I read a lot of queer fiction, which, of course, often includes narration rife with sentences with two same-gender third-person pronouns. It’s not hard to do this with clarity, but Meadows wasn’t able to (at least in the unfinished review copy I received). If anything, this decision created confusion. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. For some reason, Vel’s POV is in the first person while Cae’s is in the third. Because, ooo man alive, is it problematic.Ī Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a dual POV book. There’s also a fair amount of LGBTQ rep in this book, including trans/nonbinary rep, which we love to see.īut, when all’s said and done, I felt kinda gross for enjoying the book. The relationship is pretty off-the-page, but it felt like more than people with disabilities are often given. I can’t speak to whether the nonverbal representation in this book is good, but I enjoyed that there is a nonverbal character. Those that should feel lived-in, do, and those that feel hesitant, do. In general, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance does interpersonal relationships well. You’ll likely be rooting for Cae and Vel from the moment they meet. The story is gripping and Foz Meadows certainly knows how to create endearing characters. RELATED: Book Review: The Lady in the Woods The greatĭespite myself, I couldn’t put this book down I finished it in one day - reading from 8 am to 6:30 pm. Survival is one thing, but love - as both will learn - is quite another. With an unknown faction willing to kill to end their new alliance, Vel and Cae have no choice but to trust each other. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different solution: for Vel to marry his former intended’s brother instead.Ĭaethari Aeduria always knew he might end up in a political marriage, but his sudden betrothal to a man from Ralia, where such relationships are forbidden, comes as a shock. When an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, Vel fears he’s ruined the diplomatic union before it can even begin.
Velasin vin Aaro never planned to marry at all, let alone a girl from neighboring Tithena. “Stolen me? As soon to say a caged bird can be stolen by the sky.” Other content warnings: sexism, strong orientalist vibes, body horror, death (human and non-human), queer death, arranged marriage, queerphobia, (consensual) sexual content and ableist language (perhaps used to reflect an old-timey vibe?).
The rape serves as an outing that leads to a character being disowned. Trigger warnings are going up top this time, folks it’s impossible to separate this review from its trigger/content warnings and spoilers related to that.Ī Strange and Stubborn Endurance contains on-page depictions of rape, as well as self-harm and suicide attempts. Thank you to Tor Books for a copy of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance in exchange for an honest review.
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