City of Strife is described as a political fantasy set in the city of Isandor. Ruled by noble families, disregarding of its less fortunate populace and threatened by a cruel Empire slowly edging its way into local politics, the city is rife with conflict.
While I enjoyed how much is going on at all times, I think the book also suffered from it a little. There are various plotlines: a found familys relationships are tested when one member gets falsely (or not?) accused of murders. Others struggle to survive in an inherently oppressive regime - trying to figure out when to put themselves first, and when others. A head of family walking the fine line between his ideals and doing whats right for those dependent on him; all the while faced with an opponent no one else seems to take seriously.
It all felt a little introductory, partially because the narrative never led to a certain point that would sort of close off book 1; instead were left exactly when all characters are finally in place. (Felt like that anyway.) But thats also something I hope will be different in the next books. Ill keep reading for the characters alone, whose relationships range from complicated (and hopefully not tragic) to very sweet.
What I wholeheartedly loved was how Arseneault made space for a spectrum of queer identities, be it aro, ace, mspec, gay, lesbian or on the gender side of things: trans incl. nonbinary. Two of our main characters are on the aromantic spectrum (and talk about it, too!!), one of them potentially being demi or grey, we shall see. The fact that one male MC is aro and heterosexual and there being potential with another male character, meaning that were likely going to get an exploration of the split attraction model? Genuinely makes me so happy.
CNs: torture (physical and mental), mention of death through fire, racism (society as a whole and its executive forces), classism, queermisia incl. mentions of transmisia, one very weird instance where the narrative jumps around with the nonbinary characters pronouns for no apparent reason
