Book: Cry, Voidbringer by Elaine Ho
Reviewed by Rallie X
Rating: 4/5
This book destroyed me. I was screaming "no no no" and "I don't like this game anymore" to myself in my empty house, if that's enough to describe just the depth of emotional damage that Elaine Ho brings with Cry, Voidbringer . I have the special edition from Rainbow Crate which has just like a super dope black matte hard cover that screams V̴̜̑̅̑̅Ò̶͖̱͗͐͌I̶̡̽̔͒͋D̵̙̣̆̐ (there is also some beautiful art by the author in the back, which was super cool to see how she envisions her setting).
All of that aside, this is the best example of heroic tragedy that I have seen in a long, long time. Like, without giving anything away, one of the major themes of the book is child soldiers. Ho explores morality and humanity and what happens to one when the other is broken, and the banality of evil that emerges from that fracture.
Just. If you want the true thesis of the book, flip to Chapter 50.
I loved the characters in this book (or loved to hate, depending)! Hammer fits the Big Stronk archetype so well, and her relationship with Viri was the true heart in the book. The choice to have Viri in first person and the other PoVs (Naias and Hammer) in third person worked really well and served to set off the different kind of roles Viri and the two other women play in the narrative. I have so many notes swearing at Naias (and talking shit on Khall who is TERRIBLE but that's the point), little hearts next to Rafaies and his contributions to the story and just. Oh Hammer. Hammer you deserve the world you wanted for Viri.
The setting was very cool, it was inspired by various Asian cultures (in the same way Avatar the Last Airbender is set in an Asian-inspired world). The metaphysical/spiritual/divine aspects of the world and how it interacts with humanity is really interesting - although sometimes it felt like there were missing pieces I should have known already, but this very well might have been intentional.
I think Elaine Ho made some very bold storytelling choices and that by and large that resulted in a compelling story with characters whose depth is uncovered over the course of the book; not just who they are but who they have been and how that drives the choices they make (good and bad). There are difficult questions that don't really have answers, but Ho opens up an avenue for discourse that I think is desperately needed in our world.
Tyranny doesn't happen in the blink of an eye. It is a slow descent, helped by the complicity of those who think they have no power.
I sucked in more air, and the light came with it. I glowed inside, like a little candle. It felt good. I hadn't known I held such emptiness within me.
— Page 159
Hammer didn't like showing how much she cared, and if I got to her, it was a great accomplishment. I broke into a smile.
— Page 69