Blood and Iron

I think the first thing to understand when talking about an Elizabeth Bear book is that it will not be a quick, easy read. Bear's work is complex and layered, and she doesn't do hand holding - as a reader, you take the plunge and spend a good deal of time trying to keep your head above water until you get your bearings in her world. Additionally, she doesn't really do the sympathetic protagonist, so feeling connected to her characters is often a challenge.

Blood and Iron tackles a wide range of fantasy tropes - faerie, and Arthurian legend, and werewolves, and Celtic folklore, and dragons, and....it's a lot. There are so many interesting ideas explored, but I'm not sure any of them is given the focus they deserve. There is also a power imbalance in the relationship between Seeker, our main character, and Whiskey, the kelpie she binds, that feels....somehow problematically racial, particularly in today's specific climate.

All that said, Elizabeth Bear is an excellent writer, and I was engaged and excited to read throughout the novel. There were just too many times I felt lost to be able to give this a fully ringing endorsement. Reading Bear's work always makes me feel like I should just be a little bit smarter, and maybe it would work out better for me. I do think I will read the sequel, however, so that's something.