Leaf reviewed Thirteen orphans by Jane Lindskold
Review of 'Thirteen orphans' on 'Storygraph'
1 star
I abhorred this book.
The premise was interesting, but Linskold managed to destroy it utterly.
The pacing was snail-slow, the dialogue choppy and unrealistic. Lindskold seems to think we need every present character to repeat every new plot revelation, which means basically the same line three or four times over. This is the first book I've ever read where I actually had to skip portions of dialogue just in order to stay motivated enough to read more.
Worse, she takes what could be a story populated by strong characters of colour and thoroughly whitewashes it. Seriously, most of the main characters in this story based around Chinese history and mythology are white. That Chinese-looking girl on the cover? Actually supposed to look white, by her description.
The few non-white characters are stereotypical to a PAINFUL degree. A black man who injured his shoulder in a basketball accident, but still coaches …
I abhorred this book.
The premise was interesting, but Linskold managed to destroy it utterly.
The pacing was snail-slow, the dialogue choppy and unrealistic. Lindskold seems to think we need every present character to repeat every new plot revelation, which means basically the same line three or four times over. This is the first book I've ever read where I actually had to skip portions of dialogue just in order to stay motivated enough to read more.
Worse, she takes what could be a story populated by strong characters of colour and thoroughly whitewashes it. Seriously, most of the main characters in this story based around Chinese history and mythology are white. That Chinese-looking girl on the cover? Actually supposed to look white, by her description.
The few non-white characters are stereotypical to a PAINFUL degree. A black man who injured his shoulder in a basketball accident, but still coaches kids in sports in order to help keep them out of gangs and off drugs? Apparently, black men can have one of two different personalities in Lindskold's world, both learned from watching 90s television. She even goes so far as to exclaim as to how Riprap doesn't even have an "African-American accent"! Not even kidding, though I wish I was.
Also, she seems to really dislike Native American people. There are at least three random, disparaging remarks towards them within the first hundred pages. No explanation why, and there are no native characters.
Summary: don't subject yourself to this book, if you value your positive outlook regarding the fantasy genre. How this schlock got past a publisher...
