Book Review: Dream of Death City by P.J. Nwosu
From page one, the reader is thrown into the Red Kingdom. A brutal and strict class-based world, darkened by inverted moons, death gods and blood forests. The Red Reform makes it perfectly clear that it is the only thing in power, and everyone else is beneath its rule.
“What’s dead, is dead, and all shall die”
Thora is the lowest of the low, so low she doesn’t even get a last name. A Dust-Caste slave who will never amount to anything above her status, desperate as she is to be rid of it. After a semi-successful investigation at a local Gold House, she has been named “battle-axe”. She and recently demoted Low Investigator Lakein are pulled into the office of a low investigation house, and they have been given another mystery to solve. They are to be sent to Death City, to find and bring back Sun Master Sandin’s wayward daughter.
Desperate for his child yet blocking their efforts at every turn Sun Master Sandin causes frustration amongst our crew. It becomes more and more apparent something much bigger is afoot in Death City and its horrific roots run deeper than anyone of them could have imagined.
This adventure isn’t at all what Thora thought it would be, but it gives her something she has always wanted. A voice and a taste of freedom. That freedom comes with a cost, one she must decide if she is willing to pay.
“What’s dead is dead, and all shall die … and then live again”
This book was one of the most unique things I have ever read. While I wouldn’t say it is my favourite story, I have ever consumed I cannot give these any less than 5 stars. From page one this world bled into my very being. It was highly and sometimes disturbingly visual, it was poetic, and I am still thinking about it to this day.
The first thing I want to mention is the prose. Honestly, this book will confuse some readers. The prose is dense, poetic, intricate and beautiful. Nwosu strikes intense dark imagery with an undertone obsessed with death. From the Dead Daughters half skin, half bone skulls to the constant conversation about life and punishment, the author paints a horrifyingly beautiful picture. Go into this aware the script is not handed to you on a platter, it is quite formal, and you will need to take your time to catch all the details.
The next thing of note is the world building. It’s subtle, but it’s there. Although we don’t travel a great deal (bar a ferry to and from Death City) the author has done a good job of building up the feel of the world. First of the class system, it is oppressive and even as the reader I felt suffocated by the rules. I was so immersed in what our characters could and could not do it felt like I was there. Secondly the language and sentence structure used, felt unique to Nwosu’s world. It was true different and at first make be feel spiky, but I got the hang of it. Then there was the imagery itself, from the frozen shores of the Thousand Island Frontier, darkened by the blood moon and thriving whaling trade, it felt so real to me as the reader.
The last thing I want to talk about is the themes. The inspiration of death, life after death and the mythology of death throughout different cultures is apparent in the text. Death seems almost an obsession but, in a way, it gives life back to the characters and the pages. To make sure we are living while we have the capacity to do so. In an odd way, the theme of death and the exploration surrounding it gave this book an undertone of hope. The other thing worth mentioning here is the idea of working with and through oppression. Particularly as a woman in a restrictive and patriarchal society. Our main protagonist Thora lived in this world, and she had, had enough. But she also needed to be wary of limitations. She simultaneously played within the rules while pushing the boundaries. It was an interesting conversation around being heard, and not taking no for an answer, but also doing it on your terms. That was powerful.
I am so grateful to have experienced this book and it is one I wish I could read again for the first time.
Dream of Death City was a gritty, class-based fantasy story that claws determination and hope out of its horrific surroundings.