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now does that sound enticing to you? because it sure did to me. i found this book via youtuber xiran jay zhao who recommended it to fans of the industrialized asian aesthetic of republic city in legend of korra. and it does deliver on that in spades. the book really gives a glimpse into the inner workings of a city ravaged by gang violence and further torn apart by european colonialism. there could not be a better setting for a retelling of a shakespeare classic.

the fantasy subplot with the monster that has everyone tearing out their own throats honestly gets in the way of that more than it helps out though and while it does give the characters something to do throughout the sloggish middle of the book, it still feels like it wasn't needed after all. not to mention that it also creates a setup for a sequel that is heavily hinted at. and by "heavily hinted" i mean the book ends with the words "to be continued".

i'd still say this was a good read, if only for the breathtaking setting.

i honestly don't even remember why i had this book. but while unpacking boxes after a recent move, i held it in my hands and thought "why not?"

it's a great book. the two main characters have an interesting dynamic between them and i found myself enthralled by their conversations. the last third of the book introduces a love interest, maud brewster, which is handled rather clumsily. humphrey has barely spoken to the woman before declaring his undying love for her. a love that, in his own words, he had never felt before. would be cool if it took more than one conversation over dinner with all the sailors present to establish that. london does well to actually establish a romantic connection between them by the end of the book, but van weyden's waffling about how much he loves this woman that he met about a week ago and who is only spending time with him due to circumstance is rather distracting for what is an unexpected but very fitting end to this tale of the sea.

The book tries to be an insightful look into what happens to us after we die. Eddie, an old man who died in a work accident, talks to the titular five people one after another and each of them has a slice-of-life type lesson to teach him. What could be an insightful look into the afterlife remains surprisingly shallow throughout, because the stories are only somewhat interconnected and don't go into too much depth. The whole shebang also isn't helped by Eddie having the personality of a piece of toast with surprised eyebrows drawn on it with sharpie.



This is a perfect book to read on the toilet over the course of a few months, or to put on a coffee table. It's an interesting premise but doesn't really give you too much to digest. If it's between staring at a wall and reading this, I'll certainly take it. But I'd have a hard time recommending it.