With regards to theme, I think being European hampered your understanding. The book is all about theories of race that have emerged from cultural studies departments in American universities, but which don't get as much attention in Europe.

For example, why does a god take Yeine as a lover when she constantly refers to herself as ugly? Because the Arameri cultural hegemony defines beauty in terms of their own race, and though Yeine is of mixed blood, her looks come from her mother. She's not objectively ugly, but because she doesn't look Arameri she's grown up to feel that she's not as desirable. The gods, not being caught up in human culture, are able to look on her without the baggage or race and see her for what she is. The whole thing is a commentary on the way black actresses with lighter skin and more Caucasian facial features tend to be more successful in Hollywood than those who look more African.

Sean wrote: "With regards to theme, I think being European hampered your understanding. The book is all about theories of race that have emerged from cultural studies departments in American universities, but w..."

I'm glad you can get that reading out of it, as it totally passed me by. I understood she was of mixed parentage, but compared to other aspects of the novel it had almost no effect on the plot or character or anything. Or so it seemed to me.

However, if this novel really is "all about" that, it didn't do a very good job of communicating it to me. How the hell was I meant to know it had anything to do with race or Hollywood actresses?

But the gods are still only interested in beautiful women of course. No chance for anyone else as usual.

Isabel wrote: "But the gods are still only interested in beautiful women of course. No chance for anyone else as usual."

Aaaand, I just remembered, she has sex with a non-god too, who found her attractive enough to have sex with without any qualms.

I had quite the opposite opinion of the audiobook narration. I very much enjoyed Freeman's work. Haven't listened to the rant yet, if it's up, just responding to the blurb.

Sean, I think your personal views heavily affected your read. Jemisin is very involved in that arena, true, but her story was much more balanced than your response might lead a new reader to believe.

Isabel, one god hates us meatbags and would happily annihilate the universe, the other was a mess, and more interested in Yienne for her soul from comment one, the rest... mommy complex, manipulator, executioner... Don't think they cared about anything but their goals.

I have decided I would like to hear more goofy accents from Luke.

Joe wrote: "I have decided I would like to hear more goofy accents from Luke."

Awwwww maaaan!

Oh man, that review was soooo much fun. (I do hate you a little for the spoiler but I'll forgive you...). Especially when you went "You may think I'm exaggerating, but i'm really not" and then you put in the clips. I laughed tears! And you have my utmost respect for going through with that audiobook.

All those clips were from a single short conversation in a single chapter. I wasn't trying to pick out the worst by any means. They were just a representative sample from skipping through the audio file until I hit that character's voice.

I'm reading the book right now and I've come across a few of the places that Luke mentioned in terms of wrong commas.
The commas are fine in the written book, so it must really just have been the audiobook narrator fucking it up. That and the clips positively turned me off buying any audiobooks narrated by what's-her-name Freeman.

I presumed it was the narrator.