I enjoyed the first half of this book, but for some reason I just could not get past that. It is slow moving and just didn't captivate me the way that I wanted it too. I will absolutely be trying to revisit it in the future because I Adore the idea but for now it's a DNF.

This lyrical, poignant novella is an absolutely stunning work of art. Lemberg takes deep feelings about gender, love and family, aging, and death and weaves them together into a captivating tale of two friends’ journey across the desert in search of answers, and so much more. I got to hear Lemberg read the poem in which this novella has its origins earlier this month, but I would still call this my first proper sojourn into the Birdverse, and what a thrilling introduction it was. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Review cross-posted on GoodReads.

Actual rating: 4.5

An achingly beautiful tale by RB Lemberg. This was my first intro to the Birdverse, so it was initially hard to grasp the story and foundation, but the writing was just so lovely and poetic. I loved that the two main characters were elderly <spoiler>and trans; one character, nen-sasaïr, is a trans man struggling to fit into his society's gender roles after transitioning, and the other, Uiziya, is revealed later on in the book to have transitioned earlier in life (as a child? Wasn't quite sure)</spoiler>.

The beginning of the book was a little confusing, as mentioned above, and the point of view shifts rapidly between the two main characters; Personally, I would have preferred slightly longer sections. There is a lot of groundwork laid here with relatively little action, but this book truly blossoms about 1/3 of the way in.

Nen-sasaïr's grapples with gender identity are painful and raw, <spoiler>especially when he reflects on his past lovers, one of whom died at the hands of the Collector, and one of whom held him back from transitioning, letting their relationship wither from the weight of this.</spoiler> Uiziya longs to understand the four weaves from her aunt, Benesret, and the final scene with the weaving of death and bones was unbelievably beautiful and heartbreaking. I would definitely recommend this book as a beautiful fantasy about discovering yourself, coming to terms with grief, and phenomenal writing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There's so much to love here and I wish I could appreciate it fully: it became clear to me part of the way though that I would need to read more of Birdverse first to understand and appreciate it as it deserves to. For now I'll be leaving this unfinished until I have a chance to explore Birdverse more, but I'm looking forward to coming back to it in the future.

"You see other lives as easy because you don't see them. You see your story as complex and hard because you know it best."

An overall capivating story of self identity, hopefulness, and the search for one's identity. The need for welcome and acceptance is felt throughout this story, and I enjoyed the fact that the main characters are not your typical young and fresh and ready to take on the world. It acknowledges the struggles that continue despite age, and that it is never too late to accept yourself and move forward to find your happiness, not staying stagnant to what others want your happiness to be.

This was my first foray into the Birdverse and although it didn't really hook me from the start, the more I read the more I was drawn in by the poetic nature of the story line. I now plan on seeing what else is in this verse.

There was some confusion that maybe having more background knowledge of the verse would help clarify/made easier to follow but overall it is still able to be a standalone.

A great many reviewers and their reviews will call this novella profound. What you need to know is that when they say it, they’re not dashing out a quirky play on words and they certainly aren’t lying.

This novella is profound.

As a straight, white male I’m privileged in that I don’t have to worry about a great many societal factors. Day-to-day I rarely have to worry about how I view my place in society and even less so how society views me.

This story, as stories so very often are, is a mirror to real life. Though it is a fantasy story the themes, feelings and characters within the Four Profound Weaves exist and play-out all-around us though they are ignored, demonized, dismissed and considered lesser.

The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg is so very important. What they have created in this novella, and in their wider Birdverse, is going to be extremely important for those that it is written about, people who live its story. But is also going to be important for people like myself who perhaps aren’t as aware.

These are very much ownvoices to which you can’t help but listen.

-

The Four Profound Weaves is a very emotional and beautiful tale. The plot though imaginative and well executed was very much secondary to some very sensitive and poignant character development.

It was impossible for me not to become invested in the transformative journey of both Uiziya e Lali and the nameless man. As you’d expect from an ownvoices author the writing is authentic and is emotionally very open, and very raw.

The nameless man particularly, starts off all but broken, I’d noted words such as; sadness, loss, shame and judgement. Genuinely I felt in my gut his pain at each incorrect pronoun and mis-gendering, undoubtedly because of R.B. Lemberg’s craft and their ability to accurately convey the mental and physical reactions to pain.

But to see how they grow, finding their own voice and their own power was revelatory.

The world of the Birdverse is intricate and spellbinding, the descriptions dazzle and the setting sings. Though the story is told over just 192 pages there is so, so much detail in it. Fine strands of exquisite metaphor and simile are magically woven together to create sumptuous passages akin to poetry. Though I appreciate that some readers could find the writing too florid or abstract.

- ‘We were face to face, Uiziya crouching, me kneeling, and between us the finest threads of sand whispered each to each in a language I did not understand. No longer dun, the carpet of sand undulated with every shade of yellow and brown and gold, and between these strands I saw glimpses of sunset and shadow, and bones - always bones - bones of strange, beguiled animals that had once roamed the desert before the goddess Bird brought our people here, and our stars.’

There is a magic system that I so desperately want to know more about. Syllables create deepnames and deepnames create structures that are personal to the individual and confer different abilities. It’s so unique and inventive.

Who would I recommend this to?

This is very much a story for everybody, as there is such phenomenal diversity both in this novella and the plethora of other short-fictions set in the Birdverse.

Truthfully I can’t think of any direct comparisons as it is so unique and fresh.

If you enjoy magical, almost faerie-tale fantasy that while dark is full of hope and growth … you’ll love this particular weave.

trigger warning
<spoiler> transphobia, deadnaming, torture, mysogyny </spoiler>

Two elders are leaving the encampment in the desert, one of them wanting to find her aunt to finally learn the secret of the fourth profound weave.

Fantasy about weaving sounds boring at first - or at least, sounded to me.
But weaving is important - clothes are important. Yes, of course, today most of the work is done by machines, and clothes are so readily available that they're mostly seen for the purpose of expressing ones personality.
Modern conveniences make your forget how important clothing is, that it shelters you from the weather, helps regulate your body's temperature, saves you from some degree of exposure and allows you to carry stuff with you without having to use your hands. Pockets, my friends, are something I don't want to live without.

Another thing a modern western person is likely to forget is how exhausting the process of making cloth is. The amount of time and effort you have to put in even for simple garments is astonishing, the level of skill that can be reached are breathtaking. If you want to see what people where able to do, look at Greek statues. Of course, those too show certain trends, and I remember from a course about geometric sculptures (sculpture from the geometric epoch, not sculptures made out of geometric shapes) that some garments looked like a thin coat of water on top of the skin. Light as a breath of air.
Anyways. I lost my thread of thought.

Weaving is underrated, I guess that's what I was going to say. The thought of having a special kind of weave that allow for a ceremony that will give you the body that fits your gender identity is beautiful. I want to learn how to do that.

I knew nothing of this Birdverse beforehands, but I loved the depiction of trans folk and that even enbies are included, that they talk about changers and in-betweeners. I liked that we have different cultures that have different viewpoints on people with varying gender representation and identity, and to meet post-change trans people. One who changed decades ago, one whose change is quite recent, the contrasts and similarities in their experiences.

On top of that, no token trans people. In the frame of this narrative, it's accepted that there are a load of people who may fall under this umbrella term. But it's not the sole topic of this book, we still have the story beneath. This made me feel seen.
People telling their stories as trans persons is an important thing, but I also want fantasy narratives. I have the real-life version 24/7, I want some magic in my free time, and this is what I got.

I have to say that this story is more character driven than about the plot, but that's okay. The execution fit the idea. I will read more from this author in the future. I want more of this.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/4 out of 5 stars.

A very interesting story centring on identity, self discovery and acceptance.

Unfortunately for me, the writing style just didn't speak to me, so I really struggled through this. I found it hard to wade through. That's not to say that this isn't a good story, it just isn't the writing style for me.

I really loved the look into what it means to be one's truest self, and the different journeys that often takes.

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book. Maybe the fact that it was set in an existing ‘verse coloured my experience of it - maybe I would’ve understood if I’d read some more of the Birdverse.

The discussion of gender in this book was interesting. One of the two main characters, nen-sasaïr, is a trans man who doesn’t fit in with the other men in his Khana society despite having ‘transitioned’. The other, Uiziya, is a weaver who’s seeking her aunt so she can teach her the fourth weave, the weave of death.

But I had trouble caring about the characters or their ultimate purpose. The writing, too, felt extremely stilted and purple: “of what we had wrought, my lover’s words within the ash, the nature of the weaves, the certainty of hope’s resilience, which is as strong as the certainty of death.”

At times, the worldbuilding was also hard for me to grasp. Why does the Collector want to preserve carpets, for instance? What is so important about the four profound weaves? Why would Uiziya sit in a tent for twenty years waiting for her aunt to return? There is also a child that appears rather abruptly to randomly give nen-Sasaïr an incomprehensible message and then leaves.

Moreover, a lot of the story is told through dialogue, especially at the beginning. Nen-sasaïr comes to visit Uiziya and they have a conversation. Then they both leave, and they have more conversation with the aunt, then they go somewhere else, then they confront a villain, then there’s more conversation. There was no sense of urgency. The quest and their reasons for undertaking it were never clear to me.

Gender issues: nen-sasaïr’s inability to fit in and the account of his transition were repeated several times. I found myself comparing this to Arundhati Roy’s character Anjum, in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. In six paragraphs, Roy captured the yearning ‘Aftab’ felt to be a woman, the exoticism and yet the familiarity of the world behind the kwagbah. I want to be like that.

Lemberg’s account of that was scattered over pages and brought up throughout. If it had been condensed it would have read far better.

Positives were great worldbuilding and the diversity of racial and gender identity.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3099712081?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

This took me a long time to read, it's dense and heavy for a short novella. It's also quite lovely. It's very different from anything I've read before, following the story of two older people (both trans) on a strange adventure. I'd say it's a story about discovery of yourself, of learning to own who you are fully. It's so rare to see a story about older self discovery and I think it's something that's very needed. The diversity of bodies, experience, and culture were expertly woven into the story along with the world building. I look forward to reading more in this setting.

I really enjoyed the writing and world building in this book, and it was really great to have a story from the point of view of two older trans protagonists, especially two are so different in terms of their personalities, priorities, and views on their transition. However, not having read the other stories in the 'Birdverse' left me at a severe disadvantage with regards to plot and character relationships, especially at the beginning. Overall, I would say that this is great if you've already read some of the other 'Birdverse' stories but not a good place to start if you haven't.

This is a book of great beauty and wit and imagination. In The Four Profound Weaves, R. B. Lemberg crafts a story about growing up and growing old, magic and art, learning and traveling, trusting and transforming. The weaver Uiziya sets out into the desert to to find her aunt, who weaves clothes for assassins from bone, in hopes that her aunt will teach her the last of the Four Profound Weaves: weaving with death. With her travels an unnamed man, who is also looking for a kind of final learning, a name. Lemberg introduces readers to several fascinating cultures and individuals from her Birdverse, whose histories and traditions come together to help a weaver find life and happiness, albeit through betrayal and pain. This is a fabulous, brutal, shimmering queer fairytale but also a story of great truth in terms of identity, gender, sexuality, and sense of self.

Review for publication elsewhere.
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I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

The four profound weaves is a very peculiar novella, set in a magical, culturally complex world. It grabs the attention as soon the reader starts to read, throwing him/her into a magnificent, evocative and weird world, with main characters that are interesting and you can't not love and cheer for them.
Two transgender elders are the main characters and they have to learn how to weave from Death, because they want to defeat a ruler, that kill women to use their bones and souls. Against this cruel and evil ruler, Uiziya and the nameless man try everything to challenge him, while confronting themselves with their problems and thoughts.

What I found fascinating, among other things, is the "oddity" of the main characters, because I rarely read books with elders, transgenders one, as protagonists, so I was attracted by this novella right away. The world R.B. Lemberg created is amazing and captivating and the reader is right away involved into the action and place. Among the Surun's nomads none wants to talk about Uiziya's aunt, Benesret, who was a master weaver, so the reader is right away curious about her and her fate. And he/she is interested in the conflict in the nameless man, who changed few months ago and he has to adapt to a new life, from being a woman, a wife, a trader in the city of Iyar, to being a man and so he struggles to be like the other men in the desert. His conflicts, his difficulties are acutely written and felt by the reader, in my opinion. Reading about the changers and how that society accepts them was interesting and enlightining.
It's a story about magic, fate, recognition, hope, death, love. Beautifully woven, like a carpet, the fantasy of Lamberg is truly rich and fascinating, the story full of twists and discoveries and the world hard to leave, once you reach the last page.

The Foute Profound Weaves is a breathtakingly beautiful story set in a lush world with wonderous magic and characters.
I loved the story and the settings a d how poignant and hopeful it was.

I would highly recommend this novela

I recieved a electronic copy of this book by the publisher Tachyon Publications via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about two elderly transgender friends embarking of a mission and magic woven into four carpets in order to bring down a tyrant. I did feel like some questions weren't answered though. What are deepnames, what do the configurations of the syllables mean, and how is it related to magic?

4.5 Stars

I received an advance reader copy from Tachyon Publications through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This story says so much more in 112 pages than some books can in 900. It follows two transgender elders in a fantastical world where magic and weaving must come together to fight evil and lead the protagonists on a journey through the desert to claim their true identities.

This is one of the most beautiful and touching fantasy stories I have read in a long time. The world build is so rich and culturally diverse and there is a range of family structures and LGBTIQA+ representation. It immediately drew me in and left me wanting more but in a good way. The story is incredibly satisfying from start to finish and makes you care for the characters so quickly. I would read a million more stories from the Birdverse.

This was my first introduction to the bird verse, and wow! Like most fantasies, this book throws you in fast, with the story told in alternating viewpoints: Uiziya and the nameless man. I read it all in one setting and would love to sit in this world a little longer, as brutal and harsh as it can be. There is a hopeful tone as these two characters seek to better understand their identities and discover freedom for themselves. I’m intentionally vague and I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that you should pick this up if you love fantasy!

This story is indeed profound. A hopeful tale of wanderlust told from the perspective of those who are tired of waiting for their lives to begin. I felt lucky to be able to explore this world and would love to return. This story of light also includes a rich darkness that talks of death and hope.

I struggled to read through this book. The writing style seemed...repetitive and childish at times. I was constantly confused on who was narrating the story, as it switched points of view often and at odd times in the story. Because of those issues, I struggled to figure out what the story line actually was.

I think the IDEA of the book is good, it's a world where gender dysphoria is rampant, but the characters have the ability to "transform" at some point. But the idea was not executed in a manner that allows the reader to really connect and understand.