Book Review: The Will Of The Many by James Islington
I wrote this post on Monday but then I remembered that The Will Of The Many was what we read for book club so I held off in case I thought of anything else or there were things I learned that I had never thought of. And thank goodness I waited! I decided to put my book club additions in brackets within my review because they brought up a lot of thoughts and it seems more complex to put them at the end. I also used people’s initials to talk about book clubbers.
I wrote at the end of October about how I love to reread a book and that was thoroughly reinforced when I finished James Islington’s The Will Of The Many last week before the sequel came out. The Strength Of The Few came out on Tuesday and I’ve seen great reviews so I’m not worried about content so much as the fact that I might finish it in one night and get no sleep. And once I finish, I will want the next one right away!
I’m excited to share my review of The Will Of The Many with you and I hope it inspires you to read it!
Here’s the deal. This first section is a spoiler-free review and then you can stop scrolling if you want when I get even more fired up about it and have to include spoilers.
Spoiler Free Review:
Last year I said that The Will Of The Many was one of the best books I have ever read and I stand by that. Islington’s command of language is excellent and his voice is amazing. I learned some great new words which must be more popular in Australian English than American English. We know right from the beginning that the main character Vis is not who everyone thinks he is, but solid in his own self and convictions. Islington kind of throws you into the world and its structure without a lot set up. However, he does so in a way where you learn the basics quickly and gain a strong and deep understanding as the book continues. The concept of Will as a source of power, a bargaining chip, and an intellectual challenge is really fascinating. I loved that we learned more about what kinds there are and what they do through character discussions and scholarly interactions. I’m intrigued to see what we learn about it in Book 2.
Part 1 of the book is, of course, a set up of the narrative but a lot happens along the way. We learn a lot about Vis as a person and what he values. We meet some of the key players in the story, such as Ulciscor and Lanistia.
Sidebar - listening to the audiobook versus reading the book was a hoot because some things are not pronounced at all what I expected like when I look at the spelling.
Like I said earlier, Islington launches you right in without a lot of setup. However, Part 1 does a really nice job at building that base but through plot development. Devices like having Vis study to gain entrance to The Academy help the reader discover the foundations of the world but they don’t feel didactic.
Part 2 is the most static in terms of setting, it almost all takes place at The Academy. I enjoyed this section because it pushed Vis to find his way amongst a community. He’s operated a certain way for so long and he cannot be solitary any longer!
Part 3 just blew my mind. Vis has to contend with his past, makes himself not very popular in order to do what needs to be done, makes new connections and loses others, and overall gets pushed to his limit. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s a whirlwind that you can’t help but get caught up in and the ending is explosive, setting up an amazing new dimension to the series and makes you think you might not know anything.
STOP HERE - If you don’t want spoilers, don’t keep reading!
You’ve been warned.
I know I said it already but this book was so amazing and it blew my mind. The beginning where Vis is hanging from his dad’s bloody hand was such an auspicious start. I had to know more! I know quite a lot happens in Part 1 but I meant what I said above, I don’t think any of it is without relevance. Vis’ exposure to the Sapper, knowing another language, fighting for coin. It’s all part of what we need to know but I loved learning about it in this way. Things get started quickly then as he gets adopted by Ulciscor, moves to Villa Telemus and meets Lanistia. Who I am completely obsessed with, by the way. What a badass.
I could just feel the hope die in Vis’ chest when he learns at the Naumachia that Melior/Estevan isn’t the person he thought. And yet Vis is just so strong and he fights for what he thinks is right, especially based on what his father has taught him. I was so curious when he sees the visions when he grabs Melior/Estevan and then shocked that he has already resigned himself to death and stabs himself, making it look like Vis did it. Vis becoming so well-known after this made me laugh because I know the feeling of not wanting to be the center of attention at all and now everyone is going to know his name! I also laughed when Vis woke up and realized that he missed a week of studying and training. I’ve definitely woken up from a nap irritated that I had missed the opportunity to be productive!
As a setting, The Academy was so impressive. Islington’s attention to detail is impeccable and I really felt like I could imagine what it looked like. The mini-hierarchy system in the classes is so clear and for me it was the best way to really understand how the hierarchy functions. Vis’ entrance is just so on point, standing up for someone else and then getting in trouble. It also sets up his relationships with Callidus and Eidhin really well.
Islington’s description of the first ruins that Vis visits are almost too good. I felt like I could hear the people whispering “Obiteum is lost, do not open the gate.” I also really need to know what happened to their eyes because it obviously has something to do with what happened to Lanistia. I’m really curious how/when these ruins are going to come into play again in the future because we don’t see them again in this book. [When we were talking about this section, what came up was that Vis gets very lucky in this book. While he does have some setbacks, he succeeds at everything he does. As my brother pointed out, there wouldn’t be the possibility of future books if he dies or gets expelled. He said that Vis has that protagonist vibe where he makes a plan, executes it, and it just goes his way. It’s almost a little egotistical. Obviously I noticed how Vis has so many things going his way but I hadn’t looked at the book as whole like that.]
Also - I forget sometimes that the Festival of the Ancestors is in the middle of this section and what a situation that was! Sedotia’s reveal as Ulciscor’s wife Relucia was MIND BLOWING. I have so many questions! Is she playing the long game? How long has she been working with the Anguis? Clearly a political marriage but aren’t they expected to have kids? What big job does she have that keeps her busy? Can she really be so adamantly a part of the Anguis if she’s also wielding Will? Did she know who Ulciscor was before she married him? How did she find out about Vis and what else does she know? Any and all speculation welcome here if you want to email me. [Book club had lots of thoughts about this too!]
When Vis explores the other ruins on Solivagus on his way back, you know shit is getting dark. It was so eerie and I could just feel Vis’ sadness when the black spirals killed the spirits (or whatever they are) who tried to cross the great room without using the Labyrinth. What the spirits say about their history is also really intriguing - “attempted to gain synchronism.” I want to know what that’s about!
My friend KG also gave me one of my favorite laughs about this book when she was talking about the part where Vis saves the Alupi pup and names him Diago. She was going on about how Diago better show up again later because Islington spends so much time on that interlude and she was so over it.
This is turning out to be way longer than planned but I just have so much to say!
When Vis visits Suus with the other students from Class Three, it was such a good way to learn more of his history. But it was an interesting way to see how Vis had changed as well. His reconnection with some of the people he once knew was heartwarming but he has also clearly made strong connections with the people he knows now. I almost did a fist pump when he and Emissa finally kissed. I love when Indol doesn’t take shit from Vis and tells him that it’s clear Vis has been to the palace on Suus before. Vis’ conclusions about his history there made it a little easier for him to leave again. [KG said that she really liked the reconnection of Vis with the man Fadrique who had known Vis’ family and how he had collected some of Suus’ treasures to preserve.]
The rest of the book is just unbelievable and we learn SO many things. We know already that Callidus is concerned about the deaths at the Academy but when Vis challenges Belli to a game of Foundation, I was not expecting it to be so high stakes. And Vis, beating Belli after presenting the option of a draw, was ice cold. I almost couldn’t understand it. I know he had to move to Class Three and she needed to learn consequences but it hit me hard. I think we don’t know very much about Belli in the first place so to see her so emotional was shocking. [My brother pointed out here that Belli gets what she deserves. Vis has to get to Class Three but Belli blackmails one of Vis’ best friends which also results in Callidus being ostracized from his family. He really has a point and I feel less sympathy for Belli now.]
I really need to know what Veridius told Eidhin, Callidus and then Aequa when he talked to them before the Iudicium. When Eihdin tells Vis that he cannot participate, it’s such a moment of connection when he reveals his past. It reveals a lot about the hierarchy and how they overtook their enemies. The system is harsh and Eidhin bears the brunt of it due to his father’s choices.
The concept of the Iudicium is interesting but it’s Vis’ run of the Labyrinth in the old ruins that’s so crazy. It opens up a whole new world and I’m really curious where this is going next. Because obviously something fundamental about Vis has changed but he doesn’t even know what and we don’t either. [We talked a lot in book club about this series of events, especially Belli’s death. Belli wasn’t killed the way we would expect, by the Remnants tearing her to pieces. KS said that she wonders if someone else is there with Belli. She suggested that maybe Belli had already passed the Labyrinth and was trying to get back out. So for sure more to think about!]
The last parts of the book were so emotional. To find out the Anguis is involved and killing people unnecessarily isn’t unusual, they did that at the Naumcachia. But it’s especially worse knowing from Vis’ spying at Suus that Military is probably also involved. Emissa trying to kill Vis was such a charged moment [Some book club people think Emissa has been suspicious the whole time!] When my mom read the book, she kept telling my siblings and I that she loved Callidus and we would all just sort of grimace at each other. His death was gut-wrenching. Vis carrying him all the way to The Academy, talking to him, and then threatening Emissa and Veridius. I was overwhelmed!
When Vis has what feels like a fever dream about his father before he wakes up in the Infirmary, there might have been some tears from me. [And also some book club members for sure.] It’s such a turning point because Vis has so adamantly stuck to values his father taught him but he’s also learning new things from him even in death. Vis realizes he can no longer be somewhat complicit. If he wants things to change, he has to do something about it. I thought it was fascinating when he woke up and said he wanted to work for the Censor. It felt like coming full circle in terms of loyalty to Callidus but also him asserting his own self, not just someone who is doing the bidding of Ulciscor.
We talked a lot in book club about the ending of the book and decided that we ended up with more questions than answers. But it only made us want to learn more of the story rather than making us frustrated. SO said that she had waited to start the second one until after book club so that she didn’t confuse things. And IS didn’t say much since he’s almost done with Book 2!
Possibly my favorite thing that came out of book club was the deep and also hard discussion about how we view this social system and how Islington's social commentary is strong but also not one sided. IS pointed out that we have a variety of perspectives from different characters and so it forces us to really think about what we think makes sense and how different people justify their actions. Relucia isn’t someone I’m inclined to like but as IS pointed out, the title of the book comes from one of her speeches. And while Vis is the protagonist and someone that we can relate to more since we know more about him, I don’t agree with him about everything either. The world we live in today is filled with different perspectives, justifications and values. While people have a lot of strong feelings, part of what is lacking is the ability to understand where others are coming from. That’s a big part of why I love a book club and discussing books with other people. It forces me to think critically, examine my own beliefs, attempt to see things from another point of view, and overall gives me a better knowledge of the book.
Wow! That was a lot. But it’s also a book that provides so much to investigate, talk about, ponder over, and process. I started The Strength Of The Few a couple days ago and some questions have already been answered. But there are also even more! I’m excited to dive in and see where the story is going.
