A rare first-person perspective in the Western Lights series. Somervell tells us of his time in the haunted country backwater of Hoole, where he has iA rare first-person perspective in the Western Lights series. Somervell tells us of his time in the haunted country backwater of Hoole, where he has inherited a modest property from a slain uncle, and of his experiences with temporality and with other worlds. This was a great return to form for the author, far superior to its cloying predecessor. Our protagonist contends with strange nightmares, eccentric characters including a mysterious veiled heiress, a locked-up church with secrets to be discovered, phantoms of deceased relatives, the potential return of a long-last race from another dimension, a window into another world, and because this is Barlough - a veterinarian - we get a delightful cat as well. As is always the case, the author's prose is archly formal and the story is sedately paced; the book was pure pleasure to read on a technical level and as a showcase for Barlough's wonderfully atmospheric storytelling. The ending has several surprises in store for the reader and also a melancholy but somehow not dispiriting rumination on fate and mortality. Deep waters are explored, but with such a light touch. I loved this eerie, stylish, pleasantly old-fashioned book....more
Eugene Stanley has been sent from Muttonchester to the auspicious University of Salthead to help his uncle organize a treatise on Aegean cultures and Eugene Stanley has been sent from Muttonchester to the auspicious University of Salthead to help his uncle organize a treatise on Aegean cultures and to get an up-close look at university life. This will help him to decide whether he'd like to stay in his rustic hometown to join his father's glazing business or if he'd prefer to follow a more intellectual path. And experience the university he does: making new friends, getting tipsy at "wine parties," bantering with various domestics, exploring the streets of quaint and ancient Salthead, taking weekend trips to his uncle's manor, being a part of various high-spirited shenanigans, solving mysteries, and of course getting sucked into Purgatory via a demonic clock. Where he proceeds to float around, gaze agog at a range of monstrous entities, meet a demented sorcerer, and witness the sad plight of various tormented souls who are being punished in this grey and hellish realm. That all sounds like a pretty standard student experience, as far as my foggy recollection of college days go. Go Tritons!
That middle part in Purgatory was wild. It is bookended by the fun and immersive time described above and then by a trip to the countryside, where our protagonist and his compatriots take a mastodon train to the mountains and find themselves having to deal with prehistoric beasties, a village of ghosts, and secrets buried in a crypt. All of this is unspooled in Barlough's wonderfully old-fashioned prose, with a host of Dickensian characters, dashes of sardonic wit, and the occasional delightful animal. And above all, heaps and heaps of cozy, wintry Atmosphere. The book is very suitable for cold and windy days best spent indoors, like say summer here in San Francisco.
I love this author and his strange but always cozy tales within this Western Lights series. Pure pleasure!...more
The fog rolls in and the adventures begin: a house that flies! The ship departs for cold Nantle and the investigation begins: who is the mysterious heThe fog rolls in and the adventures begin: a house that flies! The ship departs for cold Nantle and the investigation begins: who is the mysterious heir and what is that ghostly apparition; can these characters look beyond their love of money, memory, and the fine figure of a woman to solve these mysteries? The chains are unlocked, the trunk is unlatched, the box is opened, the mirror taken out, and so the terror and the horror begins: an angry god is calling, insisting on a return.
Perfectly accomplished ironic prose, done in a fussy, plummy Dickensian style. Digressive storytelling, taking time with its characters, giving them all their moments, many of those moments sad but even more that are comic. An intricate narrative: three strands coming together and coming apart, plots joining and unjoining, characters meeting and departing. A sinister atmosphere and a very strange world. Prehistoric beasties and monstrous agents of Poseidon. Shades of Sweeney Todd and M.R. James and Bleak House. And at last, all the questions finally answered. A satisfying ending: some fun and some sadness, some tragedy and some schadenfreude, a feeling of lives and adventures continuing beyond the page. Even death is not the end.
This is the best novel yet in the Western Lights series. Each book is a standalone. It should be read immediately, but one should take their time reading it....more
the book is a fascinating experience full of mystery, emotion, memorable scenes, and real world relevance. the book is a disappointing experience thatthe book is a fascinating experience full of mystery, emotion, memorable scenes, and real world relevance. the book is a disappointing experience that has somehow lost the magic of its predecessor, let alone the original trilogy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
while remaining true to his basic belief system that organized religion - Christianity, in prior books - is at the root of much of the evils of the world, in Secret Commonwealth the author widens his net to catch the fanatical side of Islam as well. I appreciated that because I think all major religions have done and continue to do majorly problematic things. and also I didn't appreciate it. mainly because it is actually fun for me to read about the villainous intrigues and politicking of the Magisterium while it was distinctly un-fun for me to read about the bloodthirsty soldiers who come down from their mountain to rant incoherently, slaughter families, decimate villages, and create a refugee crisis all across the world with their vicious deeds. not sure why I can find enjoyment in one but only weariness and palpable repulsion in the other. I mean, both sorts of religions have no problem murdering people, right? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
there is another evil abroad in the world: young people are losing their imagination! "Young people don't believe in the secret commonwealth ... It's all chemistry and measuring things, as far as they're concerned. They got an explanation for everything, and they're all wrong." this is mainly due to the pernicious influence of a philosopher turned bestselling author and a gadfly turned darling of the ivory tower - two very intriguing new villains to the series who parallel each other in interesting ways. and yet this was also unconvincing. there is now an existential threat to the minds and creative spirits of young people... due to two bestselling books? really? well I suppose this is definitely a fantasy series! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD, sorry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
there were other things I found unconvincing, or frustrating. or just annoying. and I don't think I've felt annoyed by any other Pullman book. first of all, I hated the whole logic behind Pan leaving Lyra. I know that it inspires Lyra's entire journey, internally and externally... but the reasons behind it are so irritating. he leaves her because she's now a bitch with no imagination and so he takes off in search of... her imagination? for real? does Pan not realize how corny he's being? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ second on my list of annoyances: apparently this happens to other people in the world now - people and daemons just separate from each other because reasons? Pullman supplies many reasons, but none of them really landed with me in a way that felt genuine. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ third: Mal falling in love with Lyra was ugh. fourth: this new villain Olivier Bonneville is laughable - especially compared to his genuinely creepy and threatening father from the last book. and fifth on the annoyance list: those gay priest characters were over the top in a way that felt like a cheap potshot on the Catholic Church and some of its issues with predatory priests. so that's five big annoyances. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
fortunately there were things that I really enjoyed in the book as well. I did like the whirlwind tour of a Europe that felt somehow under siege by forces beyond anyone's understanding. the visit to an iconoclastic author's house was fascinating and very disconcerting. the visit to an ancient aristocrat's mansion was also fascinating - she was a fabulous character! the machinations of new villain Marcel Delamare were absorbing. my jury is still out on his family backstory, and why it was necessary to link him that way to Lyra, but his mother was a great one-scene villain. and as much as Lyra bothered me in this book, what she is going through is reflective of what a lot of people her age actually go through, so kudos to Pullman for successfully making the transition from the children's world of the prior books to the young adult world of this book. so yeah, despite my complaints, there were still many things that I enjoyed about this book sitting side by side with the things that gave me no enjoyment. and the first couple hundred pages were riveting. Pullman is an often amazing writer and storyteller. I just wish he had written another perfect book. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯...more
synopsis: a noirish adventure in Europe, mid-19th century. The psychic Lazare captivates the upper classes of Paris. The redoubtable Inspector Picard synopsis: a noirish adventure in Europe, mid-19th century. The psychic Lazare captivates the upper classes of Paris. The redoubtable Inspector Picard is less than captivated.
William Kotzwinkle is perhaps most well-known for his World Fantasy Award-winning novel Doctor Rat, or for his novelization of E.T. (gotta pay those bills, right?). I know him for writing an early favorite of mine, Jack in the Box, that is long overdue for another visit.
Fata Morgana was a swell read. It was nice to be in the capable hands of a professional who knows all about pacing and spending just the right amount of time in varying, vivid environments and wowing the reader with a surreal, twisty ending. The book was written like it was meant to be a movie, and occasionally that's not a bad thing. Kotzwinkle wants to entertain but happily his prose doesn't aim for the lowest common denominator. One caveat: every now and then the perspective switches from third person to first person, sometimes mid-paragraph; at first I thought it was an interesting stylistic choice but later it felt like sloppiness. And that's it for the complaints, now back to the praise.
The protagonist was well-characterized: Picard is strong, bearish, big-bellied; he's thoughtful and melancholy, contemplative of his past and also fretful about his too-rich diet; he has a sweet fondness for whores and an implacable drive for justice. He lurches here and there, sometimes furious, other times lost in thought, but never forgetting his manners. I really rooted for him. The narrative opens in media res during Picard's pursuit of elegant serial killer Baron Mantes, then quickly proceeds to the main story, which unfolds in three parts. The first and third parts depict confrontations with the Inspector's new nemesis, the magician and acrobat Lazare (and the equally formidable Madame Lazare), and the lengthy middle section - the strongest and certainly most evocative part - is a tour of the parlors and villages of diverse European countries as Picard untangles Lazare's sinister past. I especially loved the focus on toys, deadly and otherwise. The story satisfied and the world was so well-described that it made me want to stay there even longer. All in all, a very pleasant affair....more
When last we saw her, she was much younger. Young but experienced in the corruption and evils of the world. Young but old beyondThe girl has grown up!
When last we saw her, she was much younger. Young but experienced in the corruption and evils of the world. Young but old beyond her years. Young but ready for revolution!
Now older, wiser, but just as angry. Scarred. More scars shall come. Alas!
The author is committed to showing that growth. We are all works in progress, no matter how righteous our cause.
Much like his protagonist, the author is also angry: at the systematized inequities of the world, at the secret power brokers, at the trickle-down effect of rot at the top. At the violence ordered, the justifications made. At the collaboration of those whose who carry out those orders. That anger was exciting to read; I became angry at these systems of inequity as well. The author preached successfully to this choir.
A successful sermon and overall a successful book. Still, I did enjoy the prior novel rather more. Perhaps the world this time felt a bit less fresh. There was an occasional feeling of boredom when reading, a focus on minutiae.
But this is far from a bad review. 3 stars means I liked it. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
And a thoroughly enjoyable protagonist. I was moved, sometimes saddened, and often thrilled following her journey. Her transformation and the climax of her trials and tribulations was powerful to read.
The girl is gone; a woman has taken her place....more
a lot of times I can understand why an obscure book that I've found and loved is obscure. could be the quirky prose, or that it was published a long ta lot of times I can understand why an obscure book that I've found and loved is obscure. could be the quirky prose, or that it was published a long time ago, or perhaps the bizarre subject matter. but I remain perplexed as to why the standalone novels within the Western Lights "series" go so unnoticed. the first of them was published in 2000 and they've been regularly appearing ever since. House in the High Woods feels like Dickens reborn, from the the indelible character names and vivacious characterization to its rich sense of place to the perfectly accomplished style of the prose itself. it has all the charming, gore-free menace of the coziest of mysteries. it has the unsettling ambiguity of the best of weird fiction. its humor is sometimes subtle and sly, at other times broad and cartoonish. it drips with atmosphere. and for those nihilistic Ligotti fans, this particular book has an incredibly dire and soul-crushing ending that has been well set-up from its first pages. (apparently this is a unique ending for Barlough's books, which makes my soft heart glad.) this is the second of the author's non-series that I've read; I enjoyed it and Dark Sleeper so much that I made a late-night, perhaps ill-advised purchase - my cat was certainly radiating judgment - of all of the remaining 8 books, in one fell swoop. I need more of these books in my life for the foreseeable future. they really hit a sweet spot.
synopsis: two travelers on a coach meet; one relates to the other the terrible story of a very deep well, an ominous house in the high woods, a bustling inn, a scandal from the past, and why exactly the pleasant lakeside village of Shilston Upcot is now a ghost town. the setting: a Victorian America, trapped in the Ice Age. Victorian America trapped in the Ice Age! I just wanted to literally underline that.
this book had me smiling in a glow of a pleasure whenever I opened its pages. I tried to draw out the experience as long as I possibly could. my one complaint is the - in another reviewer's words - "devastatingly horrific ending". it's a sentimental complaint, because as mentioned that ending is telegraphed from the very first few pages. but it is hard for soft me to get so enamored with such a set of delightful characters, and such a delightful place, and then be faced with inevitable devastating horror. despite that, I have the highest regard for the novel.
bonus delight: the author is a veterinarian, and his love of animals shines through in his depiction of this book's dog, horse - and since this is the Ice Age after all - its teratorn. sorry for the spoiler I'm about to give, but I'm happy to report that they all survive the devastation. I want to protect my fellow animal-lovers from any undue stress!...more
Synopsis: in fin de siècle England, a strange murder occurs and an investigator is strangely fooled.
an ingenious book! I'm so pleased that the combinaSynopsis: in fin de siècle England, a strange murder occurs and an investigator is strangely fooled.
an ingenious book! I'm so pleased that the combination of Ben and Benjamin's reviews, along with my enjoyment of the author's The Friendly Examiner, led me to search out and splurge on this hard to acquire gem. as with most treasures, the difficulty of finding it was certainly a part of its appeal. but such a small part. this is one of those books that, despite the gorgeousness of its small press production and the strangeness of its story, really shouldn't be such a niche item. Marvick's writing is as humorous and charming as it is stylized and ambiguous. his characters perplex and amuse and fascinate. his dark themes and his narrative playfulness are the sorts of themes and narratives that have been explored in a range of infinitely more popular and critically lauded books, from Night Film to The Raw Shark Texts to Hawksmoor to the stories of Borges and the films of Raoul Ruiz. and yet the book is niche, to its credit. there is something so private about its mordant humor. it's a secretive friend who half-smilingly tells you a complicated story that he expects you'll only half-understand, but he's having such a fun time recounting it that it doesn't really matter to him if you fully get the humor or the point of his story. but he hopes that you'll at least enjoy its telling.
and I did! I also understood the story. at least I think I did. or did I? well, that's sort of what the novel is all about. the power and potential of storytelling, the instability of narratives. personas put on and taken off and shifted and transformed, characters doubling and becoming different versions of themselves. signified and signifier, shallow depths and deep surfaces. the plot is a trick but the author plays fairly: clues are strewn everywhere, from the first page to the last. is the story really about the strange carpet called The Star 'Ushak', one that drinks the blood of its victims while slowly turning into a portal to somewhere terrible and bloody, a vehicle for Tamburlaine the Great's bloody return? is it really about a protagonist slowly hypnotized and undone by magicians, some playful and others monstrous, all concerned with transforming the world into their own ideal story? who can say. Marvick is playing his own game and while he wants you to enjoy that game, your understanding of the game's rules is not necessarily necessary.
London freed by the former pirate "The Iron Duke" is still a London chock-full of resentment, violence, economic insecurity, destroyed body parts replLondon freed by the former pirate "The Iron Duke" is still a London chock-full of resentment, violence, economic insecurity, destroyed body parts replaced by machinery, and racism against half-breeds descended from the city's former masters, the Mongolians known as The Horde. Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth is one of those luckless, product of - and later, victim of - the ability of the Horde to make their pet English do as they pleased, sexually and otherwise. Inspector Wentworth has a lot to deal with: everyday contempt from Londoners still angry over their former servitude, a noble family in dire financial straits, a body dropped from a zeppelin onto the Iron Duke's estate, and a beloved younger brother lost or kidnapped. Perhaps her biggest problem, one she won't admit even to herself: she has a hankering for that Iron Dick.
Overall this was surprisingly impressive, despite its laughable cover and designation as some sort of Steampunk Romance (not that I have anything against Steampunk or Romance). Meljean Brook is a really talented writer and the world she constructs is almost dizzying in its complexity and layers of history. But the story never feels cluttered. This alternate England is deeply, richly imagined - so much so that it could have been too much. Brook's imagination is a fertile one, and in the hands of a lesser author, the story could have been easily overwhelmed by all of the creativity on display. But her smooth, exciting narrative and deliberate parsing out of details give her book an appealing suppleness. This is an easy world to get lost in!
The romantic elements are key - this being a romance novel, after all, and despite all of the fun, strange worldbuilding - and those scenes ended up being either the most tedious or some of the more striking parts of the novel. Fortunately, the romance improves over the course of the story.
To the former: Mina's constant perception of the Iron Duke as one very bad and very untrustworthy dude becomes very very tiresome, very very quickly. It really gets ridiculous and it just goes on and on. Eyes were rolled, very hard. The Duke's instant obsession with Mina alternates between creepily aggressive and amusingly sweet and soft; despite that schizophrenia, overall he was not a particularly interesting character.
But to the latter: the reader soon learns that Mina's hesitation around intimacy is coming from her experience with intimacy being forced upon her. (And it turns out that that is something she has in common with her paramour.) Rape and its emotional aftermath are topics that deserve to be treated with delicacy and empathy; I really respected Brook's skill and care when dealing with such things. She made those past traumas central to her two protagonists' psyches and profound influences on their sexual behavior, yet she also made sure that the impact of those traumas could be overcome. Good job, author....more
Oh dear, Lucifer Box has found himself in quite a spot of trouble all over again. Although murder and mayhem are surelBEWARE THE DEVIOUS BISEXUAL!
Oh dear, Lucifer Box has found himself in quite a spot of trouble all over again. Although murder and mayhem are surely de rigueur for a modish secret agent, assassin, internationally celebrated painter, and bisexual Lothario who still manages to maintain a youthfully svelte figure in his late 40s... one would still never expect to have to face off against the actual Lucifer, Prince of Darkness. That's not in the job description! I certainly felt quite a bit of empathy for poor Lucifer Box, as we share distinct similarities. Minus the secret agent, assassin, internationally celebrated painter, Lothario, and maintaining a youthfully svelte figure parts, of course... we are practically brothers from another mother!
I must say, to this day I have found scant evidence that male bisexuals even exist, except in books like this one, and perhaps pornography - if I were to ever view such an uncouth genre. Never! It is as if all the bisexuals of the world were women. Where are my brother comrades-in-arms? All of my once bisexual friends have long since married the opposite sex and have named their prior exploits "experimentation" - alas, and I say Fie on Experimenters! The true male bisexual is a rare breed indeed: a precious, precious thing. Much like a unicorn. Or griffin! Or perhaps a hippogriff.
Why just the other day, while strolling the urine-soaked and garbage-strewn streets of the Tenderloin, my dear friend K__ inquired whether or not I "was still bisexual". I could have smacked him smartly across his cheeky, chubby face, save for the fact that he is also my boss, so instead I settled for making a demeaning comment about how wonderfully predictable his life in the suburbs must be, and how he must feel scads of happiness when seeing the same wife and child day-in and day-out, 365 days a year. Such ignoble inquiries are par for the course for unicorns such as myself and dear Lucifer Box, and must be dealt with rigorously.
Why just the other week, my charming sister alluded to her ongoing delusion that I "must have so many options". I could have wrung her neck, except for the fact that she made this comment over a trunk call and also I could never actually wring her neck, as she is far too strong and my lovely, long-fingered hands - "a pianist's hands", as my dear mother once said - are far too delicate. Instead I sighed heavily and reminded her that for me, being bisexual only means that I view both genders with equal disdain.
Well at least she's nothing like poor Lucifer Box's sister, who turned out to be a trashy murderous Satan-worshiper. My sister would certainly never worship Satan - that would be far too louche for a dedicated wife, mother of two, licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine, and Los Angelene fashion plate. As my dear father is wont to say, "Worshiping Satan is so last millennium, and for losers". The acclaimed Monday lineage only engages in self-worship!
To sum up, this novel was fair to middling. It passed the time. It was what one calls a "bus book" - which means I read it in 15 minute increments whenever I found myself on a bus to and from what I suppose I call "work". Buses are surely the most plebeian of transports, and books are never welcome there, but I do enjoy mingling with the masses on occasion. Perhaps I shall discover a fellow bisexual busing one day? If so, I shall promptly ignore him, as bisexuality should never be encouraged. I would be appalled to see too many of my dangerous type running around rampant! We would rule the world, and that would be very bad news indeed for all of you sadly limited non-bisexual types....more
I guess I enjoyed this well enough. a swiftly paced romp through Edwardian England and Naples ("Edwardian Naples" just doesn't sound right) featuring I guess I enjoyed this well enough. a swiftly paced romp through Edwardian England and Naples ("Edwardian Naples" just doesn't sound right) featuring Her Majesty's Special Assassin - the snobby and callous Lucifer Box. many things are afoot and those things include murder, a sex club, a rather insensitively handled trans character, some painting, some servant troubles, and a nefarious plot to destroy all of Italy. plus (view spoiler)[a lead who turns out to be bisexual; which - as a bi fellow myself - was (hide spoiler)] a special treat. Gatiss is famous for various things, and somewhere along the way he wrote this bit of fluff. I hope he enjoyed his lark! he clearly has talent and his writing is light, bubbly, tart, and easy going down. but I'm sad to say that there was perhaps one too many puns or one too many kooky names, which led to one too many disgruntled expressions on my face,
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, which led to *shrug* 2 stars.
a mainly charming but very slim trifle let down by an annoyingly rushed, perfunctory climax.
spinster turned hotelier turned jewelry thief Miss Tonks: a mainly charming but very slim trifle let down by an annoyingly rushed, perfunctory climax.
spinster turned hotelier turned jewelry thief Miss Tonks: a delight!
nobleman turned highway robber turned ardent lover Lord Eston: a delight!
debutante turned runaway turned fun-loving spy Cassandra Blessop: a delight!
a supporting cast full of wily retirees and gold-diggers and snobs: a delight!
smooth but uninteresting prose; a pleasant, shallow, fun story with occasional moments of surprising depth; a pace that is, for the most part, perfectly brisk; two or three set pieces that created several smiles.
an ending that felt like the author needed to hurry up and put all the pieces together before her tea turned cold....more
sleepy Dark Sleeper, a book that felt like it sprung from my own dreams. cozy dreams of being in a warm place with a wet, cold world outside, a strangsleepy Dark Sleeper, a book that felt like it sprung from my own dreams. cozy dreams of being in a warm place with a wet, cold world outside, a strange world full of mysteries. cozy mysteries! a strange world like Dickens' England transformed into a place locked out of time, with prehistoric beasties and sinister Etruscans wandering about; a place with magic in the shadows. quirky characters full of charm - the author's fondness for his heroes made me fond of them in turn. villainous characters full of malice - the author's glee in creating these gargoyles made me smile along with him. surprisingly deep emotions slowly filling the narrative, making it less light but more resonant. a careful calibrated yet happily eccentric prose style, always keeping me engaged and interested. a less than admirable but still quite lovable tomcat. a story that reads as if a hobbyist decided to turn his various peculiar interests into one peculiar book. peculiar but full of familiar things. peculiar but wonderful! I'm looking forward to reading more....more
I guess I just need more than a mammoth miniseries version of a steampunk-era CSI episode. I've never enjoyed that show - what little I've watched of I guess I just need more than a mammoth miniseries version of a steampunk-era CSI episode. I've never enjoyed that show - what little I've watched of it - because the minutia of forensic science and criminal psychology utterly bore me when they are not tied to interesting themes, characters with depth, or a rich atmosphere. the entirely insipid protagonist made me entirely frustrated. the pedestrian prose made me want to scream. the fact that the cover is the most evocative thing about a novel that should have had atmosphere to die for made me feel like I was dying inside each time I turned the page only to discover 100% plot mechanics and 0% anything of interest besides the, I suppose, "page-turning" plot. the whole experience of reading this book was excruciating. however if you are a fan of CSI, then this is probably a 4 or 5 star book for you. enjoy!...more
Aries the Ram thrusts forward, discarding the past except as a symbol of what has been overcome. Fearsome, single-minded Aries! This book does not falAries the Ram thrusts forward, discarding the past except as a symbol of what has been overcome. Fearsome, single-minded Aries! This book does not fall under the sign of Aries; it is invested in the past, it is enchanted by it. The past is such an important part of the novel that the narrative continues after its climactic resolution with a series of escalating chapters that take the reader back to where it all began. The Luminaries' characters live under the shadow of their own pasts, they judge others by their past actions as well. Aries is well-represented by Te Rau Tauwhare, a Maori greenstone hunter.
Taurus the Bull is a sign of love, in all of its strength and awkwardness, its earthiness and purity. Obstinate, strong-willed Taurus! This book has a strong Taurean influence: it has at its heart a passionate and moving story of star-crossed lovers, determined to persevere, blind to reason - two parts of a whole that yearn to merge. Taurus is represented - poorly - by the aloof banker Charlie Frost.
Gemini the Twins, sharp and cutting, a sign of the mind, of the air. Impulsive and restless Gemini! This book has a marked Gemini influence in its clever narrative voice, one often sidelined by description and dialogue yet still distinct, full of wit and sly innuendo. Gemini's influence is even stronger when considering the almost dizzying ingenuity of the book's look-at-me structure and its increasingly cheeky chapter introductions. Gemini is represented by Benjamin Lowenthal, a Jewish newspaper editor and a character in need of richer development.
Cancer the Crab moons about in its shell, moody and self-absorbed, yet caring and loyal to the end. Complicated, sensitive Cancer! The Crab has little to do with The Luminaries, except when looking at the novel in general terms. A strong and thick hardcover book, a complicated structure, a soft heart lurking within. Cancer is well-represented by the hotelier Edgar Clinch.
Leo the Lion sits back, the very image of self-satisfaction, a magnet to lesser men, a sun that would have the whole universe revolve around it. Confident and surprisingly generous Leo! The heavy-lidded sensuality of the Lion holds court throughout The Luminaries, its beautiful imagery and its rich descriptive prowess openly displayed; well-hung Leo also clearly influenced this book's impressive length. Leo is represented by Dick (lol) Mannering, a goldfields magnate.
Virgo the Virgin is the sign of this reviewer. It is the most wonderful sign imaginable: critical yet fair, judgmental but only in the most loving of ways, altruistic, well-read, self-sacrificing, practically perfect in every way, the Mary Poppins of the Zodiac. All must bow to the wonder of Virgo! The Virgin is terribly represented by Quee Long, who is about the opposite of any decent Virgo. For shame, Eleanor Catton, you have betrayed the Zodiac with your libelous portrait of a so-called Virgo!
Okay here's the one thing that bothered me about The Luminaries: the way it treated its Asian characters. Perhaps because I'm a hyper-critical half-breed who favors his Asian side, I'm always on the look-out for things to irritate me in the way that Asians are represented. Now I don't think that Catton has an issue with Asians, but it does chafe on a personal level how little they are respected in this novel. I understand the lack of respect coming from other characters, given the time and place. But I resented their actual parts and paths in the narrative - and that's all Eleanor Catton. One Asian is presented as single-minded in the most simple and greedy way possible; another is an opium addict and merchant whose tragic life and grand quest for revenge end in a limp little fizzle, off of the page. I raged (a bit) at the injustice of it all.
Libra the Scales is a sign of beauty, and much like Beauty itself, displays both grace and superficiality, charisma and vanity. Lovely, indecisive Libra! Libra's scales are seldom in balance; this sign seeks to make things equal and often fails. And so it is with the author of The Luminaries, a Libra on the cusp of Virgo. Her favorites among the novel's astrological characters are dynamic and richly developed; those less-favored are given mere cameo appearances. But don't look for fairness from a Libra - look for beauty! And there is much beauty within the pages of The Luminaries. Exquisite prose, gorgeous imagery, lovely moments within its lovely love story; the beautiful mind of its author, yearning to be recognized for its brilliance - and rewarded by the 2013 Man Booker Prize. Libra is represented - perfectly - by Harald Nilssen, a commission merchant.
Scorpio is the Scorpion, and the Eagle as well. It soars above the earth and lives in its holes. This strange sign is the Investigator of the Zodiac and is also its greatest conundrum - secretive to its core, yet suspicious of secrets in others; dark and unyielding; often cold yet deeply sexual. Mysterious, obsessive Scorpio! The Luminaries is intimately connected to the Scorpion, in its basic nature as a Mystery Novel and in its refusal to solve certain mysteries, to keep them shrouded in ambiguity. The Eagle dislikes having to explain itself. Scorpio is represented by Joseph Pritchard, a chemist and a perfectly executed character who is left almost entirely off of the page. Perhaps Catton feared the perverse potential lurking within him and so curtailed her exploration of his depths. I also felt the Scorpio influence upon this novel's villain, the dark, manipulative, unknowable Francis Carver.
Sagittarius the Archer shoots an arrow into the future, his true place; Sagittarius the Centaur gallops quickly, heedless of those too simple and slow to keep his pace. Strong-willed, independent Sagittarius! This sign's influence on The Luminaries is striking: it has no patience for readers of the idiot class. It makes scarce concessions to those longing for explanations or a simple plotline; it will give you the opportunity to come into its world and be surrounded, enveloped... and it will leave you behind if you are unable to keep up. Sagittarius is well-represented by Thomas Balfour, a shipping agent.
Capricorn the Sea-Goat: "still waters run deep" was surely coined for this sign, one whose stable and inhibited surface appearance belies the complicated ambitions within. Patient, resourceful Capricorn! A courageous introvert, a fastidious intellectual, virile yet chilly, dignified and aloof and rich with hidden depths. The novel The Luminaries was born under the sign of Capricorn. The novel's birth sign is represented - perfectly - by Aubert Gascoigne, a justice's clerk.
Aquarius the Water-bearer abhors restrictions and eschews barriers, seeking the enlightenment beyond, traveling the stars without and within, ever in search of wisdom. Inventive, rebellious Aquarius! A shallow reviewer of the novel would find little influence from the Water-bearer as the book is a carefully constructed puzzle rather than an ingenious invention, a mathematically mapped-out pièce de résistance rather than a spontaneous improvisation. But dig deeper and you shall find the sublime Aquarian ruling an eerie and haunting love story, one full of unexplainable visions and brazen leaps of faith. Aquarius is well-represented by Sook Yongsheng, a Chinese hatter and lover of opium.
Pisces the Fish, Pisces the dreamer, the last sign and the oldest. Pisces yearns for escape, in dreams, in drugs, in art, in the dark damp spaces. Elusive Pisces, the sign of self-undoing! I had a Piscean experience when reading this novel. It was my go-to book for a certain period of time, a little bit nearly every morning and every afternoon, for almost 3 months. I escaped into its depths, it was my sweet sweet drug and I fear that I am suffering from withdrawal. This lengthy review was an attempt to live in it again. Alas, now even this review is over. Pisces is represented - rather poorly - by Cowell Devlin, a chaplain....more
oh dear! what's a broke Regency era heroine to do? her lack of funds are intolerable - she can barely stay warm or well-fed - and whatever is to be dooh dear! what's a broke Regency era heroine to do? her lack of funds are intolerable - she can barely stay warm or well-fed - and whatever is to be done about the ever faithful servants? she's a "poor relation" to infinitely wealthier noble relations - why can't they help out? she's a senior citizen; is there no pity amongst the upper classes for their forgotten elders? perhaps she should steal a trinket or two from those relatives? or perhaps she should rally, collect other "poor relations" to pool their resources, maybe they should all band together and jump-start a new hotel - one that caters to all of those wealthy assholes?
oh dear! what's a reader who expects more from an author to do? he wanted a deliciously heartless and deviously ironic trifle in the vein of E.F. Benson's Queen Lucia; should he be satisfied with less? why is he ever so grumpy about lackluster prose and a less than thrilling narrative? is he projecting his yearnings unfairly? should he just read more Benson? better yet, can't he just be satisfied with what he has in this novel, its undeniably loveable and amusing pleasures? can't he be happy with a bland writing style that goes through its various predictable but still charming motions... while still surprising him on the regular with disturbingly real mentions of how horribly anti-woman and anti-lower classes the entire period actually was? shouldn't he be impressed by an author who placidly spins a feel-good yarn of poor relations banding together while still making sure the reader is aware of the basic terribleness of the era in question - at least in regards to women, to the poor, to convicts, to anyone who is not an enfranchised member of the ruling class - or even in regards to hygiene?
oh dear! has the reviewer become enchanted despite his reservations? will he continue to read this series?
A wonderful way to start off the new year, especially with the cold and the wet everywhere. I loved the slow pace of the first half, all of the detailA wonderful way to start off the new year, especially with the cold and the wet everywhere. I loved the slow pace of the first half, all of the details that brought life to sweet, curious Malcolm's world. I loved the thrill of the second half: its many surreal and threatening episodes, the rise of Malcolm's rage-dogs, the faerie queen and the witch queen, the bravery, and everything to do with grouchy Alice. The appalling villain Gerard Bonneville (and his three-legged hyena daemon) was fascinatingly perverse. I enjoyed the brief appearances by Lord Asriel and especially Mrs. Coulter. Loved all of the daemons (except hyena daemon of course, because hyenas are the worst) and La Belle Sauvage was a lovely little boat. Pullman ratchets up the darkness a few notches but also makes certain that light is always present. So many entrancing, haunting, and exciting moments!
This was a satisfying and exciting prequel that I look forward to rereading.
placeholder from 2014:
(view spoiler)[WHAT?! this is real? oh my God, oh my God! which is an ironic exclamation regarding a book by Philip Pullman.
"Everything means something," Lyra said severely. "We just have to find out how to read it."
Lyra the little liar is back in full force. she gets to us"Everything means something," Lyra said severely. "We just have to find out how to read it."
Lyra the little liar is back in full force. she gets to use her special power of super-lying at least twice, so it's clear that despite the amazing and horrible and life-changing adventures of the preceding trilogy, some things will never change. a witch and an alchemist cameo, and naturally her daemon Pantalaimon remains by her side. all is well in Golden Compass Land, at least for this reader. things are actually especially well, now that I know the author is working on a couple follow-up books that promise to be elephantine in size and scope. yay for elephantine! and yay for little liars and adorable little daemons who are quite handy at sneaking up on other daemons and quickly grabbing them so that Lyra can do some impromptu interrogation.
yay for Philip Pullman too. he really is the best. it's great how a slim children's book like this one is able to cast such an all-encompassing spell on its reader so quickly. the combination of idiosyncratic heroine and perfectly chosen details of her Oxford world all worked out just right. plus some sweet bonuses such as a map and snippets of a catalog, a guidebook, a postcard, etc. overall this was a trifle, but such an appealing one.
oh and the moral of the tale: see first paragraph....more
darwinists take the strands ClankerS TakE ThE FormS of life and weave them into OF MachineS, RemakE TheM. new forms – a new kind of NeW ShapeS darwinists take the strands ClankerS TakE ThE FormS of life and weave them into OF MachineS, RemakE TheM. new forms – a new kind of NeW ShapeS - A NeW WaY life, a new way of living. TO SeE, A NeW WaY TO BE! cute talking animals! HugE WalkinG MachineS. living dirigibles! A TeslA CannoN. all sorts of strange beasties AlL SortS OF ContraptionS now at our beck and call. NoW AvailableE FoR AlL. but are these darwinists BuT ArE ThesE ClankerS unholy manipulators of WarlikE BrutalizerS OF nature? they control TechnologY? TheY RulE england, france, russia... GermanY, AustriA-HungarY... they wage a sort of war TheY WagE A KinD OF WaR in america... will they IN AmericA... WilL TheY control the world itself? ControL ThE WorlD ItselF? fortunately, if darwinist FortunatelY, IF ClankeR ranks include the likes of RankS IncludE Folks LikE – DERYN SHARP – – PRINCE ALEK – a brave young lady whose A BravE YounG GenT WhosE sharp mind and sharp eye LoyaltY & WitS frequently save the day FrequentlY SavE ThE DaY and whose need to hide her AnD WhosE NeeD TO BE A gender is its own sort of ParT OF A GreateR WholE darwinist transformation... IS SO VerY ClankeR... then maybe these TheN MaybE ThesE brilliant scientists UbeR-CraftsmeN aren’t so bad at all. maybe Aren't AlL SO BaD. MaybE they are only one side TheY ArE OnlY OnE SidE of the same coin. OF ThE SamE CoiN. of ThE SamE CoiN!
This is a wonderful conclusion to a charming steampunk trilogy for children. I enjoyed the preceding novels but this third volume impressed me even more. It seamlessly threads together classic Young Adult tropes, various steampunk motifs, actual history and historical characters from World War I and beyond, and a breathlessly paced series of fun adventures into one rather grand story. It is more than just a joy to read – it’s also often surprising and genuinely moving. There were moments that shocked me and there were moments that struck me right in my so-called heart. Appealing characters, superb illustrations, and even a thoughtful and touching afterward. A great achievement by Westerfeld.
The cleverness of these novels also inspired my own attempts to be clever, here and in the prior two novels' reviews:
HEY I WANT TO LIVE IN SOME OTHER WORLD FOR A WHILE, FULL IMMERSION STYLE. I WANT TO REALLY KNOW THIS WORLD. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE EASY GOING DOWN TOO. WHHEY I WANT TO LIVE IN SOME OTHER WORLD FOR A WHILE, FULL IMMERSION STYLE. I WANT TO REALLY KNOW THIS WORLD. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE EASY GOING DOWN TOO. WHAT DO I CHOOSE? HERE ARE SOME REMINDERS FOR YOU mark monday WHEN YOU NEED TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE FOR A BIT:
(1) A Song of Ice and Fire. I mean duh that's obvious, no one besides GRRM can imagine what a curtain in some castle somewhere looks like, scene after scene, he's gonna totally describe those curtains. it's awesome.
(2) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, because my fantasy home away from home always includes dreary weather and drafty manors and a protagonist who is a misanthropic old man who actually does know how to take care of business. and btw, fuck off Jon Strange! the nerve of you. Mr Norrell knows what's up.
(3) The Terror. when I get around to dying, who knows what will happen, I may end up dying really slowly. The Terror would be a perfect accompaniment.
(4) David Copperfield. okay sometimes not particularly easy going down but mark, for real, don't be a weak bitch. you gotta make sure to re-read this one, it's incredible.
(5) The Gormenghast Novels. I don't even need a reminder here because this is like my perfect dream world and I think about it all the time already.
(6) Gloriana. if you feel like reading Gormenghast but you want it to be really sexed up and sorta trashy but still beautifully written and hey all in one book.
(7) The Raj Quartet. it's not even fantasy but Paul Scott may as well be writing fantasy for all of the lush and microscopic detail on display. plus all of those hyperventilating but carefully hidden emotions. and especially because these books just love their long long sentences full of scrumptious imagery that you can just drown in.
(9) Little, Big. I read those reviews complaining about this book's impenetrability and how it gets annoying and confusing in the last third and I just smile to myself because it's like I have a secret treasure that only a few people really, truly love or even understand. TERRY I am not talking about you in case you are reading this.
(10) GLASS BOOKS TRILOGY WHICH INCLUDES THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE: THE CHEMICKAL MARRIAGE
...the lavish description and beautiful prose and overlapping POV chapters are married strangely but perfectly to a breathlessly paced narrative that is constantly on the move and hurtling forward. plus a resoundingly proletariat perspective that angrily chafes at the inequities that arise from money and class. the novel spits on aristocrats and politicians and power brokers. the protagonists often spit on those types as well, literally. love that!...more
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