This is the second book set within the Palleseen worldview but reads easily without the need to read the other story. Its focus is a small group of individuals associated with an army field hospital, but this is not a M.A.S.H clone. The central character is a disillusioned priest who still carries his god with him, literally; in fact, the story burgeons with a pantheon of deities and what remains of their followers. At its heart, the story deals with what happens to people and their gods when they become swallowed up by logic and the desire for clarity.

The writing style will always impress me and this author can have all of my money

Would recommend highly

4 stars

House of Open Wounds follows the story of Yasnic from City of Last Chances. Despite being a direct sequel of book one, I would not say reading book one is necessary. It gives added depth and meaning to Yasnic’s character and the existence of the Palleseen army but it does not touch upon events of the first book at all.

House of Open Wounds is Adrian Tchaikovsky channelling the irreverent writing style of Terry Pratchett to talk about the machine that is an army and the war crimes that can happen under the banner of “for the greater good”. Tchaikovsky quite often dives into the minds of those committing said war crimes and inflicts upon the reader the normalisation of cruelty with humour. At times it can be a hard book to read when one reads between the lines and thinks about what it is a character is truly saying.

Even more so than City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds is the day-to-day occurrences of those who are a part of the machine of war. The characters are simply trying to survive and as such it often feels as though we are not moving anywhere. There is not a feeling of progression when reading, and although this is obviously done purposefully and the readers are left as clueless as the characters, it did impact my reading experience. I often felt frustrated that things weren’t happening, that I didn’t understand the end goal and that I didn’t feel like there would be a satisfying conclusion to everything. Again, this is all on purpose and that’s what makes it so refreshing in the fantasy reading space. Matters of occupation, war and military ambition do not have end goals or satisfying conclusions. Our characters are of no real importance to the army within the book and as such they have no information or true free will.

I would not be surprised if we saw another book in this world from Tchaikovsky considering the scope of world-building and the depth of characters. This is impeccably written and an incredibly unique reading experience.

3.75/5
This felt like a very skilled construction by someone who is very good at constructing such constructions. The characters all occupied well-defined roles, displaying personities, expertises, and hidden depths with clockwork precision. The plot felt a little directionless until everything snapped into place at the end, revealing that in fact what looked like aimless swirling throughout the first three quarters was in fact a hurrican pulling itself together. The ending was surprisingly satisfying, for that reason. However, possibly because of the skill and precision of the book, I never really felt like the characters were real. I couldn't quite get behind their arcs and journeys, because the craft of it all was so skilled it felt like it drew attention to itself. Not in a 'I am super-clever' kind of way (none of the infuriating smug cleverness that characterizes, say, China Mieville), but just--I don't know. I did not rejoice or grieve any of the characters' fates, and the satisfaction I felt was the satisfaction at seeing a puzzle come together, rather than pleasure at having gone on a journey with the book. It's good. But it's sort of distant.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC. Inasmuch as I can tell, that has not affected the content of this review.

This book was my first meeting with Mr Tchaikovsky's writing and I have to say I like it. Darkish story with lots of darker stories hidden in it. Interesting characters and ending with nice twist. I enjoyed reading it, but will not writing spoilers. Some readers would say to many descriptions, not enough dialogs, bla bla bla... In this book action is in everything, dialogs and descriptions. Thank you I could read it.

War? Huh what is it good for?

A question that has made many a philosopher puzzle over the centuries and yet ironically war has hastened for the very worst of reasons the advance of medicine. You want your soldiers fit and ready for fighting and killing all over again. A circular logic that has led to the work of Florence Nightingale and the further development of ideas such as antibiotics and artificial limbs. Fantasy has often focused on war but who is dealing with the aftermath of a battle? This question is explored brilliantly in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s House of Open Wounds where the setting is a field hospital in an army albeit one filled with magic, gods and the unwanted; but a story also taking an honest look at war itself.

Short review – read the brilliant first chapter. One of the best openings to a book I’ve read it pulls you in. Nuff said this was great.

Ahem!

Ok for those needing a bit more. We meet the Palleseen Sway army. They seek to make perfection of their world and destroy and conquer anyone and anything that perverts that idea. Especially religion, magic and superstition. But if they find something magical that works they’ll use it - be it to power their weapons, fight their enemies and in a new experiment try to save soldier’s lives when all else fails. Led by a Necromancer, supervised by a man known as The Butcher we have two former rebel priests, a woman who can absorb any wound for herself, a man skilled in magical machinery and one of the most constantly promoted and demoted officers in the entire army. Every day they do their best because they know if they fail they may be no longer be required and that won’t mean a cosy retirement. Enter a man who is a former priest misnamed Jack and he happens to be carrying some Gods on his person who may have a few miracles up their sleeve but in an army that is against religion that poses some challenges.

We are so used to fantasy focusing on battles and treachery that when we get to that first scene and we hear we are with a Man they call the Butcher we immediately imagine torture as we hear about bodies lined up for his work…which perhaps says a lot about us fantasy readers. But very quickly Tchaikovsky shows us we are in an army field hospital full of people close to death and to be honest the comparison with a torture chamber is still applicable. Tonally this is an amazingly delivered tale rather than military warfare being described as ancient legend the tone here is more black comedy. A reminder that in the TV show MASH a hospital was also a useful place to make you laugh and also ponder war’s lack of sense and morality. The team must save the soldiers for them to fight again. A deadly circle repeated every day. That is a strange place before we get into a world of demons, magics and gods.

Tchaikovsky brings their trademark inventiveness to imaging how a fantasy world could handle medicine and war. Mysterious potions that are used by patients and medical staff alike to keep them functioning, magical limbs to allow soldiers to fight and pay for the pleasure of them, gods being made to cure those on the edge of death. It all feels very fresh as a place to explore with lots of ramifications and above all of this is the Pel belief that all of this is unclean and should be removed. Like war and medicine this is another contradiction the field hospital is battling to justify each day. Hence when Jack arrives and accidentally heals people but with the one caveat that they cannot fight again on pain of death then there is going to be a problem.

In many ways the war itself and the reason for it are more background to the story. What we have is an almost episodic structure of the team meeting Jack and many different types of trouble erupt from that. You learn to love a man named the Butcher, amuse yourself with these grumpy gods hiding and in the form of Banders the afore mentioned ever-demoted rogue she is a delight of cunning and an ability to laze or steal as she pleases. in each mini-episode also we learn more about the world and the culture. As with many an empire the Pel collect from those they conquer and that applies to the army hence Jack and the team are actually from cultures that are contrary to the pel and yet they all speak the language, are part of the army and saving lives. Another interesting set of contradictions the novel explores. As with any science we also see those looking to make less medicine and instead the best terrifying weapons.

Slowly each of the plotlines starts to link together and all focus around Jack, His God and the price of a cure of deadly injury but you can’t hurt anyone else again…ever or you will die. It is gorgeous plotting when we see how necromancers, magical automatons and contracted demons all link together and the wider storyline neatly complements this premise to a cunningly delivered finale. There are also by the way dinosaur war beasts and an amoral wizard but that’s just pure fun but also a reminder war takes great ideas but uses them for one purpose – fighting.

One thing I appreciated was the reader like the team find the steady streams of battle, death and injuries to heal and send out to fight again slowly drain our team of joy. It’s a hamster wheel of duty, death and what is the point of it? Can anyone ever get off it without being executed? Is there a point where you instead have to stand and say no more? While Tchaikovsky’s narration is wry yet almost Pratchett-like in its subtle elbows to say you know the wars we love to read about this? This what it is like at the very sharp and bloody end. I loved reading this, but it does remind us actual war is not a place anyone ever wants to be in.

I do hope we get more tales of this world because it is absolutely fascinating and while there is no big easily visible master-story all the consequences of this story may lead to other little avalanches in this world of Empires and Magic. Highly inventive, very fresh in approach and a perfect mix of satire and anger that suits the subject matter very appropriately. Highly recommended and amongst the best of Tchaikovsky’s novels I’ve read.

I enjoyed the first book, City of Last Chances, and couldn't wait to read House of Open Wounds. I have to say, it was even better than the first! This book took all the concepts of magic and ripped them apart, in a believable, dark way.

One of my favourite characters from book one, Yasnic, is back, along with his grumpy, snarky God. Captured by the Pals, he finds himself in the middle of a war. I had no idea where the author was going to go with this story, but I was surprised to find myself caring about the characters pretty quickly.

Well written, with lots of surprises, this was a view of Tchaikovsky's magical world from a completely different angle. The characters, the magic system, even the war itself, are all layers of an incredible story that will stay with me for a long time. It touches all the emotions, and leaves you feeling as though you've been through the war with them. Highly recommend!

The Palleseen army are ravaging the world with war, desperate to correct a perceived imperfect world.

Behind the front lines, field hospital tents attempt to save the damaged and damned by any means possible.

Yasnic, a former priest turned rebel, finds himself stationed within the hospital. Miraculously saved from the gallows, he clings to faith literally, carting around a box of orphaned Gods wherever he goes.

This unorthodox hospital is commanded by the Butcher, a man who has no fear of the horrors of war. The crew deal with unspeakable gore caused by horrific monsters, magical weapons and relentless enemy attacks.

Tasked with saving and reutilising the fallen, they must be mindful to keep their unethical practices under the radar. Practices that include the use of banned magic, necromancy, demonology and ‘false’ Gods. If not, they could face dire consequences.

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky offers spectacular and vivid worldbuilding with beautifully detailed prose that transports you into a gruesome war. It fantastically explores difficult topics including colonialism, politics, fascism, religion, war and poverty.

The story is told from many character’s perspectives with each chapter focused on a different person. At times, this makes it harder to connect and truly get to know them with any true depth.

With all these points of view, the pacing felt slow at times. I often found myself confused as to who was the focus within the narrative and how it was progressing.

Although interesting to have many viewpoints, I do wonder if the cast had been smaller, the novel may have been easier to follow and enjoy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book in return for a fair review.
This book was brilliant, not a fast read at all it was lovely to step back into this world. While I was not expecting the new cast of characters from book one I loved Jack and the new cast AT wove in this one. I enjoyed book 2 more than book 1 I feel and enjoyed the new setting based around a army medic camp more than the city. The black humour of soliders and the gods throughout make this an amusing brilliant read.

The Palleseen have sworn to bring Perfection and Correctness to an imperfect world. Their legions are sweeping the world, scouring it of superstition, and burning any traces of magic. Leaving scorched land and conquered people in their wake, they won’t stop until everything is Perfect. This war delivers a continual supply of mangled and tortured flesh to the field hospital tents, pitched just behind the ever moving front lines.

One such field hospital tent is overseen by the Butcher, a brute of a man, who can wield a bone saw and a sewing needle with equal skill, and cooks up alchemical brews in the back. He manages a motley crew of conscripts, healers, and soldiers, who get elbow deep in healing, patching up soldiers to get them right back onto the front line. Yasnic is one such conscript. Captured and enlisted into the Pel army, he is a fallen priest, who carries a box of orphan Gods, who nobody else can see. Thrown into the field hospital, and trying to understand his new environment, he bumbles along. The field hospital’s existence is precarious, they use banned magic in their healing, and Yasnic’s absolutely illegal Gods could be the final straw.

This book is like the TV show Mash set in the middle of the Spanish Inquisition if it all took place on a magical battlefield. The Pel army (Pel being short for Palleseen) want to wipe out any religion and anything they don’t agree with. Yasnic and his Gods have been thrown into the heart of a tight knit unit, and through the story he earns his place, the unit's trust, and ultimately, friendship. This is a long read, with much time taken to work on developing the characters, connections, building the relationships and more. At times it is slow, and you do wonder if there is a point to the read, but if you persevere you get to a very satisfying ending. It is pitched as a companion novel to Tchaikovsky’s City of Last Chances, where Yasnic is introduced to us, so I would be interested to learn more of his back story. This book stands alone well however. A long read, with a lot of twists, keeping much of the action to the end, but great characters and very entertaining.

*I received this book for review from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

Infinitely more readable than it's predecessor, which was overly wordy and descriptive without much moving on of the plot.

The structure of the narrative is much easier to follow in this book - I'd possibly suggest reading this one first rather than City of last Chances, which was nearly impenetrable.

It's still overly wordy, but the plot is much easier to follow, and there's a bit more gore and injury detail going on in this one. I did like Yasnic as a character in the previous book though - so pleased to have more to explore in this story.

Not sure I would read any more by AT, the style is very slow and meandering, but if you like a character driven story that's all about the journey of the protagonists then this may be the book for you.

This is a wonderful book and is one that is set behind the scenes of an army. Set in the hospital division of the Pel army, this army is responsible for bringing order to chaos and battling kingdoms and realms as they go. They believe in one religion and are banishing all others, from local gods and deities, priests, believers and worshippers are all targets for them. So when Maric Jack is arrested and then forced to work in the hospital it is a little odd, not only is he a priest but he has in his possession a box of gods!

This is a book that is a fantasy but is also full of action and adventure. Think of the TV show MASH, this is a fantasy version of that... well sort of! The Butcher runs the unit, he is helped by a motley bunch that have a great sense of camaraderie and look out for each other. So, as the newcomer, Jack is looked on with interest especially as he tries to explain that he was a priest, but is no longer one.

This fabulous story shows how Jack gradually earns his place in the unit, the troubles he has and the troubles his box of gods makes for him. At times this is entertaining and at others it is action-packed. The author brings in politics, religion and the general area and society of his world. There are rules that have to be followed and protocols that are in place and this helps to build up the world of the author that his characters inhabit. As they are a medical unit, they are not exactly in the thick of the fighting, but that does not mean they are only on the edge of the action. They have plenty of reasons for the authorities to keep a check on them and their antics.

This is a fantasy story that is a fair old length, at times it does slow, but plenty is going on to keep the reader occupied. There are some good twists and overall I really enjoyed reading this book. Some great and entertaining characters with a good storyline and one that I would happily recommend.

I found City Of Last Chances, the first of the Tyrant Philosophers series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, a little hard going mainly due to his narrative device of jumping into new viewpoint characters in each chapter. I did eventually enjoy it, and perhaps because that settled down I found this, the second book, to be a lot easier. I also think that its setting, a military hospital, grounded the tale in something easier to grasp and gave me a structure. Because while House Of Open Wounds hasn't quite got the most direct of plots, its more episodic shape suits the multiple viewpoints. You don't expect people to stay long in military hospitals, the stories suit vignettes and - well as a kid I watched a lot of M*A*S*H*.

Seriously Fantasy M*A*S*H* is such a good idea that someone half as good as Tchaikovsky could make it sing. But with Yasric (rechristened here as Jack) fleshed out and his grump God in tow, this is an absolute delight. Having such a strong structure underpinning it, the POV jumps become a feature, when we get to see the viewpoint of the ambitious necromancer we already have half the work done for use by the hierarchy and point of the camp. Yasric has been drafted in as a healer by the Palleseen Empire to follow their rampant anti-magic crusade, because whilst they hate and want to eradicate all magic and religion in the world, they cannot ignore that it works and might be useful in healing and creating offensive zombies. They didn't quite look into Jack/Yasric's previous healing experience where it is true that he near resurrected someone, but with quite a serious caveat that they must continue not to do any harm - which is pointed out is problematic for the kind of patient a military hospital might see.

By the end of House Of Open Wounds Tchaikovsky has happily gone through most of the military hospital case of the week scenarios, shown the growth of a religion and real, actual bargaining with God, given his protagonist a demon to love and even brought out the hoary old trope of the lost king. All of which seems fresh and fun, and has in the process properly brought this world to life. After a bumpy start, this series is coming into its own via a fantasy/sitcom - ahem - M*A*S*H*-up.

The always deeply impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky returns with an exceptional and remarkable piece of fantasy fiction, House of Open Wounds, which presents the reader with a particularly unique and ruthlessly entertaining story, chock full of brilliant characters.

There are few nations more feared or relentless than the ever-expanding Palleseen. A rising empire of zealots who are determined to bring Perfection and Correctness to an imperfect world, the Palleseen have advanced out of their homeland in an unstoppable wave, wiping out all religion and superstition as they go. As cities and kingdoms fall before their military might, their armies leave behind mounds of dead and wounded soldiers who require tending in field hospital tents just behind the frontline.

Into this chaos is thrust the god smuggler Yasnic. A former priest, miracle healer and occasional rebel, whose previous experiences with the Palleseen saw him hanged, attacked and banished from his city, Yasnic has experienced many upheavals throughout his life. Saved from another execution by the army bureaucracy, Yasnic and his box of orphan gods arrive at the frontlines, where he has been assigned to work in an unorthodox medical unit.

Made up of a mixture of former priests, gods, magicians, alchemists, artificers, necromancers and led by a gigantic brute known as the Butcher, the experimental medical unit treats the soldiers no one else can save and recycles the rest into the war effort. Entrusted to save the Palleseen soldiers, but doomed if anyone ever discovers the full extent of their abilities, the surgeons and orderlies of this unit ply their bloody trade as best they can while living as part of an unusual family, but the arrival of Yasnic could change everything.

As Yasnic works to fit into the unit and save lives, his unusual connections to the weakened and hidden gods of the world slowly begin to cause chaos throughout the army. Not only is he aware of the divine forces that secretly hang around the hospital, but his own illegal and crotchety God is determined to bring miracles to the Palleseen, whether that want them or not. As an outbreak of impossible healing and sudden pacifism spreads through the regiment, can Yasnic keep himself and his gods alive, or will the full force of the Palleseen zealots come crashing down upon him?

This was another epic and truly remarkable novel from Tchaikovsky that had me hooked the entire way through. Featuring a dark, bloody and fun story, House of Open Wounds was a particularly distinctive read that told its own captivating story while continuing some of the best elements from City of Last Chances. Funny, thoughtful and moving in equal measures, House of Open Wounds was an incredible and addictive novel that gets another very easy five-star rating.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2023/12/20/house-of-open-wounds-by-adrian-tchaikovsky/

An abridged review of this book also ran in the Canberra Weekly on 14 December 2023:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2023/12/21/canberra-weekly-column-recommendations-for-christmas-14-december-2023/

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

BOOK REVIEW: House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

What a late review! A huge thank you to @headofzeus for providing me with an E-ARC through @netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Forgive my tardiness, life has not been kind.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is an author I heard much praise for and yet never delved into his works. I came across a lone copy of City of Lost Chances - the first book in this series and totally and utterly fell in love with his prose. I had been sleeping on a brilliant wordsmith.

House of Open Wounds is a standalone sequel in that it features a character from the previous book. Yasnic is an incredible character whose arc had some amazing development throughout the book and the world building is simply sublime.

The plot was great, just when I thought I had it figured out, I soon learned that I didn’t. I was thoroughly engaged and hooked from the first page. It’s like if M*A*S*H and Terry Pratchett had a baby…yeah, take a moment to think of that combination.

Tchaikovsky has solidified his position in my author radar and I regret to inform my wallet - he will be bleeding me dry.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Tchaikovsky;'s fantasy pen is as strong as his space opera keyboard. The setting of the motley crew in a non-standard unit of a vast machine works wonderfully as an environment for mischief, skullduggery and self-realisation.

Thank you Netgalley and Adrian Tchaikovsky for the ARC of A House of Open wounds.

Im actually ashamed to say this is the first book Ive ever picked up by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I have seen this other books out there in the book world but never picked them up. If this is the case for you. then please read his books!

The House of Open Wounds is a second book of The Tyrant Philosophers book series. The first book being City of Lost Chances, I read The House of Open Wounds independently and it worked ok as a stand alone but Id probably recommend reading City of Lost chances first.

The characters are well " Built " and feel 4D, as in, they pop out the page at you! They all have some weird and wonderful powers, felt human, make mistakes and there's some great humour in there. The book mainly follows Yasnic, a one time priest finds himself partnered with " The butcher ", a man dab hand with a bone saw, gather up a motley crew of characters and sent of to war against the Palleseen

The world building in this book is phenomenal. Its something important to me if the fantasy world is well described so I can " feel " were I am. Adrian does this brilliantly. House of Open wounds definitely takes you to some beautifully written places and more. Will be picking up more of Adrian's books in the future!

4.5 stars for me

M*A*S*H in a Fantasy setting with Gods and magic. Slooow! I like the plot, what little there is of it. And the little gods are amusing enough. But I was really bored. 600+ pages, much too long. DNF at 49%.

What is it all about or rather, what does it start off with? A priest is captured and pressed into service in a field hospital during a prolonged war. Fantasy setting, a magical world with conjurers, necromancers and incantations. Magical energy is stored in small tablets for later use and people with magical abilities are „decanted“ to harvest that energy. There are torturers as well. Our field hospital belongs to the oppressors.
Our priest carries a wooden box on his back with something mysterious inside. The world and the war feel like a mix of not-really-steampunk with the trench war of WWI. Try to picture the first Hellboy movie for a stage setting.

Very deeply odd. It took me a week to get past my magical 20%-threshold of keep-it-or-toss-it. Something interesting happened and I decided to keep going. But the story moves at an absolutely glacial pace. I started some light skimming and made it to the halfway point. Yes, interesting plot and great characters, but it all seems so pointless and it‘s much too slow for my taste. I wouldn‘t have minded to find out what happens in the second half of the book, but this is just so boooring.

What does this tell me? Any kind of novella by Tchaikovsky, yes please. Sci Fi, mostly great stuff. Lengthy fantasy? Really not for me. Adrian Tchaikovsky the fantasy author and I don‘t mix well.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

"House of Open Wounds" by Adrian Tchaikovsky is a masterful blend of psychological intrigue and imaginative storytelling. Tchaikovsky, known for his ability to weave complex narratives, does not disappoint with this latest offering. The novel delves deep into the realms of psychological horror and suspense, crafting a world that is as fascinating as it is terrifying.

The story revolves around a mysterious house, a place where the fabric of reality seems twisted and the boundaries between the physical and psychological realms blur. Tchaikovsky's skillful writing immerses the reader in a setting that is both eerie and captivating. The house itself becomes a character, an enigmatic presence that holds secrets and horrors within its walls.

What sets this book apart is Tchaikovsky's ability to explore the human psyche. Each character is meticulously crafted, with their fears, desires, and inner demons playing a crucial role in the narrative. The author masterfully intertwines these personal journeys with the overarching mystery of the house, creating a tapestry of suspense and emotion.

The pacing of the novel is perfect, with a gradual build-up that leads to a crescendo of thrilling revelations. Tchaikovsky's use of language is both beautiful and haunting, painting vivid images that linger in the mind long after the book is closed.

"House of Open Wounds" is a triumph, showcasing Adrian Tchaikovsky's talents at their best. It is a novel that will appeal to fans of psychological horror and literary fiction alike. This book is not just a story; it's an experience, a journey into the depths of fear and the human soul. Highly recommended for those who appreciate a story that challenges the mind and stirs the emotions.

The first half of this one was decidedly sluggish, plot wise. I did wonder whether anything was actually going to happen at one point. However, the characters absolutely had me hooked from the first page, and I was intrigued to see where the story would go.
Reading this book isn’t without effort; I had to concentrate to parse the meaning of Tchaikovsky’s prose, as it’s not exactly written in layman’s terms, then there’s all the world-building language to get your head around, although it is witty and there’s some great snarky humour.
I felt a step change at the halfway point, where the backstories of the diverse cast of characters started to fill in like missing puzzle pieces and the first signs of a plot appeared on the horizon. The pace picked up, and the read became less of an effort and much more fun (despite the gore and desperation of the war camp setting).
My favourite character was God, a hypocritical minor deity who bothers Jack (one of our main protagonists) constantly, and (imo) nabs all the best lines. It’s a wickedly humorous take on religion in general, which amused me no end and made the initial effort well worth it.
If you’re looking for M.A.S.H. reimagined in epic fantasy, with a side of American Gods, and a smidgen of Long Way from a Small Angry Planet, then look no further; you’re in for a treat, and you don’t even to wait!
The House of Open Wounds published on 7 December.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the chance to read an ARC.

DNF at 46%

Unfortunately this just wasn't for me, I really struggled to gel with the story, what I did read I did enjoy but not enough for me to carry on and attempt to finish this book. I really enjoyed the characters and how they gelled together however it took me a long time to even get through the 46% I read, so I feel like currently at this moment in time, this is not the book for me. I cannot see myself visiting this to try again before the end of the year. I may possibly reattempt sometime during 2024.

Unfortunately as well the format of this ebook was not pleasing to the eye as there were no real visible gaps between paragraphs and this was something I really struggled with as I struggled to break down the large chunks of text.

I have left this review off of Goodreads for now in case I try to reattempt this title in the future. Sorry!