By Spidey Vi
Minor spoilers ahead (I’m trying!).
Burn before reading.
An unexpected correspondence between two agents in a war waged between two nations stretching across vast timelines and spaces.
Composed beautifully by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, This is How You Lose The Time War is a sapphic science-fiction novella written in narrative form through a series of letters between Red and Blue protagonists. We follow their journey as they chase each other, leaving messages in various forms – not just text on paper. That being said, do note that this book contains violence, profanity and gore.
I loved the clever practice of subtle worldbuilding. The authors kept their writing snappy and concise, meticulously selecting what to include in the 198 pages. It kicked off in media res and confused me about what was happening. I began slowly piecing the information together when I reached a quarter into the book. I admired how they managed to feed the readers bit by bit and let them conjure their own interpretation. There isn’t a detailed explanation of the big picture or unnecessary exposition – not even if you wanted more, and that’s the beauty of this award-winning book.
I’ve always loved stories that bead the chapters via dual perspective. Though differed from Veronica Roth’s first-person approach in Allegiant, where we see through Tris’ and Tobias’ thoughts and actions, El-Mohtar and Gladstone each took up one of the protagonist’s POV in each chapter and wrote the letters in their distinct voices while keeping a narrative prose with the third-person lens to keep the flow of the storyline intact.
This is How You Lose the Time War doesn’t thrive just because of the complex plot that held you spellbound but also the use of language with depth and resonance. Here’s an abstract from one of the letters: “… I enjoy eating these days. Most of us do than care to admit it publicly. I revel in it, as one only revels in pursuits one does not need. The runner enjoys running when she need not flee a lion.” Chef’s kiss.
As a writer who prefers character-centred stories, I absolutely adored the enemies-to-lovers chemistry between Red and Blue (does this remind you of something about the Hexgates? iykyk). Red belongs to the Agency, a “techy-mechy dystopia” that prioritizes progress-driven revolution, while Blue’s side, Garden, is a “viny-hivey elfworld” that values the collective over the individual. Initially, they pledge loyalty to their respective society on a time-travelling mission to “undo the threads the other has woven in time”, except they end up falling in love with each other. We witness the slow-burn romance blossom through the letter entries, from feisty banters that keep the storyline engaging to affectionate confessions that pull a few heartstrings.
Honestly, my first read began at a rather slacking and absentminded pace because of the lack of definite context. Not until I reached the third act had I got entranced. I wasn’t prepared for the ending. It hit so hard I had to sit in silence with chills at the back of my neck and let it sink in, thinking I needed to reread it all over again – the war is merely a messy backdrop, time a method of measurement, the world a decaying space with us microscopic beings existing. Some things matter more than winning.
PS. Borrow the book from the Library and give it a read. You’d love it.
