I’m really loving the narrator’s voice in this even though there’s a “wet” sound to it I normally don’t enjoy. She reminds me of the librarians or volunteer readers who would come into my kindergarten to read to us kids when I was little. It gives a nice, warm nostalgic feel to the story that I think matches perfectly!

Hi Boundlings!

I enjoyed this book and the forum and noticed also quite a lot of posts stating a sense of confusion - I thought it may help to have a post early on in the forum (spoiler free - all of what I am mentioning is introduced in the very first 15 min/first chapter) to help you along the way if you are feeling that way.

The first character introduced (one of the main characters) is Chih: A non-binary cleric from the Singing Hills Abbey who records history.

They are traveling with Almost Brilliant: A talking hoopoe bird with a perfect memory who is Chih’s companion.

At this point of the book, they have now met with Rabbit: The old woman who was once In-Yo's servant and loyal handmaiden, and who tells the story in the later parts of the book. Chih often addresses Rabbit by "grandmother" (likely a translation for what I imagine is a type of honorific and respect for the elder woman).

This book switches between the two narrators (Chih and Rabbit) and two separate time periods.

I hope this helps and that you enjoy this tale!

am I supposed to like Cardan? like that asshole? I’m sorry, what is all the fuss about?? If that’s another book of mmc being absolute asshole and you call it “enemies to lovers” I’m gonna dnf