worth reading, in my opinion. REVIEWED BY REBECCA
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 Genre: military fantasy
Pairings: f/f Queer Representation: cis lesbian (literally no gender other than cis female) Warnings: none Rating: eleventy billion stars (but no living planets because they're creepy AF) Review Zan has no memory of her past. She awakes on a ship (also a planet) with a mass of injuries and a deep attraction to a woman who may have betrayed her. All she knows is that she once threw away a child, and she must penetrate the membrane of world known as 'Mokshi' so that her mother can take control of its resources to save their own dying planet. But as Zan's memories slowly return, she is haunted not only by her growing feelings for Jayd, but snippets of her past life, her dying world, and a hidden plan to save the Legion. General Just...wow. I am not a fan of military sci fi but this book picked me up by the collar on page one and did not let me go until the very end. Forget everything you know about military sci fi. This isn't Battlestar Galactica, this is female military sci fi, which means a lot less... well, men. The lack of men and their (stereotypical) goals and obsessions makes this book an exploration of community and war, of birth and gore. It's amazing. Plot Fast paced without being rushed. Even in the middle of the book, where it shifts from military to 'journey' book, the plot did not lag. Every chapter had relevance and character building, and following Zan through the layers of the world as she regains her memory was a delight. The tension stemming from not knowing the in-world plot really drove my interest, to the point where I almost mourned the end of the book. In contrast to Hurley's THE MIRROR EMPIRE, LEGION delivers a solid, tight plot without the wandering and massive POV list. Where MIRROR was a slog with occasional tension, LEGION is polished to a high gloss. The ending was perfect. Too often with books I love I feel let down when the ending lacks punch, or resolution, or leaves me with a syrupy sweetness that makes me want to brush my teeth. The ending to LEGION wrapped the book and the emotions up but left me with that melancholy happiness I need to really feel fulfilled . Characters Although we have two POV characters--Jayd and Zan, Zan really drives the narrative. Jayd serves as more of a device (both as a character and for the plot). The mothers/rulers of the two warring worlds have an interesting dynamic as well, and Rasida was one of my favorite characters (the warlord ruler of the 'antagonist' planet who more or less buys Jayd for her childbearing capabilities) along with Das Muni, the woman who gives birth to some sort of healing squid creatures. Read the book for Das Muni if for no other reason. She's been recycled too many times. She deserves it. You can experience THE STARS ARE LEGION (and hopefully not give birth to a healing squid creature as a result) in paperback here and ebook here. REVIEWED BY J.S. FIELDS  Genre: dark fantasy (YA)
Pairings: f/f Queer Representation: cis lesbian, possibly NB lesbian, general nonbinary (several varieties unclassified) Warnings: none Rating: 4.5 stars Review Half human half faerie Sadie is part of a resistance to stop humans from operating on newborn fae, removing their ability to Dream. It’s only through dreaming that new dragons can be born from faerie trees although, amusingly, it is dragon blood, injected into the skull of a newborn, that takes away this ability. Sadie managed to avoid ‘slicing’ as an infant, and she and her dragon play a significant role in the resistance until new Controller, Evelyn, takes control of the faerie forced labor camp and challenges everything Sadie believes about humans, and love. General Enbies, dragons, magic, and lesbians? Yes, please! The (gorgeous) cover of LUNAV is another easy selling point, although between the fireflies, soothing colors, and back blurb, the book sells itself as more sword and sorcery fantasy (or even romance fantasy) than dark fantasy. And the book is dark. Not gory or gritty, but definitely dark. The first half of the book is dedicated to bringing the reader into the world and the atrocities taking place against the fae. Talking about downed trees as ‘bodies,’ loggers as butchers or murderers, and the general tension revolving around every slicing of a newborn makes for a very engrossing world, and keeps tension high. There was a slightly steep learning curve in the first chapter with the new words (a glossary is provided in the back of the book, which of course I forgot to look for until the last chapter), but after I got the hang of the dictionary I was solidly hooked. There was some redundancy early on, but it didn’t detract too much from the narrative. Plot We’re not presented with a solid through line at the start of the book, but the strength of the world and the tension in the resistance brings the reader well into the middle of the book before you realize you’re not quite sure where the book is going (but I was pleased enough to be along for the ride). Luckily the romance line picks up about three quarters of the way through and from then on, the book moves with more purpose. Generally, the plot revolves around the human reaction to a ‘plague,’ which wiped out a significant portion of the population. To prevent against further outbreaks, the king has mandated the end of Dreaming (which he believes is related to the plague). Of course, killing dreaming in humans is one thing, but in faeries, means no more dragons, and a lack of general empathy all around. Several resistance missions during the book are well done and move the plot forward in increments, although an overarching goal is lacking. Characters Sadie is a very sympathetic narrator, and it was easy to slip into her POV. She will resonate with anyone caught between two worlds, and not able to belong to either. The secondary characters, especially Sadie’s mothers and brother, are rounded out and endearing. The love interest, Evelyn, was fairly flat at the start but once the romance line really got going, she became my favorite character. Interestingly, I think this book could have benefited from being in third instead of first, and having two POVs (Sadie AND Evelyn), since Evelyn’s POV (which we get through a Dream from a faerie) is compelling and deliciously complex. I’m guessing this is a first in a series, so it will be interesting to see if perhaps we get a POV switch in the next book. I’d love to follow Evelyn on her adventures as she returns to the king. Queer Stuffs So much in-world queer! While the main romance line is lesbian, Sadie’s mothers are also in a f/f relationship. There is tons of nonbinary rep, from an acknowledged third gender, to no gender being assumed of children until they grow enough to make their own decisions. An interesting set of neopronouns was used in the book: que, which I was unfamiliar with but quickly loved. Generally, this book could best be described as heavily atmospheric–something you read for that sense of place, to be immersed in a world you love. It had a lot of parallels to THE GOLDEN COMPASS in terms of darkness, but wraps you into the world much like SUNSHINE. You can buy LUNAV in paperback here and ebook here. REVIEWED BY ANON. |
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