Interested in a detailed summary with read-alike?? Check out my Annotation of this book.
REVIEW
Author: Katherine Addison
Title: The Goblin Emperor
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: None.
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Number of Pages: 482 pages of story text; plus a Handbook for Travelers in the Elflands and A Listing of Persons, Places, Things, and Gods
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a chronological series but the author has other works set in the same world: The Witness for the Dead and The Grief of Stones (forthcoming June 2022)
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Descriptions of past child abuse, ritual suicide (described in detail), death of family members, grief, death of a loved one in the past.
Summary: This lyrical look at politics and court intrigue introduces readers to the complex empire of the Elflands where airships soar, bridges are steam powered and elaborate palaces are filled with wonder and betrayal.
Maia is the youngest, mostly forgotten, half-goblin son of the emperor. He was sent to live on the outskirts of the empire with his drunk and abusive uncle after Maia’s mother died when he was eight. After a tragic airship crash kills his father and brothers, no one expects Maia to come to the capital and take his rightful place as emperor, least of all Maia himself. But that is exactly what Maia does, even though he knows next to nothing about the politics of the court, how to rule, or even how to dress properly. Fumbling and stumbling, Maia manages to garner trusted staff and other allies as he learns how to rule and uncovers a plot that suggests his father and brothers were murdered; could Maia be next? As Maia learns what it means to be emperor and attempts to discover his family’s assassin(s), he tries to maintain his sense of self in the chaos and choose understanding and compassion every step of the way.
Slow-paced and with action that is intense yet meditative, this book takes readers on a journey of self-discovery as Maia and his allies seek to change the way people understand how a kingdom can be ruled.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS
WARNING: May contain spoilers
This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up. More than any specific genre, the books I tend to avoid are ones that are slow-paced and highly focused on character development. Do I want good characters in the books I read? Absolutely. However, when I read for pleasure more than anything what I want is a good story. Dealing with complex emotions in a quiet book is not really my jam. But I must have picked up The Goblin Emperor at the right time because, even though I sometimes felt frustrated with the slow pace, I still was engaged in the book and kept wanting to pick it up to find out what happened next.
At only 77 pages in I was struggling with the feelings of confusion I had. Character names are complex and readers are introduced to a lot of figures as well as family histories very quickly. Then I realized that the confusion was every bit a writing trick. Maia is thrust into his reign as emperor in the pre-dawn hours after a tragic accident claimed the lives of the brothers he never really knew and his father who loathed him. He had never lived in the palace and is just as confused by all the names and customs as the reader. He likely can't remember their names or keep track of their lineage either and so, as the reader, our confusion mimics Maia's; clever.
While I’m not shouting from the rooftops about this book, I’m glad I read it. I think with the craziness of the spring semester, both at work and in my own degree program, as well as the insanity of the world at large, I just needed something that was slow and quiet. It was the perfect time for me to find enjoyment in this type of book. Honestly, it’s a boring book. It's not that nothing happens, but the action occurs slowly and is described quickly taking only a few pages compared to descriptions of palaces, clothes, and politics which go on seemingly forever. This is not an action story. Still, Maia, the accidental emperor, is endearing as are the people around him who support him and are willing to give their lives for him. I dont know that I will read any of the other books set in this world but I am satisfied that I gave this one a go.
Final resting place: Between The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy and The Angel of the Crows.
WHAT I’M READING NOW
My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.
By the Book by Jasmine Guillory