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A review by rowena_m_andrews
The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey
4.0
I leapt at the chance of an ARC from NetGalley for ‘The Book of Koli’ after reading the blurb, and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, it was above anything I had expected, perhaps from being unfamiliar with the author’s other works which I will be checking out while waiting for the next books in this trilogy.
It did take me a little while to adjust to the narrative style. The narrator, Koli, is almost illiterate, and this is cleverly reflected in the speech patterns, grammar and syntax of the narrative itself. Which is different from anything I had read before and took a while to adapt to. Still, once I did, I found that it was a wonderful, integral part of the book and Koli.
I loved Koli as the main character, and while his age and therefore outlook/interpretation of the world gave the earlier part of the book a more YA feel, it was in keeping with the character and did not detract in any way from the impact, of a thought-provoking narrative. Beyond Koli, the cast of characters is large and colourful, and as interesting as Koli in their own way.
The world-building was fantastic. To be honest, I was sold at carnivorous trees, but this look at how the human population is prey in a world that they have helped to ruin is both hard-hitting, relevant and endlessly fascinating. I enjoyed the look at life reverting to more primitive methods – with what little technology remained and was still functional, almost considered as ‘treasures’ that were not fully understood. Later in the book, where more technology is found, it is interesting to see the reverse, and how technology can affect an individual raised in such a world.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Book of Koli’. Although I did find the earlier half of the book a little too slow in terms of pacing, but it was made up for by the world and the characterisation. It was an entertaining read even in the slower parts, and it was a fantastic, fresh approach to a post-apocalyptic world. I would highly recommend and will eagerly be waiting for the next two books.
It did take me a little while to adjust to the narrative style. The narrator, Koli, is almost illiterate, and this is cleverly reflected in the speech patterns, grammar and syntax of the narrative itself. Which is different from anything I had read before and took a while to adapt to. Still, once I did, I found that it was a wonderful, integral part of the book and Koli.
I loved Koli as the main character, and while his age and therefore outlook/interpretation of the world gave the earlier part of the book a more YA feel, it was in keeping with the character and did not detract in any way from the impact, of a thought-provoking narrative. Beyond Koli, the cast of characters is large and colourful, and as interesting as Koli in their own way.
The world-building was fantastic. To be honest, I was sold at carnivorous trees, but this look at how the human population is prey in a world that they have helped to ruin is both hard-hitting, relevant and endlessly fascinating. I enjoyed the look at life reverting to more primitive methods – with what little technology remained and was still functional, almost considered as ‘treasures’ that were not fully understood. Later in the book, where more technology is found, it is interesting to see the reverse, and how technology can affect an individual raised in such a world.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Book of Koli’. Although I did find the earlier half of the book a little too slow in terms of pacing, but it was made up for by the world and the characterisation. It was an entertaining read even in the slower parts, and it was a fantastic, fresh approach to a post-apocalyptic world. I would highly recommend and will eagerly be waiting for the next two books.