What do readers think of The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry? Write your own review.

This book is full of wonder and adventure. The story itself is absolutely wonderful, engaging, epic fantasy work that is enjoying to read. The more you read about these characters and creatures and their abilities and roles the more intriguing, fun, sad they are to read about. The concept of a world developing by naming things, emotions, actions, is so exciting. The power to naming something to existence. My favorite character was the courier who delivers words. And the diviners that came up with words. Some of the story reminds you of Harry Potter as the named travel through lands on a train to travel through different territories. Then other parts of the story is magical and with moral convictions. Delivering words can change or define the world or characters. Each time something is named, it transforms the characters into new beings or territories. There are committees that try to give order. I was determined and obsessed to read this story. One section was slow but provided necessary information and to continue the adventure. However, I couldn't wait to get to the next section. I was hoping for a better ending, but it leaves a person wanting more; to hope for a trilogy or a sequel. You know that there is more.

The stages I experienced in reading this book went from "resistance" to the verbiage, to "peaked interest", to "can't put this book down". The Naming Song is a tumultuous, imaginative ride through a different time, place, and meaning. Jedediah Berry's creative use of descriptive language transforms the words to a visual experience. Imagine a world where some things are named, others are not. Why? Why not? How are the names generated? Who discerns, who delivers, them? Then what? The words are truly "music" to the listeners' ears. I encourage you to immerse yourself in the experience. Totally captivating.

There are absolutely no spoilers in this review.

"The Naming Song" is not a book I would normally read. At first it was difficult to immerse myself in the story and the characters because of their unconventional names. I had several starts and stops, but in the end I really enjoyed reading this book. I am glad I went back to finish AND reread this novel.
The story begins at a period of time when a catastrophe event changed the world of words and the magic of language. Words were wiped out..all of them. We experience through the characters the struggle to get the perfect word for everything they come in contact with or experience. As in our world, their are rulers (committees), people and places to fear (the unknowns) and strange places to live (train cars).
The reader comes to really appreciate the meaning of words and language. We share common threads: our fears, expectations, the responsibility of trying to do things the right/correct way.
This book will not be "everyone"s cup of tea"but there are many readers that will feel this book will be a great literary book and will talk about it for a very long time. Jedediah Berry did a fantastic job taking the reader on a magical journey. Well written, superb characters and a storyline of magic.

Thank you to Book Browse and ARC for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

"The Naming Song" by Jedediah Berry was not on my radar until BookBrowse (yet again introducing me to authors I was unaware of and adding to my ever expanding TBR list!) offered it as a First Impressions selection. I was hooked after the very first page where the unnamed Courier is introduced. She is delivering new words into this complex world by acting them out-for example, secreting herself away on a freight train boxcar to speak the word stowaway. As the narrative continues we learn that some sort of apocalyptic event occurred that wiped out all the words, and the Diviners are slowly researching the proper replacements and the Couriers are restoring them in live action scenarios. There are humans that are named, there are others that are nameless, there are monsters dreamed into being, and this is simply the most amazing, original, intricate work of fiction I have read in a long time.

This one is a keeper- it has tons of action, and thoughtful conversations that will resonate with the reader for a very long time. The lead protagonist, our Courier, is a well crafted personality faced with so many obstacles and every single one of the supporting characters is just as relevant and interesting. The reader will feel all the feels, so many emotions- sorrow and anger and moments of hope and joy and love- it is hard to put this one down.

I am not going to give any more details, no spoilers here-you need to experience this one yourself, without any preconceived notions. Suffice it to say, I could see this as a well developed, multi seasons, streaming series in the hands of the right director and actors. I will definitely be rereading this book at some point and wish that Berry would continue this saga, either by returning to the narrative of the Courier or any of the other roles his imagination has so eloquently put to the page.

I must say this book captured my imagination from the very first page. The story's fundamental magic of language is beautifully woven into every aspect, making it a compelling read that resonated deeply with me.The premise of a world where words have vanished, leading to chaos and the rise of committees to restore order, is both innovative and thought-provoking. The author's portrayal of a society battling the unnamed, where meaning and boundaries have disintegrated, felt incredibly relevant and poignant. It's a stark reminder of the power of language in shaping our reality and understanding our world.
The author's ability to blend strange adventures with dangerous truths keeps me r on the edge of my seat.

Each discovery and secret revealed adds to the intricate tapestry of the story, making it impossible to put down.The Naming Song is more than just a fantasy novel; it's a journey into a world where meaning is fluid and ever-changing. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

But I have my limits. Building a society where every word has a new name is too much for me. This book I rated good because of the quality of the writing, but I often got lost between the names and the places and the new words. I think it was too long. I wanted to stop reading when it seemed repetitious, but I trudged on. I am so glad that most of BB reviewers found it wonderful. Good for them!

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Gaiman fantasies and are open to a longer epic-length novel; to those who read Divergent as a kid and want a more mature and literary dystopian caste system; those who enjoy language and the importance of words (it kept bringing Babel to mind for me); and to anyone who enjoys getting lost in interesting new worlds created within books.

(Longer review on Goodreads.)

Of course in a book about the power of names and naming, language is a primary theme. However, to me, the book was more about the power of defying the name/label, and the beauty of living in between – rejecting a strict binary and being forced into choosing between two worlds, neither of which really suites you. That was the more interesting aspect of the book.

The Naming Song promises the reader a trip through a world where words have vanished after a seemingly catastrophic event. Our protagonist is herself unnamed but works as a courier who delivers words to the correct items throughout the book's world.

The language is enchanting and the world-building, while slow, is effective in painting a picture for the reader. Although I expected more action, there are moments of suspense that move the plot along enough to keep the reader interested. I would have preferred to know more about the courier's backstory at the beginning of the book, but the story does not suffer due to the pacing of the reveals.

The cover itself is attractive and incorporates the environment of the book well. The pull quotes are from authors who are representative of the genre that The Naming Song belongs to, so they give the reader a good idea of what to expect, and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to people who enjoy those authors.