Victoria Goddard novellas

[lightreads]

A couple of novellas related to The Hands of the Emperor.

Portrait of a Wide Seas Islander

3/5. Alternate POV of events from partway through the novel; Cliopher’s Great Uncle isn’t necessarily more of a reliable narrator than Cliopher is, but the two different perspectives of a cultural right of passage are illuminating. But mostly, let’s be real, we all know this story exists in order for Buru Tovo to tell His Radiancy to his face, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Oh, yeah, I banged your uncle, who was not very good in the sack or out of it. I hope for Cliopher’s sake that you’re a better lay.” Seriously, though, it was nice to realize she actually can write a character with any sexual awareness whatsoever; Cliopher is super duper demisexual, as is another viewpoint character I've read, and redacted has clearly turned that entire part of himself off with a vengeance for self-protection. I was starting to think she didn't want or couldn't conceive of anyone to have a sexuality that is relevant to their daily lives at all.

Petty Treasons

4/5. Their meat cute imperial, and subsequent events, from His Radiancy’s POV. Oof. An effective use of shifting second and first person here, actualizing his deep self-alienation and depression. Beautiful and claustraphobic, like the room in which most of it takes place, with a POV that really does clarify a lot of things Cliopher doesn’t tell us in the novel.