The Traitor Baru Cormorant

This is it, folks. This is the book so bad it is the first book I am CHOOSING to DNF in four decades of reading.

(Recommend Betsy's review too: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1458339937 )

Choosing to DNF this book is self-care. Choosing to DNF this book is praxis. Choosing to DNF this book is a kindness to myself and to anyone else reading this review who deserves better than tedious, self-important, Randian politics written by a straight man who thinks that we need more queer tragedy in the world, who thinks that now is a good time to amplify narratives about people from diverse backgrounds taking power so that they can undermine the political system from the inside.

But I'd forgive it so much if it was at least fun or pleasant to read. It's not. It's a slog. It's all The Protagonist Is Smarter Than Everyone (until the narrative requires her not to be) and Exciting Accounting Drama (the details of which don't even make sense). Remember how John Grisham made legal battles riveting? This is not that.

This book gets zero stars from me. This book gets negative stars from me. This book is bad in every way.