I'd heard lots about this book and was excited to read it, but unfortunately, for some reason I found it hard to get into. I will try again to read it at some point in the future, but at the moment it's not for me. I will not be sharing my review anywhere else.

Many thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

Okay, I finally read The Spear Cuts Through Water . And what do I even say? By the time I came to the last few pages of this book, I was speechless. This easily is one of the best fantasy books I've read, in terms of the world building, the themes. Reading this was an incredible experience, and one in which I took my time. I savoured each and every word of this book and the way Simon Jiminez painted the picture of this story and the story within a story.

I don't think I've read any books in second-person, at least not before this one and honestly? it's amazing. Reading from the second person perspective really immerses you in the story and this world and Jiminez's amazing words. Honestly, I could talk for hours upon hours at what Jiminez has done with this book; it is a lesson in craft and in writing and in taking risks and watching them pay off.

The Spear Cuts Through Water is a true masterpiece and honestly, one of my favourite books that I've read recently. I know I will not be forgetting about this any time soon. (

The story of Keema and Jun was told in such an wonderfully unique way. A stunning tale with multifaceted characters, at it’s heart The Spear Cuts through Water is an impressive exploration of identity, duty, and family legacy.

The Spear Cuts through Water is definitely an impressive book. It gets rave reviews all over the bookish internet and everyone talks about how meaningful this book is.

Unfortunately, I found it hard to follow bnecause of the switching between third, second person. I can chalk part of it up to needing to dual read the book and listen to the audiobook to try and get into the flow of the writing, but I decided that since I've struggled to sink into the book I would mention it in my review.

Other than prose, I loved the plot! It was excellent, and I felt drawn to keep reading constantly. I did complete the book in one long train ride, and honestly, it was lovely to love and come to know the characters and plot that I enjoyed so much after such a struggle getting started.

I would really recomend this book, but if you are potentially going to struggle with point of view changes definitely try the audiobook if you can. It helped me get immersed into the story in half the time just reading did.

The Spear Cuts Through Water is in some ways a fairly standard fantasy tale with two characters thrown together on a quest with a limit timeframe. But that sells short the uniqueness and quality of the storytelling.
This is written in layers- a child being told stories, that as an adult they experience in a dream realm being performed on stage - which it turns out also exists in the story that's being told.
It very much feels like oral history and storytelling in written form along with a touch of classical theatre with brief interruptions and asides from the characters that appear briefly on the main characters' journey.
The main characters of the story being told (within the theatre) are Jun and Keema, tasked with taking the dying Moon god on a pilgrimage so that she can end the rule of the Moon throne. On the journey they meet main people and creatures and learn more about themselves and each other.
Although it is a fantastical story, it also feels lived in, gritty and harsh, and explores belonging and identity.
A standout fantasy story that is well worth reading

Really enjoyed this multivoiced and imaginative fairytale. The execution is hugely original, the character work is believable, the action scene are gripping, and overall it’s one of the best fantasy novels in years

(If you’ve played Skyrim you’re going to recognise a major plot element though…)

An epic oral poem in book form. The writing in this was like waking dream, totally transportive and epic. Loved it!

Surreal storytelling.

The writing flows beautifully just as thoughts in the mind often do giving this book a dream like quality.

Multifaceted and clever.

Among the gore, torture and death there is love, yearning and tender characters. I enjoyed the romance and connections the characters make.

The characters are whole.

The changing narratives meant I was never fully immersed. This is a book I think I will have to re-read at some point when I have no distractions and can just be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

This book is a work of art and deserves more accreditation than it currently has.

The prose is lush, inviting and vivid in a way I can't remember experiencing at all in the last few years. The multifaceted character-work at play here is masterful, even for characters who appear only for a handful of pages. Keema, Jun and the moon god have firmly entrenched themselves in my cerebellum, and their actions and reactions are so very human that it makes interacting with them a deep, insightful pleasure. The glimpses of personality from the background characters - the 'stage dressing' - are equally as compelling at bringing life this world.

How Simon Jimenez manages to embody the folk-tale spirit behind this piece and literally brings a play to life through these pages is awe inspiring and I would not be surprised to see this book as a modern-classic. It truly reinvents many elements of fantasy literature that make it so compelling as a genre.

This is not a book for everyone: it's dense, meandering and honestly took me at least 70 pages to really get the hang of even reading fluidly, but I'm already considering rereading it. It's that good. Truly a magnificent work.

This review is for The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez which releases in the UK on 14th March! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Rebellion Publishing for giving me an eArc copy for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited when I saw this was available to request as I’d heard so many good things about this book already when it was self published, and it has lived up to every expectation.

It was so unique in the way it was written, that I cannot put into words how good it was. It was so original, complex and unlike anything else I have ever read. Because of this, it did feel a little harder to read for me than usual, which is not a bad thing at all as it meant I actually had to take my time. The narrative structure was something I have never seen before, and was impressed how they used it throughout the book.

I enjoyed the story and the world building as whole and loved the detail explaining the past and present of the world they were in, I felt like I was really there. The plot was filed with so many twists and turns, always keeping you on your toes and waiting for what comes next.

I loved most of the characters, and enjoyed seeing a wide range of them including some LGBTQ+ rep which was great! You see a lot of character development in this book, as well as lot of morally grey characters who kinda just brush over the fact they’re murderers. But again, you do feel for them and want them to succeed.

I really loved this book, and would recommend this to any fantasy readers out there. It will be unlike anything you have ever read before!

This is a very interestingly written book, but the writing style kept me, as a reader, too distant from the characters.
While I can sometimes appreciate books that are quite experimental and more focused on themes than anything else, my preference is for character driven books, therefore this was just not for me.

I'm grappling with giving this 4 stars because from a craft point, I don't know how else the story can't be 5 stars but my reading experience is a little bumpy.

Beginning with my feelings: simply, it's a story that is hard to understand on the first go. The long chapters don't necessarily make it easier to read, although the quoted section breakers do help me to stay on track. I do think this story is worth a revisit simply out of awe and respect for the craft which demands to be understood. Speaking of the craft, it's technically (as in, writing skills) impressive. The fluid switch between first, second, and third-person as well as the three storylines they are told through is dizzying, confusing, surreal and dreamlike at once. Perspectives converge and divide as stories are layered on top of one other like epochs made of stone, pulling me in and out of its intricate mythology. I've never read anything like this. This is one of extremely few books where I can confidently say the 'nothing like it' angle of a book's premise is accurate.

Also: big props to the cover illustrator Simon Prades for creating a compelling cover.

Overall, while I didn't have the most enjoyable and easiest reading experience, it doesn't take away from the fact this is a marvellous story.

Even though this book was published back in 2022, there's a new edition of it being launched in 2024. For that, thanks to Netgalley and Solaris for providing me with the e-arc/DRC of the 2024 edition in exchange for an honest review.

Book review: The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

5/5🌟

The Spear Cuts Through Water is a unique tale about heritage, family and gods. Where on the surface we follow two young men in their journey to return a god to their rightful place, it is so much more than that.

The Spear Cuts Through Water bridges the gap between fantasy & fairytale, between storytelling & art. Its unique form of storytelling in the form of a 'inception' like story within a story within a story is easily one of the most compelling literary experiments I have seen. Here a grandmother tells a story about their family history to a grandson, which he also sees in spirit like theater in a dream and which is also told as if it is happening in real-time. Sounds crazy right?! And yet it works. Jimenez blends different forms of literary perspective and forms of storytelling, and does it so fluently that after a short transition period it feels natural.

One of the most interesting aspects of the experimental writing is the interjections made by the subjects of the story at hand in the a form almost like a Greek Chorus in a classical play. Them providing an extra perspective makes the story that more immersive. The same goes for interjections of the grandson giving the story a perspective from a modern time. It feels like immersing yourself in the flow of a river, being carried away by the narrative and only coming up for air when you put the book down.

The story itself is a look at heritage & family. What does it mean to be part of a larger history beyond yourself. It is also a story of love, greed and power. It really goes back to those storytelling elements that are prevalent in mythology and fairytales and while the art of writing is the main attraction it never forgets its main protagonist. Both the characters and the storytelling are in balance.

Jimenez is a true artist, a novelist, a poet. This book will stick with me for a long time and will go on my list of all time favorite books. A true masterpiece!

A masterfully staged fable, told through various ways and voices: this is ultimately a love story. It’s a quest and a tragedy and a horror story and a romance and a myth. It’s queer and tender and lyrical… and a bit weird. I got used to the chorus of voices which weren’t the narrating voice - these appear in italics in written text and I have NO idea how they work in audiobook - but it did take me a while to work out what was going on, as did the interlinking storylines. But it is just gorgeous. The quest of two young warriors to smuggle a god-corpse across the land and end a reign of terror from a monstrously gifted royal family, this is the kind of story that just sticks in the brain. When Ghibli adaptation please?

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I really wanted to love this. I’ve heard so many great things, it’s been comped to books I absolutely love… but I’m sorry, this was such a drag. It could not keep my attention.

Don’t get me wrong, the writing is beautiful and vivid, but plot wise I was *bored*. I couldn’t connect to these characters, or the multiple threads, and eventually the interruptions from unseen people in the audience got tiring.

This might work for people that love rhythmic writing telling a puzzle of a story. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.

2.5⭐️

A journey of love, what it means to be human, & talking tortoises. I did not expect this book to play out as it did. Touching characters and stunning prose, Simon Jimenez propels you through a theatre and into this marvellous story, reminiscent of a Ghibli movie. Very much enjoyed this, thank you NetGalley for the ARC 4/5

A poetically written fantasy following the epic journey of a band of misfits to save the kingdom. Uniquely styled as a story within a story, with a focus on family, identity and duty. Imaginative and clever, although the writing style added so many extra pages to the book it started it feel like a slog to get to the end.

— 4.5 stars rounded up for sheer ambition and unparalleled originality.

When you’re forced to begin your review with “I don’t even know what to say, just read this” you’re either a really bad reviewer because duh- or the book you’re reviewing really is one of those comes-along-once-a-year reads that are just that hard to describe. I think of myself as a pretty ample reviewer, so I’ll cut myself some slack here and shift the entire blame on the genius that is Simon Jimenez. I don’t think there is any single book out there quite like THIS one.

So maybe, instead of saying “I have no words”, I shall say “compels you to experience emotions which you lack the vocabulary to describe”.

Yes, I could tell you about the basic premise of this; I could tell you how this set simultaneously very long ago and very far ahead, taking place in a fictional Asian-inspired land whose inhabitants have for years been suffering under the terror reign of the dynasty of the Moon Throne as represented by the Emperor and his three sons, the Terrors. I could tell you that it’s about two young warriors, both a disgrace in the eyes of the empire, who must bring a lost god across the country to restore her power and help end the terror reign once and for all. And all this would still not even give you an idea of what it’s like to read this novel.

Written in a non-linear way and told through multiple different narrative perspectives mimicking oral storytelling, Jimenez tells an Achillean story, filled with burning longing and of a whole people’s desire to live again, through three narrative structures, carefully interwoven and superimposed on each other. In essence a story within a story within a story, this fable’s layers unfurl like flowers; the narrator and his storyteller Lola representing the outermost layer, the narrator’s dream of visiting a theatre under the sea, where a play is performed, representing the next layer, and finally, the main narrative of the two young warriors whose story IS the play the narrator is watching.

Additional thoughts from almost every person/group/people who appear in the story find their way into the narrative, their voices represented by first-person POV sentences embedded in cursive in the main text. It’s certainly not an easy balance to keep: Jimenez knows this and demands his readers pay attention. When you do, the reward is great.

There is something about this high-fantasy tightrope walk in all its grandeur, spectacularity, its utter originality, and unhinged insanity to go big big big, that makes it clear a story such as this one could have only been penned by a queer author. Maybe it’s the ability to think across boundaries and borders, maybe it’s the kind of being-shoved-outside-the-box you are forced to live in in our world, but there is magic in this that could only have come from a LGBTQIA+ mind. I wouldn’t hesitate to ascribe the reason Keema and Jun’s relationship feels so organic to the author’s sexuality. Their mutual yearning, the disabled boy’s longing for a touch, a hug, for intimacy found outside monetary means, the warrior son’s yearning for human connection not tainted with blood, sweat, and tears, well up through the pages like wet ink.

Not only an ode to storytelling and intergenerational family structures, but to the story of overlooked peoples too, Jimenez handles the topic of disability representation thoughtfully, respectfully, and without ever patronising his disabled characters. Keema moves through a society in which a missing left arm is seen as bad luck, so much so that people are afraid of accidentally touching him lest they “catch” his bad luck. At no point in the book does he either truly wish to be “healed”, nor is he “magically saved” from living with a disability. When a character comments on his “incompleteness” due to his missing arm, his response is “I am whole”, which is such a small moment that speaks such volumes.

There are definitely trigger warnings to consider before picking this up (I went into this knowing nothing about the plot, and I LOVED that for me), such as cannibalism, massive gore, torture, body horror, animal death, and more, but I personally thought Jimenez wielded these (unlike other known authors) so skilfully and used them to contribute to the plot rather than distract from it, I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

Given that this novel is so far from the fast fashion writing and publishing trend we’re currently experiencing and thus not written for mass appeal, this won’t be for every reader out there, but I am confident that most readers who DO pick this up will find themselves a changed person afterwards.

As always, thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🎬 After reading this, you should watch that: Nimona (2023)

ORIGINAL REVIEW: — 4.5 i don’t even know what to say

The first quarter of this book I was pretty lost. It's not easy to get into and I had to trust the process, but I'm so glad I did. Such a unique story and in the end I loved the complexity and the way it was all interwoven. Just a beautiful book and one that I think will linger with me for a while. Very grateful to have received an e-arc of this from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my review.

Super interesting magic system, and the whole novel feels refreshing and original in the genre space. The ghost dream theater frame/side narrative was especially pleasing, as were the turtles.

Also nice to see two very well rounded male characters being so open with their feelings and working through their damage - "dudes rock" was my husband's whole review. The stories plaited together satisfyingly and overall this was a joy.