The Surviving Sky

I'm wondering if a book being readable is the same as it being good. This book is very readable, in that once it is picked up, you can easily read big chunks of it. That said, I had to make myself pick it up. I think the magic system is interesting - though towards the end it gets pretty incomprehensible.

There are no likable characters in the book. Big chunks of the book are an extended marriage spat in a relationship that is as-near-as-makes-no-difference domestically violent. Both partners are variously emotionally abusive to one another, and then every other character enjoys meddling in the marriage. The society is set up in a way that seems to condemn itself.

I think a good editor would have slashed about 100 pages of this. I'd cut big chunks of the marriage spat, and I'd probably cut about 50 pages of the ending where the magic system gets really convoluted and hard to follow.