Middlegame by Seanan McGuire Published by Tom Doherty Associates on May 7, 2019
Genres: Action & Adventure, Contemporary, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 528
Format: Audiobook
Roger is a brilliant child; sending him to his room for the rare punishment is something he looks forward to. He adores reading dictionaries and books about various languages. He struggles to find good friends that can appreciate his brilliance, however. Until one afternoon when the voice pops in his head.
Dodger is obsessed with math. Her whole perception of the world involves math and the equations that predict things. She, too, is a social outcast; she'd much rather spend her free time working out complex, seemingly unsolvable equations.
Roger and Dodger have never met (or so they think). Separated at birth, they are twins brought to life in a laboratory. They aren't average humans, yet beings so close to gods, cultivated to ascend to a higher power by an alchemist named Reed. They are but one in a series of sets of twins created for this very purpose, but the only ones raised separately yet managing to connect mentally despite the obstacles placed in their way.
Dodger's advance mathematical skills give her the power to alter time. Roger's obsession with language allows him to see how the power of story controls everything. Like the other twins before them, they complement one another. Combined, they are unstoppable. It is up to them to determine just how to wield this power. There are many obstacles in their path, including the very individual who created them. Restrained and in control of their abilities, they can change the world. If they lose this control, they may very well destroy the world.
Strange premise, yes. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve read anything like this, and that is what makes this book so tremendous. McGuire consistently takes her readers on whirlwind ride in her books, forcing them to suspend disbelief and put trust in her skills, for she will undoubtedly take you places you’ve never been before.
I was completely immersed in this audiobook within a first few minutes of listening. I was initially captivated by the cover. A hand candle? Tell me more! McGuire crafted such complex, yet simultaneously engaging and genuine characters in Roger and Dodger. She doesn’t throw all of this complex world developing/shifting/altering stuff at you at once, but instead allows you to become invested in the characters before doing so. I appreciated following Roger and Dodger from adolescence into young adulthood. What started out as a “simple” twin communication, however, developed in to so much more. McGuire was able to present this all in a way that seemed so natural, allowing it to build up and flow into the next phase of their development. When they peaked, she let loose and everything shifted into a complete “I can’t even comprehend what is happening but I can’t stop reading” moment.
McGuire is one of those authors who takes your mind places you never thought were possible. That she does it so effortlessly is a true example of her superior talent.
All in all, this was a completely mesmerizing read, one that I honestly can’t stop thinking about. Highly, highly recommended.
