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wayfaringwordhackHere is a reposting of a review I wrote on Goodreads for Lagoonfire written by Francesca Forrest:
As per my request, I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Lagoonfire in exchange for my honest review.
Having read and very much enjoyed Francesca Forrest’s The Inconvenient God, I was thrilled to find out there would be a sequel. I am a Whopper-of-a-Tome kind of gal—someone who likes loooooooong stories—so my only gripe, as such, about The Inconvenient God was its short length. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t like tales that are wordy for the sake of wordiness, rather ones that enchant me into lives of people I want to be around for a long haul.
I think Francesca* has created such a person in Decommissioner Thirty-Seven. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is a woman with integrity, sensitivity, and compassion in a country that seems intent on eradicating such useless sentiments. Instead of worshipping gods, people must adhere to Abstractions. This is where I will admit this was not a very easy story for me to read right now because it is hitting too close to home on the political reality in my country of residence, as it is, I think, in many places in the world.
Lagoonfire has a dystopian feel because of the Polity’s oppressive views toward tradition, religion, and personal freedom; however, what makes this story different from most dystopian narratives is that there has been no earth-shattering cataclysm, war, plague, etc. that has resulted in the Polity. This is a place that could exist today. Its birth has been a march of time, policy after policy, complacency, propaganda, media manipulation, “for the common good” brainwashing… so much bending and bending on the part of the people that they no longer have the will to fight a still ever-tightening government, that or they have completely bought into the Institution.
Or so it seems.
Thankfully, there are people like Decomissioner Thirty-Seven, called Sweeting by the gods she has decommissioned, who find ways to fight the inhuman, inhumaneness of the Polity by choosing: they choose to embrace their humanity, to believe in others, to not bend.
I don’t want to go into any kind of spoilers—the book’s blurb does an excellent job of setting up the premise—but I do want to say that Francesca made the Polity feel so pervasive and unbeatable that I was wary of the ending, worried I would be left feeling hopeless at the thought of facing down the behemoth of oppression. Knowing Francesca, I need not have feared. Sweeting finds a way to keep on fighting that is uplifting and within the reach of all.
I can’t wait for the third installment.
_________
* I met Francesca online many, many moons ago and have struck up a friendship with her because of her enchanting way of looking at the world and ability to conjure that enchantment through her words; her passion for volunteer work, justice, and helping others; and her ability to convey hope and resiliency even in tough times; it would, therefore, be just plain weird for me to refer to her as Ms/Mrs/Forrest.
As per my request, I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Lagoonfire in exchange for my honest review.
Having read and very much enjoyed Francesca Forrest’s The Inconvenient God, I was thrilled to find out there would be a sequel. I am a Whopper-of-a-Tome kind of gal—someone who likes loooooooong stories—so my only gripe, as such, about The Inconvenient God was its short length. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t like tales that are wordy for the sake of wordiness, rather ones that enchant me into lives of people I want to be around for a long haul.
I think Francesca* has created such a person in Decommissioner Thirty-Seven. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is a woman with integrity, sensitivity, and compassion in a country that seems intent on eradicating such useless sentiments. Instead of worshipping gods, people must adhere to Abstractions. This is where I will admit this was not a very easy story for me to read right now because it is hitting too close to home on the political reality in my country of residence, as it is, I think, in many places in the world.
Lagoonfire has a dystopian feel because of the Polity’s oppressive views toward tradition, religion, and personal freedom; however, what makes this story different from most dystopian narratives is that there has been no earth-shattering cataclysm, war, plague, etc. that has resulted in the Polity. This is a place that could exist today. Its birth has been a march of time, policy after policy, complacency, propaganda, media manipulation, “for the common good” brainwashing… so much bending and bending on the part of the people that they no longer have the will to fight a still ever-tightening government, that or they have completely bought into the Institution.
Or so it seems.
Thankfully, there are people like Decomissioner Thirty-Seven, called Sweeting by the gods she has decommissioned, who find ways to fight the inhuman, inhumaneness of the Polity by choosing: they choose to embrace their humanity, to believe in others, to not bend.
I don’t want to go into any kind of spoilers—the book’s blurb does an excellent job of setting up the premise—but I do want to say that Francesca made the Polity feel so pervasive and unbeatable that I was wary of the ending, worried I would be left feeling hopeless at the thought of facing down the behemoth of oppression. Knowing Francesca, I need not have feared. Sweeting finds a way to keep on fighting that is uplifting and within the reach of all.
I can’t wait for the third installment.
_________
* I met Francesca online many, many moons ago and have struck up a friendship with her because of her enchanting way of looking at the world and ability to conjure that enchantment through her words; her passion for volunteer work, justice, and helping others; and her ability to convey hope and resiliency even in tough times; it would, therefore, be just plain weird for me to refer to her as Ms/Mrs/Forrest.
no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2021 01:14 pm (UTC)(I hope those show up in your journal as the golden hearts they're intended to be)
When I saw the subject line of your entry in my inbox, I froze with hope and terror, the way I always do! And then melted with relief and joy. So glad, friend, that the story didn't let you down. And I promise the next one is novel length! (Though now, of course, as I write it, I'm afraid **that** will let people down. What unhelpful psyches we humans are built with.)
Yeah, the Polity was very much, But you're soaking in it! So I wanted to write it like that. And I'd already written a story in which a main character ended up thinking revolution was the only way out, so I wanted to do one where people's protests and their concept of what they're trying to do with their protests was *smaller*. Even though the apparatus of the state was still very oppressive.
About the way we met and became friends: I adore this magic in my life. I think *you* are magic. Don't get me wrong, I know you're real, with real sorrows and hardships (and joys!) But just--your life! Any slice of it! And how you tackle it, and the things you think of it. You know how near the end of Casablanca they say, "We'll always have Paris"? I feel like you and I can say, "We'll always have the Amazon--and volcanoes." Not that we're about to be separated by a World War (I hope!!)
Many drops make an ocean
Date: 24 Feb 2021 03:56 pm (UTC)"We'll always have the Amazon--and volcanoes." LOL, so true. Fancy visiting Irazu volcano someday? Just kidding. Kinda. But Costa Rica is a country we are looking into in case of a future move...
Not that we're about to be separated by a World War (I hope!!). Please, Lord, no!
Re: Many drops make an ocean
Date: 24 Feb 2021 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2021 03:58 pm (UTC)And can I just say how chuffed I am to have been the first to review Lagoonfire? <3
no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2021 04:29 pm (UTC)