In Paolo Bacigalupi's latest genre-twisting fantasy novel, the kind and sensitive scion of a mob-like banking family comes of age. Davico di Regulai is wide-eyed but not far-seeing. And that is a perilous fault in this fantasy world resembling 15th Century Florence, Italy, with its newfangled general ledger accounting, its political machinations, and ruthless dynasties. The novel's language is familiar, yet fantastical. It sounds like a story from Game of Thrones (including dragonlore) meets the Medicis' Florence mixed with The Godfather's Sicily and New York.
"You must be as sharp as a stilettotore's dagger and as subtle as a fish beneath the waters. This is what it is to be Navolese, this is what it is to be di Regulai."
The action and intrigue build incrementally. I have never been so glad to stick with a novel that I initially thought slow. It's my favorite book of 2024. Just in time.

[Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

While this is a slow burn, it is a great addition to the genre. The dense, in-depth world building and character driven nature of this novel may have some readers craving more plot/battles as would be typical in a GOT like novel but I loved it. There's complexity and intrigue, excellent characterization, and some fantasy to add a dash of magical interest.

I love this book. I LOVE this book. I'm not even sure "book" is the right word if I'm being completely honest. It's truly a piece of art. Bacigalupi makes you *feel* everything so acutely. His words evoke a visceral reaction, not necessarily always good ones, but you will feel what he wants you to feel all the same--as all truly great artists can do.

And as for the plot and actual contents of this book, I will paint in broad strokes here as to not deprive anyone of the joys of uncovering each character and plot thread themselves (if you want a spoiler-y review, this is probs not the review for you). The plot is messy (in the best way possible!), bloody, sexy, and full of intrigue. I've given my GOT fan husband a rundown of the book and he confirmed what the other reviews say (and then some): "sounds a lot like GOT and Assassin's Creed got together and made a baby" so do with that what you will lol.

I know some people have a problem with the pacing of this book and all I have to say about that is:

Look, it's a great book. You will feel things. You will be disgusted. You will be horrified. You will (probably) cry. You will laugh (possibly with derision, but hey). You will cringe. You will [want] to throw this book at a wall (but don't do it! You're better than that!). If a slow-burn start is something you can't get past, then it is what it is. It's a really long book so if you choose to buy it and read it, it's kind of a commitment. But if you read the synopsis and some reviews and think, "hey, these things are for me! I like these things!" Then I promise you the payoff is *so* worth it. Things will pick up. Maybe a little too much... *Wink wink nudge nudge*

I will leave you with one final thing to consider before you decide if this book is worth it. I will *absolutely* be re-reading this beautiful monster of a book. And I haven't even re-read the Harry Potter series. *Mic drop*

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

Navola was an excellent read. I loved the character development and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from the author.

Like the author said in his acknowledgements, this was quite a lengthy book. Sometimes it dragged and other times I would fly through chapters in a sitting. The storytelling was well done and felt incredibly authentic to a renaissance fantasy setting. I appreciated the detailed level of world building, and only wished that this was a whole series. I was enjoying the book up until probably 60% through and then got really upset with the plot. Avoiding spoilers, the author took a drastic, unexpected turn that was difficult to read. However, I think the ending was better than expected, even if it left the reader hanging a bit.

This was an enjoyable fantasy read; it definitely sucked me in as a reader of the genre and I'll want to continue with the series. I read it in bursts and found myself putting it down for a little while at a time, but every time I picked it up again, I fell back in love. A really solid kick-off to the world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was truly excellent, though I admit and know it will not be to everyone's taste.

Navola is full of politics and intrigue, desire and betrayal, love and enemies. The fantasy is light, with a Dragon's Eye and mentions of magic and gods, but it's there and important throughout Davico's story. The setting is stunning against a Renaissance Italy-style background with all the things that make literary fiction a triumph - ambitions and alliances and of course, traitors and murder and shows of power. It was delicious in its intelligence and brutality and I loved every word.

Do not go into this expecting high fantasy or a ton of action - do no expect to leave with a grand or triumphant or even really, depending on your opinion, happy ending. This book leads you through the life of Davico and all he learns and succeeds at and, ultimately, at everything he fails at too. It's not exciting in the way a book full of battle is (though there is plenty of blood) but I found it fascinating and engaging and enticing all the same.

I love literary fantasy and this is an incredible addition to the genre!

This book is a political intrigue and coming-of-age fantasy novel that follows Davico di Regulai, who is a contemplative and insecure protagonist who is heir to the wealthiest and most influential banking family in Navola, the city-state in which they live.

The main character and narrator, Davico di Regulai, tells the story of his youth: from childhood through adolescence and into his early twenties. In that time, we learn that Davico is a contemplative, careful individual who develops a love of nature and comes to respect its simplicity.

While he learns the family business, all he wants is to leave the world behind and live out his life in peace, free of Navola's brutal politics and his father's growing expectations. He feels inadequate to fill his father Devonaci's brilliant shoes and seeks constant validation of his worth from his father and teachers.

Throughout the book, even in his younger years, his primary concern is that he's not a worthy heir and that he doesn't possess the skills and talents to be what his family needs him to be. His thoughtful and honest nature paired with his desire to please and impress his father make him seem weak and stupid to everyone around him, which is a deadly thing to be in the merciless political games of the Navolese nobility.

The only true connection Davico feels is with his adopted sister, Celia, who is much shrewder and strategic, and Davico feels constantly compared to her, even though she can never inherit.

Unable to escape his burdens of responsibility and inadequacy, he seeks distraction and finds it in his father's most prized possession: a crystallized dragon eye.

Davico is a frustrating main character because he doesn't understand a lot of social interactions that seem obvious to everyone around him and most times to the reader as well. His thoughtful nature impacts the storytelling, as the narrator is an older Davico explaining the world, the story, and sometimes his choices to us.

I know that Davico is the protagonist because he's the one with the largest opportunity for growth and therefore possesses the most dramatic and impactful character arc.

But because of his characterization through most of the story, his contemplative nature makes him seem dull and boring in comparison to the clever, focused people around him who are all, as far as we can tell, confident in themselves and their place in the world. All things that Davico is not, thus the coming-of-age.

None of that makes his slow development any less frustrating, but it does make the end so much more satisfying.

Celia di Balcosi, Davico's adopted sister, as stated earlier, is much more perceptive and clever. Due to an horrific childhood experience and how she came to be in the Regulai household, she went through a trial by fire and learned from it.

This is where we first meet her.

She is easily a favorite character and is the main reason why Davico is so frustrating. They are excellent foils for each other, which is probably why they get along so well, as well as one of the reasons why the story is so engaging.

Celia's changes are as abrupt as the rest of what she does, shifting the story in new and interesting ways. Often these are small, driving Davico forward where he would normally hesitate.

I'm uncertain whether this is a series or not, as it hasn't been announced and was released in a manner that seems like a standalone. I hope it isn't, though, because I still have questions and feel that many of the characters deserve more than uncertainty.

All in all, I give this book three stars: well-written, well-crafted. But for most of the story, Davico is not a compelling protagonist and that makes for slow reading. I think this will change if it turns into a series, but that remains to be seen.

Good book. Good characters and dialogue. Fast read and an interesting storyline. Overall a good read!

Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi was a great read. It is a great example of excellent world-building with interesting characters and plot points.

This book has been sitting in the back of my mind since I finished it. Even as I've continued on with other titles. And I think that says a lot for the quality of content given.

Ultimately, I think I would have loved this book as a mini series on television. There were so many details about the religion and politics of this Italian-esque city-state. The fantasy aspect of this novel was light, extremely light, in comparison. Though I liked where it led and the prospects it left open for future books, with the bond between Davico and the dragon. I liked the characters well enough. Davico. Celia. Well, kind of Celia. Her constant joking and the way she shifted at the end tainted the color of her character a bit for me. The cutthroat, the father, the general, the tutor. Were they good men? No. But they were well-written. This whole book was well written.

I enjoyed the fact that this book was presented as a memoir, complete with Davico trying to be as honest as possible with his potential audience. Even if he felt ashamed by what he was admitting to.

Outside the characterizations and the writing style, I think this book struggled a bit with the overall plot development. Or, perhaps, the plot progression. For the first 70% of this book, it's mostly world building, be it in the religion, the politics, or the family dynamics within Navola. But man. When it hits that last 3o% of the book, all hell breaks loose. Of course, I was reading that part in the middle of the night, so I was up for hours still, engrossed in the chaos that was the end of this book. It was tragic, fast paced, intense and finally had enough action to keep me fully engrossed. I honestly liked the last 30%. But the first chunk was a little too bogged down with the details. That's not to say those details were pointless. They create the source and motivation for the climax of the book. But I just don't know that this is a book I would have chosen to pick up if someone had given me an in-detail description of it ahead of time.

Especially if I had known before hand that this was book one in a potential series. Normally, I don't start a series if I have to worry about how long it will be before I can pick up book two. I've been burned by 10-year wait times too many times. And I'm a series binge reader. I'm not sure yet if I'll pick up book two when it does come out. I'm sure it'll be a year or more before it does and who knows what other book or series I'll be invested in by then. Will I want to rehash my way through my notes in order to get a reminder of all that transpired here? But that ending might have just been enough to pull me back in. Especially since the world has already been developed. So I think this series might have the rare chance of having a superior book two.

Ultimately, I liked this. The writing was well crafted. But it's just not quite my personal cup of tea. It's difficult for me to fully put my finger on why. It was a little dense for me, maybe? Which is why this book sits in the middle of the road for me.

A world building fantasy read. While there were times I felt myself really getting into this book, by the end, I felt I was completely off course. Character development was a big focus in this book, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

The book had a slow start, but I know it was building the world, characters, etc. The end really picked up and I'm curious to see how the story will expand in future books. I enjoyed the characters, but the Davico was a bit whiny. Really liked Celia and would like to see things more from her viewpoint.

I really wasn’t sure what to except from this book. The writing was great but at times it was slow .
To sum it up it was a dark magical fantasy which has world building a world of violence, family war, dragons and romance.

If you like Guy Gavriel Kay, I think this would be a good fit. This is historical fantasy that was light on the fantasy portion and follows Davico di Regulai, the son of a wealthy house. The writing style is lovely and the focus on politics and relationships typically keeps me quite engaged.

poisonous and dangerous work about powerful families in a world that very much feels like the Borgia family and other such powerful families.

Oh this book was a challenge and I was not rewarded for finishing it. But finish it I did, so that you don’t have to.

Davico lives in Navola and prepares to take the mantle of his father’s heir and that. Is. Pretty much. It.

The first small occurrence, and not even a very important one, happens about 50% into the book (I have a kindle, I was incessantly checking how far along I was). By the time anything even remotely picks up, your 85% in and even the ending is disappointing. Let’s get this over with more quickly than the book:

The good:

The world building. I can’t say I don’t know exactly what Navola and its surrounding provinces are like.

The bad:

Oh where do I start? It’s like the author enjoyed the sound of his own voice too much. He drones and drones, not separating the wheat from the chaff and oh does he BORE YOU. Not only that, but it feels like author thought, ‘hmm you know the typical story structure of a protagonist you like, an antagonist, a… plot? Well to hell with that! *I* will do it differently!’ Well the formula exists for a reason. Here we got a protagonist who is a simpering, spoiled idiot (and he doesn’t get any better), no villain, and like I said - a nonexistent plot. This isn’t Seinfeld. You can’t write a book about nothing (oh but Navola is the try hero here! Bullshit. A place is not a protagonist). So to continue, when there’s no instigating event, no why here, now, there’s also no reason for the book to exist. There isn’t a single character to care about in this book and therefore nothing to be invested in.

Oh and one last thing: don’t be fooled by the dragon’s eye on the cover. Hardly anything happens involving it. As if the author thought it would be cool to include, but it’s just an ornament. Our hero (ugh) gains nothing from it and the book ends with nary a dragon (or eyeball) in sight.

The ugly:

Well 2 uglies this time:

Writing a book about finance bros and trying to pass it off as “fascinating”, and

Calling our sexy parts root and fig. Don’t. Just… don’t. Fig off.

In this complex fantasy novel, readers enter a world where Renaissance Italy has intersected with Game of Thrones to create a complex and dangerous world where Davico di Regulai is about to take on power in Navola from his father. With his adoptive sister Celia di Balcosi on his side, Davico has yet to realize the chaos and destruction Navola’s wealth invites. A merchant powerhouse with influence around the world, Navola has created allies and enemies who seek to topple them. As he prepares for his future, Davico must take his lessons and apply them to the real world to avoid the fatal cost of failure, even if that fossilized dragon eye seems to speak to him. With so many complicated characters and political and economic powers involved in this novel, Bacigalupi has created a magnificently diverse and dangerous fantasy world for readers to discover. The characters are also flawed, complicated, and challenging figures, so readers are just as much in the dark as Davico and other characters in the novel. The relationships between characters are particularly difficult and well-developed, and they really add to the complexity of the novel and of the characters’ development in this fascinatingly complex and high-stakes novel.

Wowza. A slow burn of a novel as Mr. Bacigalupi takes his time to build every element of this story. It feels very old-fashioned, a la Dickens, but well worth the effort and time it takes to read. Once the plot twists the first time, all you can do is sit back and marvel at the masterpiece that is NAVOLA.