this immersive tale is told in a reflection of a theater in a spirit land, where a moonlit body sets the scene and performs for you a story of the last of the moon throne, how one eats and swallows the essence of a god, terror triplets with ungodly powers, and a spear that tells of a dance on its wooden body. this is an epic fantasy but

"This is a love story to its blade-dented bone."

i went into this without knowing anything it might contain (not even reading the synopsis), but with a masterful storyteller like simon jimenez, what else could i want but trust myself completely to his lyrical, seamless writing this one has the privilege to experience? as mentioned by other early readers, this tale told is not for everyone — meaning, it breaks the conventional hold of reliable chapters, of steady perspectives, of linear storytelling. it is challenging. it is unhinged brilliance. i can easily imagine readers getting red-hot frustrated and dizzily confused at jimenez's juggle of i, you, and the third person perspectives, of his fluid narrative writing that shifts from one setting to a backstory to a different perspective all at once. it's always a story in constant motion. so, do not do this book a disrespect by expecting simple entertainment. that type of energy is not allowed here, is not permitted entry. you devote hard to read this story — you open up your mind and heart, you focus — and in return, this tale smiles and cries for you, it offers you an experience that you will never experience again.

simon jimenez demonstrates the true essence of storytelling in his writing. i am in awe, always. it is a breath of fresh air, a dance made on the spot. his words capture my heart so effortlessly, in just a few sentences. you get to hear what everybody is experiencing, a range spanning from our main characters to a passing traveler that we do not see. the way he can get me to care about characters is lovely and terrible because plot armor does not exist here (we laugh in plot armor's face) yet i cannot help but care about their wellbeing, their hopes and dreams and fears. and the yearning!! truly, i could not predict any plot twists that ripped open the top of my skull. there was no frantic plot guessing, just frantic reactions as i was seated alongside the audience, just watching the performance play out, fervently hoping the warriors see tomorrow.

this tale told was glorious. gory. exhilarating. horrible. hateful. hysterical. dreadful. (check the trigger warnings). i thought, "there's no way this is a love story," yet i found bottomless love in enemies, in strangers, in nature, in family, in lovers. this is the greatest book i have ever read, if not the greatest. nothing will ever top this book, except, perhaps, another simon jimenez piece. sir, you deserve a standing ovation. i am applauding not only the sheer excellence of your performance but the love of storytelling evident in every word. and finally here i am, excited to see what you come with next and bowing to you in thanks.

thank you to netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I have no words. This is one of my best reads this year. Simon Jimenez delivered a stunning piece of literature, at least as good as The Vanished Birds, which is one of my favorite books of all times. It has beautiful prose, extraordinary storytelling, a grounbreaking plot, It's unlike anything I've read before and I just love it so much.

Given my love for the author and his works, my expectations were already really high, but this book still managed to meet and exceed them. The narrative structure is fascinating to me and executed in the most perfect way. Simon Jimenez was already a master of unconventional storytelling, but he really outdid himself with this book. I can't stop thinking about it.

The premise of the book is so good, all the different plotlines are so interesting, the lore and characters are amazing, the themes are tackled beautifully. This is just brilliant. I have no other words. The reader feels like they're part of the story, and it's really the most amazing experience I've had with a book in a long time. I'm obsessed with it and I regret reading it so fast and not taking my time to enjoy it slowly. This is a masterpiece.

I don't want to say too much about the story and ruin the experience for other readers, but obviously, I adored the book and I strongly recommend reading it. This book is not for everyone, and you will require patience and an open mind, but if you enjoyed The Vanished Birds and if you love Simon Jimenez's kind of storytelling, then go for it, I promise you won't regret it.

I requested a NetGalley ARC for this book because Vanished Birds was one of my favorite books of its year. Simon Jimenez has a great style, and that book covered a huge emotional range.

Well, I can't say I liked this quite as well as Vanished Birds, but it was still a good book. It's *weird,* though, told in a very unconventional way. It starts with a framing tale, in the second person, contains some stories by "your" grandmother, and then there's a dream sequence, and within the dream there's a theater, and a play is being put on, and THAT is the actual story. Because you hear the story as a play in a dream theater, you get snippets of everyone's thoughts.

It has a folkloric feel: these are the stories of the old country, where you come from, the story of how the moon came down from the sky. Strange things constantly happen: tortoises telepathically communicate with other tortoises, apes talk, severed heads remain alive, people eat each other and gain their powers. There are gruesome tortures and deaths, and we get the impression of a bleak world under control of an evil emperor and his sons.

The main characters, Jun and Keema, are two young men accompanying each other on separate quests. They fight with each other all the time for no clear reason, but there's also a homoerotic tinge to their interactions which is mainly subtext through most of the book.

I'm always looking for books that aren't like other books, something done in a new way, something that doesn't fit into existing genre expectations. And this is one of those books. In some ways, it goes a little too far off the beaten track, and got a little hard to read. But, although it took me some time and focus, I'm glad I pushed through it.

I am very new to the writing of Simon Jimenez but once I read the description for this book, I was immediately intrigued. At first glance, The Spear that Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez seems to be a tale of an epic quest. Two strangers and a powerful being go on a journey to the eastern side of the country to fight against a nation that was ruled by the evil emperor, Smiling Sun, and his triplet sons, the terrors. To minimize the story in this way is a big, big mistake.
The novel operates on two levels: a “you” level which draws you into the underlying story by introducing the reader to a person whose family tells him stories. You hear about this person’s lola, father and older brother throughout the story. The second story is a mythological one dealing with the “Moons” who fell from the sky years ago. After being trapped for a long time, the Moon set on quest to undo the damage that its progeny⸺the three terrors⸺as caused throughout the land. In her company are two young men: Jun, the son of one of the three terrors with a red peacock tattooed on his face (A symbol of a fearsome warrior) and Keema of the Daware tribe who happens to join along on this journey after making a promise to someone. All occurring in what “you’s” lola refers to as the inverted theater.

The ways in which Jimenez has constructed this story is unbelievable. The two stories have a meeting point and once you get there, you wonder how many years it took him to construct such a masterpiece. Most of the magic of the story can be found in the ways in which Jimenez uses writing to convey so much. Specifically, within the text, there are several moments where interjections are placed in the form of italics. The use of italics to get more knowledge into the interior mind is a brilliant signal to the reader and also gives clearer insight. Oftentimes these interjections add a layer of humor to the sometimes heavy events. Some of the lines that are thoroughly enjoyed are the following:
Fathers leave in all sorts of ways. Some of them leave in the dark. Some leave only in their heads while their bodies remain, staring at the world around them forever distantly. Others fade out over time, like an old photo rubbed raw.
They stopped throwing food and started throwing harder objects. The Archers cursed. I got hit with a fucking ladle.
The people on the cliff watched in stunned awe as the wave unzipped itself.

Only just a sample, these lines have a beautiful melody to them and in context, they are even better in how they describe actions occurring scene by scene. It is important here to warn that the novel does contain some gore as these terrors are known for their tyrannical rule. However, I often found myself distracted by the use of words rather than the scene before me. The magic of this world seems to be as natural as the air we breathe and the animals add to the mysticism of it all. If you are looking for a book with fantasy, gay romance, an observation of a family and complex characters, I would highly recommend this book to you.

a master in class in storytelling and creativity and indulgence. no one compares.

jimenez takes unconventional approaches with the grace and elegance i expected from him (and above) ever since i read the vanished birds. he knows how to make me love and ponder over each sentence. he knows how to make me stall in awe due to the beauty of his writing. this, in fact, is the type of book that inspires me to work on my own manuscript. not only was i truly immersed, but i didn't want to leave this world. jiminez is insane.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was probably the most unique I’ve read - I don’t just mean this year, I mean in my lifetime. The story itself was interesting enough, but the way it was written was completely new to me. It was told from several perspectives but also, in a way, had only 1 narrator - it’s told as “you” are watching a play in the Inverted Theatre and having flashbacks to the stories your grandmother used to tell you. Admittedly, it took me a while to catch on to the writing style and fully follow along.

The story itself was fascinating - the characters were well fleshed out and rarely did I ever accurately guess what was coming next. Though there were parts I felt were unnecessarily vague or complex, I did enjoy Keema and Jin’s story overall.

I tentatively recommend this book, but acknowledge it is not for everyone. The writing is difficult to follow at times which, while entertaining and brave in its own right, took me out of the story at times as I struggled to switch perspectives and time periods.

Not a book I would read again, but one I am glad to have experienced.

There are few novels I can firmly say have astounded me or been a genuinely original concept. But, I must add Simon Jimenez’s upcoming fantasy epic, “The Spear Cuts Through Water,” to that list because–to simply put it–hot damn.

The Moon Throne has ruled over a faraway land for centuries–perpetuating a cycle of suffering that has robbed the land and oppressed its citizens. The fickle emperor and his sons, the Three Terrors, literally terrorize the people with the powers they inherited from the imprisoned god under their palace.

With the help of two warriors, Jun and Keema, the imprisoned god escapes and leads our young heroes on a holy pilgrimage for freedom and a way to end the Moon Throne’s reign forever.
Although nothing new to the fantasy genre, the concept is a rare gem in storytelling. With a delicately detailed world, “The Spear Cuts Through Water” is set in a vaguely familiar but unfamiliar land with folklore woven effortlessly into the world and its people.

This novel is like an onion–a story within a story, within another–and jumps from the first, second, and third points of view. These layers can be challenging at times, but there’s no denying the immersive and wondrous experience of “The Spear Cuts Through Water.” Using a theater as a first POV element is an ambitious risk that could have spiraled. Yet, Jimenez works it into the narrative with admirable mastery. Jimenez drags the reader into the narrative without pandering, and his storytelling flows flawlessly through the layers of the novel. The writing alone is an experiment in creating the most visceral, atmospheric prose imaginable, which could be described as cinematic. Still, I don’t think any words in the English language can fully explain the visceral effect of Jimenez’s writing.

Yet, the most fascinating piece of “The Spear Cuts Through Water” is the character work. Unlike any other fantasy novel, Jimenez writes his characters with startling clarity and introspection–instantly rooting themselves in the hearts of readers within a few pages of their first appearances. A rollercoaster of emotions and moving experiences, Jun and Keema weasel their way into your heart when you least expect it and blossom into flawed but beautifully expressed anti-heroes. Their stories–and the first and second POVs–are nuanced in such a way they could be autobiographical, and that’s no exaggeration.

Jimenez dives into the thoughts of nearly every character in the novel–nothing more than snippets of consciousness, but immerses readers more profound and deeper into the world of “The Spear Cuts Through Water.”

A heart-racing and intimate observation of identity, family legacies, and love, “The Spear Cuts Through Water” is unlike any novel you’ve ever read–and demands devoured. Jimenez’s writing and characters will stick with you long past you close the book, thus transforming even the most skeptical readers. Rather than proclaim any more of my praises for Jimenez’s novel, I’ll simply tell you to pick up “The Spear Cuts Through Water” on August 30 and read for yourself the wonder of this novel.

With a narrative structure that is dreamlike and dramatic, Simon Jimenez's second novel manages to be simultaneously foreign and familiar, grand and intimate. Part fantasy, part folktale, part allegory: there is an elegance, first seen in The Vanished Birds, in its execution. Jimenez has this awe-inspiring ability to methodically yet chaotically build and balance tension. That The Spear Cuts Through Water is a novel of epic proportions taking place in a five-day timespan, it is something absolutely unheard of in traditional fantasy. For those who appreciate not only the blurring of genre lines but also the almost defiance of them, this novel may be the perfect novel for you!

This book was incredibly well written and the story was complex and beautiful. To say this is unconventional would be an understatement, it is definitely unlike anything I have read. If you are looking for a fun feel good story, do not read this. This book will make you think, it is gory, and it is dense. If that is your kind of book though, this will for sure become a favorite.
Going into it, its important to know that the first chapter is confusing, which will make sense as you’re reading later chapters. But since these chapters are ~100 pages each, its a long time to be confused but it will be worth it when you get to the second chapter and you start putting the pieces together, I didn’t enjoy the incredibly long chapters a lot, as I like more clear places to finish the books, but it made some logical sense and there are some other ways of dividing chapters to get to a stopping point. All in all a beautiful read!

This is phenomenal book. I was simply blown away by the quality of the storytelling, the layers to the story, the characters, the narrative, all of it.

The structure of The Spear Cuts Through Water is incredibly inventive. If someone had told me before reading it that a book that flits between third person, first person, and second person narration would end up being one of the best books I'd read in years, I would probably have laughed. It takes a writer of rare talent to pull that off, and Jimenez did it in such a skillful way, weaving these three points of view flawlessly into one tapestry. The prose is lovely, the story touching, the characters unforgettable.

The second person voice is a framing device, a "you" narrator who is simultaneously being told a story and witnessing the same story being told in dance. This POV brings a sort of cyclical perspective to the story. While the characters in the main narrative are attempting to bring down a dynasty and right a wrong, the listener is living in a country embroiled in a war. The impacts of imperialism and diaspora is never far behind in this POV, particularly when the second person narrator relates that the tales of the Old Country are all but forgotten. This "you" even feels at times embarrassed by their attachment to these all but forgotten myths. It is tempting, at times, to skim these bits to get back to the main narrative, but this would be a mistake. The frame is worth paying attention to.

The third person narration is the story itself, a tale that takes place many generations before the second person framing device. It is the story that is the heart of the book, centers primarily on the two main characters, Keema and Jun, who are on a quest to take a goddess across the world and bring down the reign of her tyrannical suns. Jun is haunted by memories of the deeds he did as one of his father's soldiers, the voices of those he killed, and regret for the person he had once been. Keema is an orphan, missing one arm, who desperately seeks human connection. We also get perspectives from, among others, a disabled telepathic tortoise, a moon goddess, a drunken warrior, a war criminal who is also a loving father, and a trinket seller. In a story that is sweeping and epic, Jimenez also lovingly renders even the smallest characters, so that I cared about each and every one of them. I was so emotionally invested in the fates of Keema and Jun, and the story moved me to tears many many times.

the first person is a sort of chorus of personal experiences, the inner narratives, given in fragments, of the many characters, main, minor, and incidental (or are they?), who we encounter in the story's telling. The first person fragments add an intimacy and an immediacy to the epic story of a the felling of a tyrannical dynasty. They remind us of the smaller voices (the victims, the common people, the sex workers, the farmers, the merchants) that are often lost in grand narratives of war, tyranny, love, and redemption.

It is impossible to do this book justice in a review. The prose is superb, the structure is amazingly inventive, the characters are beautifully drawn, the themes are timeless. It is a love story, a redemption story, a war story, a liberation story, a cautionary tale, and a myth all rolled into one. It is hands down the best book I've read this year and one of the best books I've read in many years. It might take you a bit to get into it and adjust to the unconventional style, but it is well worth the investment.

I was lucky enough to have read Simon Jimenez's other novel The Vanished Birds in 2019 before it was released and I still find myself dwelling on it now, having read at least 500 more books since. So, I jumped at the chance to read The Spear Cuts Through Water early and Jimenez is doing it like nobody else. Stunning, sweeping, grand, and soul-wrenching in the best way. The only negative is how hard to boil down a coherent synopsis and articulate how much it destroyed me. As a +200 book a year reader I know this book will be living in my head for years after most others are vague "I remember enjoying that book but can't remember anything else about it"

This story is told in the mysterious inverted theater, outside of time and space. You are transported there with a spear in hand and your head full of stories. Stories your lola has told you about the old world. Performers enter the stage and begin to act out the five day journey of warriors Jun and Keema. They are tasked with delivering a dying god to her final destination across the old country. They face many obstacles and adversaries on their way. The author pushes the boundaries of storytelling in a way reminiscent of how stories are passed down through generations. This is a wondrous tale of family, duty, regret, and love.

I loved this book! Jimenez has such a way with words, I’d read his grocery lists. The writing is breathtaking, as are the characters. This book will require an open mind; The narration is done in second person for a good portion of the book. This invites the reader into the story in an incredibly unique way. If you like fantasy and myths, take a chance on this book. I promise it’s worth the leap.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book

When presented with the choice: go big or go home, The Spear Cuts Through Water went big. In my opinion (and this is very much my opinion), the book went too big, and ultimately collapsed under its own weight. Any book reading is a collaborative experience between author and reader. The reader brings an open mind, their attention, and a willingness to suspend disbelief, and the author brings entertainment, emotional resonance, beauty and information. Ultimately, at the end of reading this book, I felt that it had asked for too much of me, and not given me enough.

The Spear Cuts Through Water is wildly ambitious and experimental, and I’m glad people are taking huge risks and trying new things--what a horrible stagnant genre speculative fiction would be if people weren’t. But when I say wildly experimental, I mean wildly. This book sometimes felt like Ulysses crossed with Game of Thrones. The story involves no fewer than three nested narratives. One is a grandmother telling stories to her grandson, one is that grandson dreaming of an underwater theater, and finally the story of the play put on in that underwater theater. One part of the story of the underwater theater is told by a consciousness that is split between two organic bodies. It takes place over five days and five centuries. And there’s almost no guide rails to help a reader. For example, in the play, many characters wear animal masks and are referred to as the epithet of the animal depicted, so when I met a turtle, I assumed that this was a person wearing a turtle mask. But five pages later, it became clear that no, this turtle was actually a talking turtle, not a person.

Trying to keep all these threads untangled and clear in my mind took a tremendous amount of effort, and unfortunately, it impacted my experience reading this book. While I was reading this book it mostly felt like work. It was not an enjoyable experience. It required such intense focus and dealt with such unpleasant subject matter for large chunks that I felt like I was doing homework. Which actually made me think that this feels like a book that would benefit from being taught by a really good teacher. I think that I just needed more help than this book was willing to give me, which is a shame, because there were some really good parts.

I think the world building in this book is as wildly original as the book is ambitious, and I just wish I hadn’t had to work so hard to crack this particular nut. There’s some lovely gay and disabled representation, and some lovely sentences. Ultimately, though, I have to come down on the side of “the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.” I give this book 2 stars, but if you're curious give it a try, because if I was going to make one bet about this book it would be that it will be divisive, and it’s just as likely you may love it.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (Which they certainly got.)

Simon Jiminez has worked his magic once more. His second work does not disappoint, personally - it exceeded my expectations.

There’s just so much to say and I’m not sure if I have the right words to express how much I enjoyed reading this.

This author has a distinct way of writing and in this novel, one is able to really appreciate how unique and special it is. His first novel feels like a warm-up in comparison to what he does here. The storytelling had a surreal and fanciful quality to it, and is unlike anything I have read: the world building with the rich descriptions and the colorful characters was beautifully done. I also appreciated the attention given to as many individuals as possible, no matter how minor, even if only a sentence or two was written about them - it added depth to the story. Also the use of italics was a brilliant touch.

Overall, it read like an epic with its whimsical, fantastical elements and as someone who has always loved mythology and folklore, that aspect really appealed to me. I felt like I was sitting in the inverted theater, seeing this lovely tale play out in front of my eyes.

It’s not your typical fast paced read and may not lock you in immediately, but your patience will pay off because the build-up, the climax and the plot in general was satisfying.

I do want to emphasize though that the best way to approach this novel is to have no expectations and to simply go along with where the narrator(s) take you.

The only minor critiques I have are that some bits of the dialogue seemed to be a deviation from the overall style of the writing and occasionally- the story and surreal elements did get a bit confusing, making it difficult to follow exactly what was going on. But neither took away from the experience of reading the book and I will eagerly await whatever Simon Jiminez writes next!

Thank you to the publisher for granting my wish on NetGalley and giving me (my first!) ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What. A. Novel. Simon Jimenez is operating on another level with The Spear Cuts Through Water. This is an evocative tale that beautifully blends fantasy, reality, and fable into a perfect package. To summarize the plot here would deprive you of the wonderful journey that awaits you once you crack open the first page.

Jimenez simultaneously (and effectively) tells multiple nested stories, while exploring the nature of identity, love, and intergenerational trauma. The book is unwavering in its commitment to its characters, its story, and its structure. And it’s told with such fierce confidence and love that I was totally mesmerized from start to finish.

If The Vanished Birds (also excellent) didn’t put Jimenez on the map, The Spear Cuts Through Water definitely will. This is a special book.

Simon Jimenez's second novel is an intricate, moving work. Such a complex world inhabited by talking creatures and magic. His characters are so well described and understood by the reader. The asides and POV jumping, many times within the same paragraph, builds an empathy for all the characters in the story, minor characters or not.

An absolute MASTERPIECE!!! In 2020 Simon Jimenez brought us “The Vanished Birds” and I named it my #1 book of the year and one of my favorite novels of all time. Now he has brought us “The Spear Cuts Through Water” and it’s hard to put the right words together to describe this, but it is One of the greatest works of fantasy I’ve ever read and a new all time favorite. It’s unlike any work of fiction I’ve read before. The prose is mind bogglingly beautiful. The structure feels fresh, alive and brand new. This is a story that will consume and entrance you. It will invade your mind and your heart. It will leave you in wonder and awe of the genius and the Talent that is Simon Jimenez. Buy it! It is an undeniable triumph!! Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

The Spear Cuts Through Water is the newest Adult Fantasy novel by Simon Jimenez that centers on the epic story of the fall of the rule of a royal family. The Spear Cuts through water is an incredible exploration of themes like tyranny, guilt, redemption and family that utilizes storytelling in an incredibly inventive fashion.

“This is a tale of your land,
And the spear that cuts through it.”

As a huge fan of Jimenez’s previous novel, The Vanished Birds, I was incredibly excited about an upcoming adult fantasy novel from him. Upon seeing the premise, my excitement only grew. Needless to say, The Spear Cuts Through Water did not disappoint. It is in fact, my absolute favorite release of 2022 so far.

This is one of the most creative stories I’ve read. I think the word ‘creative’ often loses meaning and becomes a definition-less umbrella term, but in the case of The Spear Cuts Through Water, it is, in every sense, the most fitting word. The narrative is strikingly imaginative, unpredictable, and often self-indulgent in the best ways possible. During a period when most books seem to follow overly familiar tropes and plot structures and what we call Western storytelling structure, this book feels like a breath of fresh air. Frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this, or anything remotely similar. For that alone, I cannot help but give my highest praise to The Spear Cuts Through Water.

When you read this novel, it feels like you’ve been given a puzzle that you need to unravel layer by layer, until it all makes perfect sense. Each layer of The Spear Cuts Through Water strategically opens new insight about the world, the lore and characters of the story and each layer feels so personal. It takes time to start piecing everything together and the experience feels incredibly immersive, as the reader becomes the viewer of a play —part of the audience in the Inverted Theater.

The novel combines several plotlines at once, ranging from small and deeply personal to overarching grand narratives that blend seamlessly together. The general plot is rather straightforward—exactly what the premise suggests, but as each facet of the story becomes more and more developed, the narrative grows in its depth, scale and emotional impact. The journey of Keema, Jun and the Moon Goddess feels grand, urgent yet also intimate, quiet and personal; it goes in a dozen different, unexpected directions, each new turn more exciting and emotional than the last. One of my favorite aspects of the plot is the inclusion of the theater, and the audience being part of the reading experience as well; at first it felt a little bizarre, but honestly it creates a whole new dimension that allows us to view the story through a more dramatic lens.

I am always in awe of Jimenez’s character work. Just like other aspects of his writing, his character work feels subtle until you realize how much you end up caring for even episodic characters. I got so ridiculously invested in characters that would take up just a few pages with one single task to accomplish —Jimenez manages to create a compelling character in what seems, a matter of a page or two. The main characters, of course, steal the show. I absolutely love Keema and Jun, I love their dynamic and how it develops throughout the story. The secondary characters of the novel are very interesting as well; we end up meeting a rather large cast of characters throughout the story and Jimenez manages to make them all feel so alive.


The Spear Cuts Through Water is incredibly well-written. Jimenez’s prose and how he manages to twist and bend language is one of his greatest strengths. I was initially skeptical about usage of 1st, 2nd and 3rd person povs, but Simon Jimenez combined them incredibly well; it was such a novelty to see 2nd and 1st person povs interchange in a single paragraph, but somehow it not only worked, but made the reading experience more interesting. We hear the voices of people who often remain ‘voiceless’ in epic stories of such grandeur —in The Spear Cuts Through the importance of those voices is emphasized not only in the plot and character work, but also the prose. Jimenez’s writing feels effortless and smooth and still manages to pack a punch. His prose is magical—never overly flowery, it’s quiet and heartfelt but also sharp and violent and so effective.

The only aspect of the book that could be viewed as a pitfall is the amount of violence and gore that can seem grotesque and excessive at times. However, for me it wasn’t really much of an issue as the use of gore and violence in my opinion, mattered when it came to fleshing out the themes of the novel.

I love this book. I care deeply about the story of Keema, Jun and the Old Country told through the lens of Inverted Theater. That being said, I believe this book is far from being everyone’s cup of tea. I’m almost sure a lot of people will find it excruciatingly slow (and the pace is Quite slow), maybe even boring, overly convoluted and at times confusing, excessively violent and a plethora of other things. So, my advice would be, go into this novel with no expectations (the less you know the better), be patient with this book and trust the narrative; it takes a while to get into it but it is so worth it. (And make sure to check the trigger warnings)

I went into The Spear Cuts Through Water with very high expectations, and I loved every part of this book. The characters, the depth of their stories, the themes and the world of The Spear Cuts Through Water are compelling, well thought out and utterly bewitching. This novel can be subtle, grotesque, emotional and fun; it is an incredibly ambitious and beautifully executed idea(or a multitude of ideas). The Spear Cuts Through Water is brilliant and I sincerely hope it finds its audience. Simon Jimenez’s work blew me away yet again and I cannot wait to see what he does next!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of The Spear Cuts Through Water.

As its blurb warns, this book will be like no fantasy you’ve read before, and that’s far from a bad thing. I thought The Spear Cuts Through Water was excellent, and rated it 4.5 stars. I also think it’s very hard to describe. Imagine a story told in a theater, and you are a member of the audience (yes, a portion of this book is told in second person, but even if you aren’t a fan of second person I urge you to suspend your distaste; it works here). The subject of this play is the story of an ancient myth, and that myth is real and forms the basis of the tale. It’s told both as the main story and as ‘you’ remember it being told by your grandmother, against the backdrop of some nameless war that takes place centuries after that tale. The whole thing is enlivened by a chorus of ghosts. There are talking animals, fantastically realized mythologies, and world-building so detailed you feel like you’re traveling within the tale as you read it. It’s not for the those who like their fantasy glossy and warmhearted; when Jimenez introduces us to the Emperor and his terrible sons, he does not hesitate to show us, again and again, how terrible they and the machinery of their power truly are. There is a lot of violence. But it is also a hopeful tale; epic and at the same time contained, giving a lot of credit to the ordinary, the day to day. It does not sweep human tragedy under the rug, either. If you’ve ever read a fantasy epic and wondered: How can an entire army just go poof? Jimenez’s chorus of ghosts is there to remind you at every turn that the characters whose deaths merit mere sentences are as living and as real (within the story world) as any person who gets a tale told about them. Perhaps if you like second person (Harrow the Ninth), or story-within-a-story narration (The Night Circus), you’ll like this. But I struggle to compare it to other books; I think only that it’s worth picking up.

5/5/ 10/10
Jimenaz is unrivaled. The prose in this book alone is worth the cost and chance taken should you go into this book totally blind like I did with Vanished Birds. Though dark at times, this was surprisingly inspiring and I felt like I wanted to re-read it as soon as I turned the last page. Thank you so much for providing me with an ARC Net Galley! Jimenaz has become a favorite author of mine and I look forward to my video review of this on my channel, Wicked Good Books, closer to the release date!