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A review by mx_madster
From Under the Mountain by C.M. Spivey
5.0
Longer review to come, but in summation I need everyone I know to read this, I want more books in this universe, and I officially have a book hangover. I can't believe it's over.
EDIT
Readers, it has happened at last: I have read Cait Spivey’s fantasy epic From Under the Mountain. Now that I have done so, I simply cannot recommend it enough. In fact, I haven’t had this intense of a book hangover since I finished Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, after which I was listless for a whole week with the knowledge that it was over and I couldn’t live in that world anymore unless I read it again. This book hangover, however, has filled me with excitement and drive – excitement because I know Spivey is actively working on another volume in the same universe and drive because, for the first time in almost a year, I feel the yearning to occupy the world I’ve been trying to build for so long. So Cait, thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot repeat it enough. Your world is inspiring.
From Under the Mountain’s universe is wonderfully built and feels complete; it overflows with the kind of small details that make a fantasy world both immersive and deeply convincing. From its magic to its economy to its social prejudices (and the ones from our world that are pointedly missing), the story never fails to provide information that flushes out the setting to its fullest extent.
While I am a sucker for sweeping landscapes and immersive worlds, characters are what make me stick with a book. From Under the Mountain’s cast is beautifully diverse and full of complex, well-rounded people who it is hard not to have emotional reactions to, whether it’s attachment, wariness, or revulsion. And while I don’t want to give anything away, yes, character-related things absolutely did make me cry.
But the biggest hook perhaps of all was the pace. From Under the Mountain starts and simply does not stop until its conclusion. Even then, like most good books, it leaves doors open. Not everything is tied up in ribbons. Frankly, I’d like to read a direct sequel that picks up precisely where From Under the Mountain left off.
So whatever you read for, From Under the Mountain has something for you, even more so if you tend to enjoy witches, monsters, underworld narratives, dragons, shapeshifting gods, queers, and unexpected heroines. Like what you’re hearing yet? Visit caitspivey.com for more, and get your copy at Another Read Through, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon!
EDIT
Readers, it has happened at last: I have read Cait Spivey’s fantasy epic From Under the Mountain. Now that I have done so, I simply cannot recommend it enough. In fact, I haven’t had this intense of a book hangover since I finished Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, after which I was listless for a whole week with the knowledge that it was over and I couldn’t live in that world anymore unless I read it again. This book hangover, however, has filled me with excitement and drive – excitement because I know Spivey is actively working on another volume in the same universe and drive because, for the first time in almost a year, I feel the yearning to occupy the world I’ve been trying to build for so long. So Cait, thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot repeat it enough. Your world is inspiring.
From Under the Mountain’s universe is wonderfully built and feels complete; it overflows with the kind of small details that make a fantasy world both immersive and deeply convincing. From its magic to its economy to its social prejudices (and the ones from our world that are pointedly missing), the story never fails to provide information that flushes out the setting to its fullest extent.
While I am a sucker for sweeping landscapes and immersive worlds, characters are what make me stick with a book. From Under the Mountain’s cast is beautifully diverse and full of complex, well-rounded people who it is hard not to have emotional reactions to, whether it’s attachment, wariness, or revulsion. And while I don’t want to give anything away, yes, character-related things absolutely did make me cry.
But the biggest hook perhaps of all was the pace. From Under the Mountain starts and simply does not stop until its conclusion. Even then, like most good books, it leaves doors open. Not everything is tied up in ribbons. Frankly, I’d like to read a direct sequel that picks up precisely where From Under the Mountain left off.
So whatever you read for, From Under the Mountain has something for you, even more so if you tend to enjoy witches, monsters, underworld narratives, dragons, shapeshifting gods, queers, and unexpected heroines. Like what you’re hearing yet? Visit caitspivey.com for more, and get your copy at Another Read Through, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon!