Petrik’s review of The Traitor Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade, #1) > Likes and Comments

Well this is disappointing😩😩

I didn't like this either, but am curious if 'The Monster Baru Cormorant', out today I think, is any better.

Sucks this one didn't work for you, Petrik. Maybe the next read will be awesome. :)

ijeoma Agbaje wrote: "Well this is disappointing😩😩"

Who knows, maybe you'll like it more. A lot of people did!

Gerhard wrote: "I didn't like this either, but am curious if 'The Monster Baru Cormorant', out today I think, is any better."

Yeah it's out today. I won't be continuing though, this almost put me into a reading slump!

Jody wrote: "Sucks this one didn't work for you, Petrik. Maybe the next read will be awesome. :)"

Thanks, Jody! I hope so too! :D

😣 sorry... but thanks for sharing! I was also intrigued by the premise of this book. I will give it a pass now;)

Anton wrote: "😣 sorry... but thanks for sharing! I was also intrigued by the premise of this book. I will give it a pass now;)"

Haha you're welcome! Maybe you'll have a better time with it than me! :D

I had the opposite reaction. Was hesitant to read but really liked it can’t wait to read the next.

Lori wrote: "I had the opposite reaction. Was hesitant to read but really liked it can’t wait to read the next."

Ahh so awesome. I guess my expectation betrayed me in this case! :/

The prose to me felt like reading a history textbook and I had severe problems immersing myself with Dickinson’s way of writing

Yep, that was my main gripe with the book.

Marielle wrote: "It's been on my tbr for ages and the book is lying around here somewhere but somehow I never actually picked it up. This doesn't improve the situation ;) Great review though!"

Lying around somewhere lol xD Thank you, Marielle! Maybe the book is lost so that you won't have to experience the boredom :p (Honestly though, I hope you'll enjoy it more than me if you do get to it!)

Lukasz wrote: "The prose to me felt like reading a history textbook and I had severe problems immersing myself with Dickinson’s way of writing

Yep, that was my main gripe with the book."

It's a shame you know. There were some great stuff in it but if I don't care about the characters, well it's pointless; the writing really didn't made me connect with any of the characters.

Shame you didn't like it! I've been looking forward to this for a while to be honest!

Victoria wrote: "Shame you didn't like it! I've been looking forward to this for a while to be honest!"

I was the same, Victoria! That's why I'm so bummed that I didn't enjoy it! :/

I sincerely hope it will be a better experience for you! :D

This is funny because the ending knocked it down a star for me 😹

Jordan wrote: "This is funny because the ending knocked it down a star for me 😹"

haha really? I thought the ending was quite gripping, although predictable, that it made me increase the rating :D

Thank you for your honest review Petrik: I've only read praise about this book, so to read your words teaches me something new. I've read some read disappointing novels too this year, so I know how disheartening it can make you feel. I hope your next read won't let you down!

I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t love it. I’m kind of predictable when it comes to the stories I love. A little old fashioned even, my good guys have to be good and the bad guys always have to loose at the end!

Puck wrote: "Thank you for your honest review Petrik: I've only read praise about this book, so to read your words teaches me something new. I've read some read disappointing novels too this year, so I know how..."

You're welcome, Puck! It was the same case for me, I've only read great things about it and I think because of that my expectation was unreasonably high. Some even claimed it's the standard the geopolitical epic fantasy should strive to! Thank you though, my next read was certainly better!

Alexis wrote: "I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t love it. I’m kind of predictable when it comes to the stories I love. A little old fashioned even, my good guys have to be good and the bad guys always have..."

I'm glad that you feel the same about the book as I did! Nothing wrong with that kind of story to love too!

This review was sobering because I am one of those people who is amazed by this series and considers it one of the best novels I've read. You've reminded me that there would be people out there who didn't like it...and that that's okay :D And I thought the points you raised are valid ones, especially the bit about the "forgetability" of the side characters. That said, for me the development of other characters was there but subtle, and some of it was due to the fact that these people are depicted through the eyes of our lovable narcissist, Baru. Many of the other characters are a slow burn that pay off in the next book (*spoilers* Aminata, Apparitor, Cardaine Farrier, many new characters).

Lauren wrote: "This review was sobering because I am one of those people who is amazed by this series and considers it one of the best novels I've read. You've reminded me that there would be people out there who..."

Ah, please don't be sad about it, Lauren! Remember, this is just my honest opinion. I know a lot of my friends and other readers loved it too and I'm really happy that you found this book to be one of the best novels you've ever read! I really wish I could've loved it too but sadly it just didn't happen. :/

I have been trying to finish it for too long and I'm so close to DNFing it. While I get the points that get others excited, I can't help being bored. I always hated anything that has to do with economics so I can't stand the accounting and it just feels slow and I just can't get into it at all so I know what you mean and totally agree. I'm giving it one last try now, hope I can finish it.

Maria wrote: "I have been trying to finish it for too long and I'm so close to DNFing it. While I get the points that get others excited, I can't help being bored. I always hated anything that has to do with eco..."

Good luck, Maria! But seriously, don't push it if you know it's not for you. Forcing through this book almost put me to reading slump!

Petrik - I have some of the same criticisms you do with writing style, pacing, and characters. I may have weighted those things differently though, since I was going to give the book 3 stars until the ending (which pushed it up to at least a 3.5 for me).

In retrospect, it was an interesting story whose events were tied together well in the end, but I did have some difficulties getting through some chapters. I just wish that we had more time to get to know Baru as a child, and to understand events as they fell into place. This felt kind of like a long short story to me.

I wanted to like this so badly. But nearly failing economics in college and not tracking the alliances in history in this overrode my excitement for a queer female protagonist and a story that deals so honestly with the nature of colonialism. I really tried to force myself to love it and I see why others do but your review captures most of my feelings. My attention span requires a different type of plot, unfortunately.

Can't say I agree with these comments! To each their own, of course. This is what I love about Goodreads. However, I think if you're passing this up based on a fear it will be too much like a text book, you should download the Kindle sample and see for yourself.

I picked it up as passive reading - to read in my commute and on snatched breaks at work, so if it were too dense with complex world building for me I'd have given up. I've done that many times with other series, in fact.

For me? It was perfect. I have never been so devastated and delighted by a protagonist before. I just finished the sequel and I'm just as furious with, frightened for, and fascinated with her as I was at the end of Traitor.

Important: You do not have to studiously track the histories, peoples, and alliances to enjoy these books. They have a way of always contextually reminding you who is who and where is where.

In my opinion, anyway, it's something you should try and see before passing up as too dense. I'm so damned glad I did because these have been thrilling books and I'm as eager for the next one as I am baffled to describe how I enjoyed the first two .

u my dear dont know a good book if it bit u in the arse...but hey its your opinion....

Siddarth wrote: "u my dear dont know a good book if it bit u in the arse...but hey its your opinion...."

Seeing that we both love Malazan Book of the Fallen and many more other books... I'll say that both of us doesn't know a good book if it bites us in the arse then! :)

Jeffrey wrote: "Petrik - I have some of the same criticisms you do with writing style, pacing, and characters. I may have weighted those things differently though, since I was going to give the book 3 stars until ..."

Sorry for the late reply! "I just wish that we had more time to get to know Baru as a child, and to understand events as they fell into place." This is an interesting take, I think this would actually make me care more about Baru. I dunno though, because in the end the writing was the major issue that didn't click for me! :)

Shayela wrote: "I wanted to like this so badly. But nearly failing economics in college and not tracking the alliances in history in this overrode my excitement for a queer female protagonist and a story that deal..."

Yeah, there's definitely things to love here. But as I said, the writing style didn't click with me at all. It made me feel so detached to the characters and story!

Jules wrote: "Can't say I agree with these comments! To each their own, of course. This is what I love about Goodreads. However, I think if you're passing this up based on a fear it will be too much like a text ..."

"This is what I love about Goodreads. However, I think if you're passing this up based on a fear it will be too much like a text book, you should download the Kindle sample and see for yourself."

Well said! Although this book didn't work for me at all, I do think that people still have to give it a try and see whether it will work for them or not! :)

Agree 100%

I can relate!

I am struggling badly reading this. Your review was everything that I am thinking. Disappointed as bought all three books and had such high hopes.

Ashani wrote: "Agree 100%"

Glad you agreed! :)

Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ wrote: "I can relate!"

Hahaha it's so unfortunate!

Darien wrote: "I am struggling badly reading this. Your review was everything that I am thinking. Disappointed as bought all three books and had such high hopes."

It doesn't get better, Darien. Good luck with it... I almost bought them all because of the cover art and high praises, thankfully I only bought the first one and unhauled it.

I didn't dislike it as much as you did. I gave it 3/5. I actually think Dickinson is a good writer, but what didn't work for me is the characters, especially Baru.

Ineffable7980x wrote: "I didn't dislike it as much as you did. I gave it 3/5. I actually think Dickinson is a good writer, but what didn't work for me is the characters, especially Baru."

I couldn't click with his prose at all. Found it to be too dry and emotionless, and yeah I couldn't care about the characters, too! Oh well!

I'm almost done with the book and it gets almost universal praise on the fantasy subreddit so I was shocked I feel the exact same way as this review. I'm going to finish it because sunk cost fallacy, but you hit the nail on the head with everything you said.

David wrote: "I'm almost done with the book and it gets almost universal praise on the fantasy subreddit so I was shocked I feel the exact same way as this review. I'm going to finish it because sunk cost fallac..."

It's really not for me... Good luck with it! 😂

Somehow Baru's ascent as Accountant happened way too fast. Like she only took an exam and suddenly had power in her hands.

I totally agree with this. Super disappointed that I didn’t like it

ah i am SO heartened to hear that this book really didn't work for others either. I was so excited about it. And i was so deeply disappointed.

I wish I would have seen your rating before reading this. I rarely disagree with you and would have avoided this one.

Lola wrote: "I totally agree with this. Super disappointed that I didn’t like it"

I wish I had loved it, but sadly no. :(

Bee wrote: "ah i am SO heartened to hear that this book really didn't work for others either. I was so excited about it. And i was so deeply disappointed."

Thank you, Bee! Too bad this one didn't work for you, too! :')

Nick wrote: "I wish I would have seen your rating before reading this. I rarely disagree with you and would have avoided this one."

Yeah, I wish I loved this. I even bought the physical books already. But nope. :(