my first kinetic novel and honestly I'm not sure I'm really into it as a medium, but like, still: vengeful heart rocks

the best element is the writing. it tackles topics that are huge, and it executes on them so well because it keeps them grounded—either in the characters or the surprisingly detailed world building

the characters in particular are great. all of them matter so much to both the immediate plot, and to the broader themes of the stories. the writing consistently takes great care in treating them as complex people, even unnamed characters who don't get their own sprite. amidst the mobs, the crowds, the boardrooms is a persistent reminder that these groups are still made up of individuals, and that matters despite the story's scale

the visual and musical art direction is sublime. even as experiencing this story got super (appropriately) dark and dismal, the aesthetic experience kept me focused and going. and like, none of us get to really choose our hellscapes, but if the one I'm assigned could develop this color palette, I would be into it

I initially had mixed feelings about the main crossroads moment in the experience, and though not all of them are resolved, ultimately I respect it. a story like this can never truly be tidy—any that is, is lying—and vengeful heart knows it

a strong recommend to anyone who looking for 1) really rich and nuanced character-driven narrative experiences and 2) sick vibes