The Bruising of Qilwa

A very rich world. I would've loved for the book to be longer to get a bigger scope of things, other countries and cultures and more of the history and religion, but it's a shorter book and I have to accept that. I don't think shorter books are for me; or at least I end up holding them to a higher standing than I do full-length novels because they need to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. I had a good time with this one, but there were a few things I left wanting.

I like Firuz as a main character. Very much oldest child syndrome, continually working and doing everything to provide for their family even at the cost of their own health and their own relationships with said family. I wish we had gotten to see more of their mother but I think her absence was intentional storytelling of her place in their life and their brother's life. I adored the relationship they had with their brother an apprentice. Some nice found family vibes.

Plague storylines are always fascinating to me, and I did like the twist here. It didn't shock me, not because it didn't make sense, but because we didn't get a lot of time to build up to it.

Overall, I wish I could've gotten more of just about everything from this book, but I don't regret reading it.

C.A.P.E Rating:Characters - 4/5
Atmosphere - 4/5
Plot - 4/5
Enjoyment - 3/5

(3,5) Is it ok to admit I was swayed by the afterword?
Still getting used to the audio format.

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. Nothing about it is a simple, easy read and there is nothing about it that I only have one one feeling on. Nothing herein is clear-cut.

The world building is interesting - and unique compared to that which I usually find in fantasy books - but it is also somewhat...painful? I don't know how to describe it, but there's a lot going on here of marginalization and judgement of people that are different from you. So, yeah.

The use of blood magic is...look, I hate the whole ‘evil magic is evil' thing that crops up so often in fantasy and this book does use a dash of that, but it also shows how blood magic can be a good thing. Which I did appreciate.

The medical stuff is interesting but also, ultimately, at the end of the day, something I found rather gross. Just me personally.

The characters are all deeply, deeply flawed people, difficult to actually like but also kind of difficult to hate. Which left me mostly indifferent to them. Which, more than anything else is why this didn't get a higher rating. (Or, conversely, a lower rating.)

Finally, I do like how queernormative the whole setting is. Everything is just chill and casually queer and I totally need more of this sort of books in my life.

I would be interested in reading more from this author, but I'd likely pass if it was medical based.

THE BRUISING OF QILWA is a layered work, indeed. It explores the legacy of an empire—post-imperialist, post-colonialist inhabitants coming to terms with their cultural history and identity.

Specifically, in the afterword, the author asks the question “What does it mean to be oppressed when you were once an oppressor”- which feels like one of the major questions this book is asking.
But that's only one part of this intersectional work, with nuanced character motivations and some fantastic queer (non-binary and aro/ace) representation. What seemed like a simple medical fantasy at first, another “COVID novel” (I feel like I've already read too many of those, and COVID isn't even over yet...) surprised me with its complex themes and challenges.

Definitely feels like the author had more to say here. I would love to be able to explore this world further. There was so much to unpack in this novella... Most importantly, it all feels executed rather well. This is such a diverse work—prominent queer representation, multiculturalism, colonization, genocide, plague, trauma, refugees, ... a lesser writer would not have been able to do it justice in so few words.

I look forward to reading more Naseem Jamnia books in the future. A voice to look out for.
DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.