The Monster Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade Book 2)

So, I binge-read this as soon as it came out. Probably be closer to a 4.5/5, but Amazon doesn't allow for half star ratings. There's just a little something that this book is missing that makes it as good as "The Traitor Baru Cormorant", its predecessor. I think what "Traitor" had was a bit more naïveté and thrilling joy of the idea of turning the Masquerade inside out. Though "Traitor" tackled serious themes and ended on a very somber note, there was a lot of joy to be found in the racing through the years (as Baru raced through the ranks and her plans). Which is not to say "Monster" isn't enjoyable or doesn't have its small, quiet and happy moments. It's just missing that little spark. But I do think in a way, that makes sense. Baru is really struggling in this book. She's deeply depressed and guilt-ridden, and her attempts to force it all down just makes her feel worse. Baru really is a monster in the eyes of herself and everyone around her. And that's what makes this book feel heavy, the knowledge that Baru's bright-eyed enthusiasm for rebellion is gone. The more time passes, the more sluggish Baru seems, almost forcing herself to continue with her plans if only because there is no reason not to. It's in stark contrast with the first book, where Baru was forcefully sincere in her desire to destroy the Masquerade. That being said, this book is still outstanding. It does suffer a bit from the so-called "middle book syndrome". But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Middle books are the vehicle to propel us from a journey's start to finish. If "Traitor" was exciting because it was the start of a new adventure, "Monster" is (the start of) a long, desperate struggle to get to the resolution. + The Characters: As with the first book, the story juggles a plethora of characters (of good, bad, and to be determined intentions). This is still very much Baru's book, Baru's story, but Dickinson decided in "Monster" to have the readers spend some time in other characters' shoes (both in the past and present), and I think it was a very good writing decision. It ups the political intrigue and makes conversations/pacts between characters all the more mysterious. Absolutely no one is to be trusted -- though, of course, Baru is the most hatred and least trusted of them all right now. The different POVs also serve to help flesh out previously-side-characters and make the world-building flourish. + Baru: I love her so much. She's truly a mess. And she remains my favorite character in the series. + Writing: Dickinson is an impeccable writer. What can I say? The different POVs are all unique and Baru's more fluid, stream-of-conscious type thoughts and dreams are quite striking. + Themes: Like before, Dickinson tackles a lot of serious themes in "Monster", primarily sexuality, gender, sexism, racism, and colonialism. One thing that I particularly enjoyed were the open discussions about sexuality, which are of course grounded in the book's universe but bear striking chords with our own reality. + Twists: My god. These are going to keep me wondering and turning over and over again in my head until the third book. The plot goes in some rather unexpected directions and there were some huge revelations in the last 1/3 of the book. There's really no major missteps here in Dickinson's second Masquerade novel. At times I did find the pacing to be a little slow, but not so much that it truly impacted my enjoyment. And that being said, I honestly can't think of anything I would have cut from the novel. I don't think slowness is truly a bad thing; the world-building is so rich, the political lines all so tangled, that they simply just beg to be expounded upon. At times though I was wishing that there could be a glossary to refresh us on all the characters, especially with the influx of new characters/cultures. (Maybe in book 3?) All in all, I went into this book with stupidly high expectations and was very pleased to come away feeling satisfied. I wish that I could sit down and read the next installment right now ...

It's hard to review this book honestly without spoilers, and explain why I'm giving it the rating I am, but here goes. While the writing is just as solid as in The Traitor Baru Cormorant, middle novels often have trouble both standing on their own and living up to the first. This feels like such a middle novel. A lot of new names, places, and cultures get introduced, and true to form they're all complex and interesting and feel like living, breathing places, but they sometimes also feel like worldbuilding for its own sake, without sharp relevance to the unfolding plot. On top of that, Baru seems to spend more time being acted upon than acting, and the pacing is a lot slower, which makes it feel like the stakes are lower, even as we're told that they're sharply escalated. The secondary characters become more interesting than Baru, at points. And the ending, honestly, is a giant middle-novel cliffhanger that doesn't resolve much of anything, other than that the pieces have been arranged on the board for the presumptive third novel in the series. I got to the end of The Traitor Baru Cormorant shell-shocked by the events and the conclusion of the novel. It stood on its own as one of my favorite books of the year, one I made all my friends read. While I enjoyed the ride on this one, I got to the end of it and thought "Oh, is that it? Well, I guess I'll have to wait to read the third one, then." The writing is great, the characterization all works, and the worldbuilding is some of the best in fantasy, but I feel like it falters on plotting and pacing. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first one.

It’s finally here! I was sold on Baru from Traitor, after getting absorbed into her subversive, scheming, emotional, thrilling story. Monster continues that smart writing which makes the characters seem real and driven by understandable causes, and which surprises with humor and horror and just plain marvelous plot complexity and world/culture building. You may find Monster feeling like one half of a larger book, though. It’s definitely a different journey from Traitor. But I enjoyed the experience and inhaled the book really quickly. I’d call the Masquerade series “hard fantasy” — similar to the idea of “hard sci-fi.” It’s brilliantly controlled in its premise and what is allowed to happen in the world. This brings a sense of deeper satisfaction — there’s less hand waving, and more, I would say, truly believable, true-to-human-experience fantasy. The characters don’t feel like NPCs, I mean. Anyway, read it! Read the whole series! It’ll punch your gut and scramble your noodles.

I absolutely loved the first book - one of the most gripping, smart, and affecting novels I've ever had the pleasure to read, and the novel that left the deepest impression on me in 2018. I had high hopes for its sequel, and it still managed to blow me away! The Monster is even more emotionally involving than the first book, and it expands the world beautifully. I just love this series so so SO much, how it addresses such difficult but important questions. I love the way this second book explores the perspectives of so many other characters than Baru, but Baru herself is still one of my fave characters of all time. More than any other book I've read, this one feels utterly necessary to me somehow. I feel the pulse of these characters, I draw breath with them and ache with them. Though the plot is complex and many-threaded, I'm connected to each character and immersed in each moment with them. The writing is gorgeous and sharp, brutal and funny, and dazzling in the way it tackles difficult and thorny topics with nuance and breathtaking grace.

OK so I had a massive emotional hangover from THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT and MONSTER both helped and hindered when it came to dealing with it. These books are tremendous, and Baru is a fantastic character, but my god, do they crush your heart. Highly recommended, if you can stand the sorrow.

Finished the book yesterday. I'll try to keep this spoiler-free, but we'll see how that goes. The Traitor Baru Cormorant opened with a simple, yet devastating statement: This is the truth - You will know because it hurts. The Monster Baru Cormorant opens with a similarly simple, yet devastating counter: If something hurts, does that make it true? Right off the bat (hah), let me make a simple statement myself: These rank in the top 3 book openings I know of (right behind "The sky was the color of a television tuned to a dead channel" and "The Moon blew up, with no warning and no apparent reason", bonus points for anyone who knows where those came from). They perfectly encapsulate the books they're attached to; Traitor puts Baru through a lot of torment (most of it seemingly self-inflicted), in Monster, Baru is forced to deal with the fallout of her previous actions, as well as the creeping realization that a lot of her fundamental truths may not be so true. But, plot. In the aftermath of the failed revolution Baru orchestrated, she was elevated to the rank of Cryptarch of the Falcrest Imperial Republic. Now part of the power behind the throne, she is sent on a mission, together with her two best frenemies, to root out the Cancrioth, the rumoured power behind the throne of the Oriati Mbo (Falcrest's greatest rival amongst the nations of the Ashen Sea). But since this is the Baruniverse, nothing is ever simple. Baru's machinations during the Aurdwynn uprising come to haunt her: Both figuratively, in the form of a deep depression over having to disavow and kill her lover Tain Hu and about betraying everyone who ever trusted her, and literally, in the form of Tain Hu's cousin Tain Shir. Tain Shir, it has to be said, is terrifying. She was, once upon a time, a protege of the same master Baru is serving, but fell from grace: Now, she is an instrument of revenge. Her presence in the book is similar to Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men: A force of nature that can't be reasoned with, can't be contained, only evaded (for a time). During her mission, shenanigans are had, new allies are met, and alliances and power balances shift around. It is, as usual for Batts, an engaging and gripping read, but there's a few caveats I need to add here before finishing with effusive praise: 1. Monster, unlike Traitor, is not a standalone book. Not just in terms of it being a sequel, but also in terms of it ending on a sequel hook (Battuta just wrote too many ~words~ for this one, so this book had to be split up); this is not a dealbreaker for me, obviously, and loyalty to Batts compels me to ask you for forbearance from anyone for whom it might be: If you wait for the sequel to come out to buy both books, it's bad for the vital statistics driving Batts' income. 2. This book is, at times, an oppressive read. Not only does Baru's depression hit her hard, and us with it as we spend time in her head, but her ingenuity and resourcefulness as established in Traitor don't really get much screentime either. She has her moments, to be sure, but ... there could've been more of them for my liking, y'know? That out of the way, effusive praise time: I love this book. By making it into a road trip, we get to see many more corners of the Baruniverse, much more of its cultures and their fascinating beliefs and practices. By having interludes from other character's POVs, we get a better picture of who Baru is, how she presents herself, and how she's seen by others, and each of the other POV characters is interesting in their own ways. As any good middle entry in a series, it leaves me both satisfied and intensely hungry for more. TL;DR: Buy this. If only for the absolutely gorgeous cover.

The first book was fantastic, and this is a great follow-up -- can't wait to see what's next for Baru.

Après le traumatisme qu'était The traitor Baru Cormorant, on est en droit de se demander comment l'auteur va continuer l'histoire. Seth Dickinson réussit l'exploit de trainer son antihéroine dans la boue tout en développant une partie terrifiante et touchante de sa personnalité, et de porter l'intrigue dans un monde ou notre logique perd pied. La traitresse se retrouve entourée de traitres et le jeu de qui va manipuler l'autre le plus efficacement se met en place. Mais le plus intéressant est de réaliser que le lecteur se retrouve également impliqué. J'ai vraiment hâte de connaitre la suite. Petit bémol : l'écriture est tres scientifique et peut extremement alambiquée par moment.