I really appreciated the nuance and complexity of the characters and the topics presented. But I found myself disappointed by the ending. Namely that there are themes it vaguely gestures at rather than fully explore. The whole book builds to one specific scene which is glossed over. The epilogue then waves it off in a way that while realistic, was disappointing.

This book is a labor of love to read. It’s meant to be confusing and tedious as well as surreal. There are passages that sound pseudo-academic, complete with nonsensical citations. At one point just as your eyes glaze over, the text begins talking about boredom and what purpose it serves. So it’s self-aware and playful, deliberately messing with you.

The structure at times mimics the labyrinthine house: impossible to decipher and constantly changing. There are footnotes within footnotes that lead nowhere, multiple narrators spiraling into obsessions losing their minds on the page, and a house that keeps shifting in ways that defy physics. I had to set aside 60-90 minutes every time I picked this up, but I enjoyed how disorienting it was.

At its core is the same story echoed across the narrators: trying to map something that cannot be ever be fully explored or understood, searching for meaning in chaos and darkness, working through trauma, and seeking connection by documenting their findings. Whether I was reading Johhny’s rabid ramblings, Pelafina’s letters, or Zampano’s research, grief and loneliness kept seeping through.

This is the most unique reading experience I’ve had. I respect the effort it took to make this book, and the effort it demands of its reader. It’s not for everyone, but it was for me!

disclaimer: i am not the ideal audience for this book.

i think mostly i was just bored. there was some fun clever writing occasionally and some humor. the plot: non-existent. i think i would've actually really enjoyed it if i liked this fake-medieval setting type of fantasy for boys because it just kind of lets you exist in its world with its characters for over 500 pages. i would be obsessed with it if i read something that just exists in a fantasy world that i really love. unfortunately, i kind of hated this world and at best, was extremely bored by it.

i felt the same way about the characters. they were well-written (i think) for what they are, which is not much. but once again, i couldn't care less for those kinds of character archetypes, no matter how interesting someone makes them.

i'm not going to break down every thing i hated about the blade itself because, once again, this book was extremely not made for me. not gonna yuck some boy's yums. all you need to know is that i will not pick up the sequel.