Middlegame

From Masterclass.com: "Broadly speaking, the middlegame begins when chess players have moved their kings to safety and developed most of their major pieces. It's the phase where each player's positional understanding will be put to the test. Note that it's not always easy to mark the point where an opening becomes the middlegame." This is one of those "Easter egg" books where it's more than just words on a page taking you from point A to point B. There's some in-depth word-building going on connected to Over the Woodward Wall. I have yet to read it, but the vibe feels like if the combating narratives in S by Doug Dorst was separated into two books. It's not so convoluted and intertwined that it interferes with the enjoyment of the main plot. I found the pacing sort of confusing at first, but I stuck with it and greatly enjoyed the ensuing emotional roller coaster. Recommended for fans of Neil Gaiman or the aforementioned S.