dozens reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone
Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange …
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Summary ##
A brief and beautiful, poetic love story. Part Romeo and Juliet, part Spy vs. Spy, part time-travel espionage story.
## Why I picked it up ##
I don't remember. It was probably on some Best of 2019 list, and also I'm likely to have picked it up based on the title and cover alone.
## Who I'd recommend it to ##
People who like pretty things, but only if you're okay with there not being much plot. It's 98% just having love letters read to you, and 2% sci-fi time war.
## How to read this book ##
Get ready to read love letters.
## What I liked ##
It was pretty and poetic. For the setting and plot to have been so much in the background, they were somehow also extremely compelling. I'd love to read the sci-fi action companion novel set in this world.
## What I didn't like ##
I rolled my eyes so hard when I discovered that the main characters are actually named Red and Blue because it made me think of those old Rooster Teeth "Red vs. Blue" videos (which are apparently still being made!) But I quickly got over it.
I had to make a choice not to question how sudden and improbable the romance happened. It was a conscious choice to just go with it and enjoy the story.
## What was interesting / useful ##
I don't know if this is really supposed to be any kind of allegory or anti-war story, but I don't know whether either Red or Blue ever really believed in their cause, or whether they were just following marching orders from the fat cats back home because they didn't know anything else of life. They are both immediately willing to betray their respective causes after finding something better to believe in and to live for (love, and being loved).
Every war is a proxy war.
A brief and beautiful, poetic love story. Part Romeo and Juliet, part Spy vs. Spy, part time-travel espionage story.
## Why I picked it up ##
I don't remember. It was probably on some Best of 2019 list, and also I'm likely to have picked it up based on the title and cover alone.
## Who I'd recommend it to ##
People who like pretty things, but only if you're okay with there not being much plot. It's 98% just having love letters read to you, and 2% sci-fi time war.
## How to read this book ##
Get ready to read love letters.
## What I liked ##
It was pretty and poetic. For the setting and plot to have been so much in the background, they were somehow also extremely compelling. I'd love to read the sci-fi action companion novel set in this world.
## What I didn't like ##
I rolled my eyes so hard when I discovered that the main characters are actually named Red and Blue because it made me think of those old Rooster Teeth "Red vs. Blue" videos (which are apparently still being made!) But I quickly got over it.
I had to make a choice not to question how sudden and improbable the romance happened. It was a conscious choice to just go with it and enjoy the story.
## What was interesting / useful ##
I don't know if this is really supposed to be any kind of allegory or anti-war story, but I don't know whether either Red or Blue ever really believed in their cause, or whether they were just following marching orders from the fat cats back home because they didn't know anything else of life. They are both immediately willing to betray their respective causes after finding something better to believe in and to live for (love, and being loved).
Every war is a proxy war.