IndaClub Read-Along discussion

I've finished the book now. Sorry I didn't really post much in the other threads, I kept forgetting to stop and write down my thoughts. But maybe that's a good thing, because the book was really good and I didn't want to stop reading it! I had a more free time to read this weekend than I originally thought I would, and I ended up just reading this book, I was really caught up in the story. Overall I would say that it did have some flaws for me such as the narrative style, but I really liked the story and the world building. I wrote a review of it here on Goodreads and I've also posted a video on my Booktube channel: https://youtu.be/ZSwvwJZQwas. I'll keep checking this discussion group even though I've finished the book because I am really interested to see what other people make of the book.

I finished and oh my goodness. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything that happened. THAT ENDING. Oh man. I am quite excited to be picking up the next book.

I also found myself getting really caught up in the story and then just ended up powering through because I didn't want to put it down. The world building was amazing. You can tell that a lot of time an effort was spent developing this world and the society and culture. Having only read the first book I can't say for sure, but I feel like this is a series where there won't be many questions left unanswered about the world.

I also had some problems with the narrative. I think the biggest thing for me was it was just completely unexpected. You're just reading along, going with the flow, when all of the sudden character focus completely switches. It definitely got a little distracting for me at times, but once I started to expect it, it became just another part of the reading experience (although I don't think I'll every particularly LIKE that style of narrative).

And then you have the characters. ALL of the characters. I love how they all have so much depth and how their relationships are so complex.

And did I mention the ending? Gah. Is it May yet?

I cannot form coherent words. So pleased with Evred and Inda. Devastated by all the awesome characters that seem to have been killed off.

Want next book now, please! (:

Samantha wrote: "Right?! How about that ending with who was on the ship? When I first read it, I was so shocked!"

Well... I actually expected him to be on the boat (I was originally shocked that he wasn't on the first boat Inda was on). Afterall, I already knew the second book was called The Fox. (:

Ha I was dumb and didn't make that connection until after I'd read the book. Like oh right, the Fox, now I get it! :)

I finished the book before I got onto the group properly, so this is my first book comment but... yay! I had the same issues as you all had (crazy character switching), but also loved it for the same reasons (really great character development and oh my goodness that world-building.) <3 I'm glad to hear that things get a little more focused in the next book and why isn't it May yet?!

Katherine wrote: "Ha I was dumb and didn't make that connection until after I'd read the book. Like oh right, the Fox, now I get it! :)"

Uh oh. I just got my copy of The Fox in the mail. On the back it says "...four years later, Inda, now called 'The Fox,' was..."

Guess I was right for the wrong reasons? (:

I just finished the book and wow the emotions of the last few chapters were all over the place. I really, really loved this book, I felt the loss of characters I liked when they died and also felt profound hatred for the characters I absolutely detest so it really went both ways.
The development of the characters I thought was spectacular--everyone was so well expressed and complex in their own ways that I didn't feel like there were repeat or unnecessary characters at all. I also liked how she developed them slowly, for instance starting off liking a character and growing to love them (majority of the characters for me), some I was tentative but grew to appreciate (Tanrid and some ship mates) and then the ones right off the bat I got a bad vibe from and ended up despising (Sierlaef and Sierandael).
I actually didn't have any issue with the narrative like some others. I loved how you got to see so many different perspectives and got into their thought process. I enjoyed switching back and forth, even from one paragraph to another, without necessarily knowing by using divisions with either larger spaces (which she sometimes used) or individual chapters because I thought her writing was really good at making clear distinctions to whose perspective you were reading from. I can see why some had issues, but I guess it's just a personal preference that I really enjoyed and thought she pulled off.
My mind is still racing from all the craziness! Ugh it was so good. I'm not gonna lie there are some things I reallllly hope will happen but I'll just have to wait and see with the other books!

I finished the book. Not much to add. I am really curious where it's all going, partly because of the characters, but also because there is so much hinted at you don't see much of, about the Venn and the Norsunder and how magic works. I mentioned it in my review, but the magic is so weird it's almost silly from what we see of it. For instance, how does the magic know the motive of a killer that would prevent that person from performing the disappearing spell? These things haunt my brain.

I may have just blowed through this whole book in the last couple of days. At the beginning I had a huge learning curve with the language and lands, which may have played into the slow start.

Alli wrote: "I also had some problems with the narrative. I think the biggest thing for me was it was just completely unexpected. You're just reading along, going with the flow, when all of the sudden character focus completely switches. It definitely got a little distracting for me at times, but once I started to expect it, it became just another part of the reading experience (although I don't think I'll every particularly LIKE that style of narrative). "

I had a bit of the same issue Alli had. The jump switches took a while to get use to. Still not sure how I feel about them, but I so got sucked into the story, specially that second half.

The ending... oh the ending. Part of me saw it coming, another part didn't want it to, and still a third part was like "WHAT!!! REALLY."

Dang it now I have a small stack of books I need to pick up.

I'll be making a more standard review later but I wanted to mention something that wasn't mentioned yet in this thread. I just want to highlight the amazing job that Sherwood Smith made of including women in her world. The smartest decision she made was saying, "Alright, lets make the women the home defense," because it opened up a perfect role for the women of this world. It made complete sense and was handled perfectly.

I think there is a misconception when it comes to having female characters in fantasy books, and that is they have to be rough and tough like the male characters, or middle-ages like. Smith has shown that you don't really need to make women an archtype character, you just need to give them a role to be filled in this world. That women are the keepers of most of the magic and defenders at home. Sure, there are some cool female characters that can fight well, but the society she created for the females is something that will last a long time in my mind after reading this book.

I just felt it was a good example of how to create a system and roles of gender that were unique and natural.

Anyway, loved the book, I'll probably give it a 4, as I think it can become better.

This is my Journey Review of Inda: https://youtu.be/nVaoDdvpofI