The blue name wrote blue, and the red name wrote red, the author spoke about it on goodreads. The whole, I am yours letter where one practically gave their life over to the other gave me chills.
From what I've heard, you're absolutely right about the way the book was written - the authors sketched out the broad strokes, then one of them wrote as Red and the other one wrote as Blue (can't remember off the top of my head which author wrote which character)
You've sold me! On Goodreads, Amal El-Mohtar said she wrote the blue and Max wrote the red. Interesting. She also links interviews (2 print interviews and one video) of them talking about their writing process. I'll read/watch them once i read the book.
Roses are Red Violets are Blue Intergalactic War leaves mountains of nameless dead Their love is all-consuming, pure and true This reminded me of one of the short stories in Angry Candy by Harlan Ellison, I think it was titled "On the Slab" but I don't remember exactly
Finally someone who agrees with me on this book. I've watched so many reviews of people trashing it because they couldn't understand it, they said it was difficult to read and made no sense. I mean, seriously? What have you been reading that you can't get a science fiction book that simply thrusts you into this universe and tells you a great love story? I've watched a review that the person said she couldn't even see the love story in the book. I was beginning to think I was crazy to believe this book to be absolutely genius. Thank you for making this video and validating my understanding of this book.
This is the first time I finished a book, put it down...and then immediately read it again, so that I could enjoy the planting and payoff now that I knew what it meant!
So, I was thinking while reading this that despite the red and blue and all the imagery invoked, there was not a single purple metaphor! Only a single reminisce by Blue: the blue water and the red sunset above it. And then I had a realisation: wasn’t the entire thing written in purplish prose???? The two of their hues written in the words themselves as a mirror to the way their love was woven inside the threads of the universe they were braiding themselves. GOD, this was amazing. So lovely. Love your review.
I'm only now about halfway through my first read of this book, and I am impossibly smitten. These characters are so ridiculously human and I love them both entirely. And it's only been about 100 pages. I don't want to finish reading this.
I have always enjoyed your channel, but didn't know you have a patreon until now. I really align with your reading tastes and your takes on literature, always weaving books like this into my TBR. I also really admire your energy and look forward to your videos. So I am your newest patron!
We've just read this novel for class (midlife MFA'er here) and I 'missed the magic' on the first attempt and then was totally won over second time through, which by the way was via the audiobook, beautifully narrated as someone else has said, and in which it's basically impossible to miss how gorgeous and lyrical the language is, and how well the letters modulate and intensify through the course of the story. Thanks for this lovely review and I really do
Lovely video! I absolutely adore this book, though it was a bit confusing while I read it since I’m still fairly new to the sci-fi genre. I wanted to mention that right now there is a Trans book/author readathon going on in the bookish community! On the week of the 20th of March, people will be reading as many books by trans authors or with trans rep in them as they can and pledging donations to causes that help trans people- specifically in the U.S. right now. If you want some recommendations for this, here they are (also lots more under the transreadathon hashtag): Specifically books that include trans rep: Hell followed with us, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Cemetery Boys, The T in LGBT, and Felix Ever After! Overall queer rep: Our Wives Under the Sea, Priory of the Orange Tree (and it’s sequel), We Have Always Been Here, Swimming in the Dark, Call Me By Your Name, This is How You Lose a Time War (of course), The Binding, The Drowning Empire trilogy, She Who Became the Sun (and it’s sequel coming out in August!!), The Starless Sea, These Violent Delights, The Jasmine Throne, Six of Crows, Song of Achilles, Heartstopper, It Came From the Closet, and Red, White, and Royal Blue. Wow that was a lot to type lol that’s all folks! Have a wonderful day ❤️🏳️⚧️
The green lantern fist sounds like some prime superhero comedy. Our humble protagonist is mysteriously gifted the power to create anything he can imagine. But he's not very imaginative, so all he ever pictures is a big dumb fist to smash things with (i'm so glad this book is finally getting the attention it deserves)
I can’t lie, I didn’t vibe with this one at all. I found the love letters to reflect more infatuation and longing than true love, which is fine, but it just read like teenagers writing overly verbose and sappy notes to each other in a way that I couldn’t take seriously or care about. And the characters were really flat for me so that I wasn’t particularly rooting for either of them. But I’m glad you liked it and it’s always nice to see that someone got something out of a book that I didn’t-maybe I’m not romantic enough for this.
I got it, read the first chapter, was so lost and clueless as to what was actually happening and going on that I put it down and didn't pick it back up again. It made me feel stupid reading it 😅 does it get easier to follow, or is it maybe just not for me?
The audiobook is excellent, I got it through my library. There are some things the authors describe off handedly they want you to let go off; they want you to feel that Blue & Red's understanding of time and technology is beyond our comprehension. They use some technobable to obscure the details of the traversal of times braids and the war. I think they wanted the only thing that truly made sense to be the relationship between red and blue, even when they themselves are in many ways immortal and inhuman. The authors aren't trying to be smarter they are trying to keep the focus of their short novella where it matters. That being said if you hate the feeling that you read an inside joke and didn't get it then it may be a pass. I know this is comment ridiculously untimely. I just like the story and read it recently. Intended with love
I'm with you! It's funny to see such an effusive review and completely disagree. I'd categorise Time War as a flawed beauty. Love its ambition - absolute shotgun blast of emotions and ideas - and a lot of it lands, but its also frequently overwritten in my opinion. Too much of a rich dessert. Still ended up listening to hours of interviews from the authors though.
Is this SEO driven content? I ask because the past 2 reviews were the books I read when I wanted to read more a science-fiction. “Annihilation” was the first book and “This is How You Lose the Time War” was the second. The third book was “How high we go in the dark” which is when I found your channel. 👍
LMAO look at you, waltzing in here, swishing your cape, tipping your fedora, and telling strangers on the internet that you are so much smarter and more cultured than they are, actually. Can’t wait for you to tell us what other tawdry forms of literature are far beneath you as you twirl your cane and twiddle your moustache.
