The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

I don't think I've really seen this book mentioned much of anywhere since it was published last year (and was a NYT bestseller) so I just wanted to get The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland back on the radar. I personally put it off for a while because it is like 750 pages long and I had no idea if it would be a slog. But then it was summer and, well, what else did I need to do but read a massive book that I only remembered picking up because it sounded like exactly my kind of story? It turns out that it was exactly what I needed to do. It was a perfect summer vacation read and was TOTALLY my kind of story (and it cleared a huge spot on my TBR shelf that fit like two or three new books). I flew through this tale of time travel and history and technology and witchcraft with eagerness and joy.

This alternate history story is mostly told by Melisande Stokes, a story she rushes to get onto paper as she waits in 1851 for an unlikely miracle to get her back to the present day before she gets stuck in the past forever by the end of magic. Because, in this history, magic exists until some event in 1851 causes it to end, leaving witches powerless and the world irretrievably changed -- or is it?! Linguist Melisande is approached by Tristan Lyons (of the mysterious organization D.O.D.O.) and asked to translate specific historical documents in an attempt to find out what magic was and if it could possibly be restored. The rest of the book is part adventure, part moral tale, and all amazing.

I love time travel and I love magic and I love science fiction tech and they all worked together so well in this book. I actually keep picking up time travel books this summer for some reason (and I haven't even gotten to To Say Nothing of the Dog yet!) and each leaves me thinking about something different. This one made me wonder what subtle nudges we could have given our society to be in a better place right now. Maybe convince Trump's dad to donate that first million to a worthy cause instead of giving it to his loser son? Who knows where we would be now.

Wishing for a science-fictional world,
K

The Broken Lands

I can't even begin to find a way to explain Kate Milford's The Broken Lands to you. It's a prequel to Boneshaker and has a minor character from that book in a medium-sized role. It happens in late-19th century New York City and has card sharps, Chinese fireworks experts, devils, demons, and magic. It's such an amazing and perilous world and I absolutely loved it. There are also real cultural issues and complex war musings. It's another one of those books that has no target age group. It has elements of the fantasy, horror, adventure, and coming-of-age genres and is simply another amazing Milford story.

The coolest news this week was that Bluecrowne, an early Kickstarted story by Milford, has been updated and is being rereleased this October. It's a bridge between the Greenglass House world and the Boneshaker one and I cannot wait for it. I will be more than happy to reread everything this summer before this new adventure comes out.

All about this world,

K

A Big Stack of Books - Junior Edition

I have a big stack of books here to review and they're stressing me out so you're going to get quick reviews over the next few days so that I can sit and peacefully enjoy an episode or two of Supernatural (I'm only in the middle of season two!) without staring at the pile.

The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is the sequel to Book Scavenger and I have to admit that I enjoyed the first book better. This one was a lot darker and rather creepy at times, and not in a good way. It dealt with some of the issues of the first book in a pretty adult way and it overshadowed the fun puzzles and mysteries. I did like the San Francisco info and learned a lot about the islands off the coast. I also loved the references to It's-It Ice Cream Sandwiches because they are the best! I ended up buying myself a box shortly after finishing this.

I can't get enough Kate Milford (there's a sequel to Greenglass House coming out in October, kids!!!) and so, when I needed an escape from political madness, I turned to this book. Kate herself noticed my tweet about excitedly starting this one and apologized like this: "I want to say I love this, but you know you picked the one that involves a gullible populace falling prey to a huckster, right?" At least I was forewarned but Kate overstated the peril because this book is all about smart kids and their willingness to put their lives on the line to save their town. It was inspirational and I ended it with a renewed sense of power and hope.

Finally, I recently read the novelization of My Neighbor Totoro. I was in the mood because Z and I have been going to Studio Ghibli Fest movies each month, My Neighbor Totoro in June and Kiki's Delivery Service this month. Well, this book was cute and just slightly different from the movie so fun to read even if you've watched it a billion times already. Z's been eyeing it too but right now he's in the middle of the big Hitchhiker's Guide omnibus.

Believing and hoping (and eating It's-Its),

K

A College of Magics

One of the benefits of book shopping online is the little "based on this title, you might like" strip that comes up across the bottom of a page. I had one of these pop up during a recent Powell's visit and was recommended A College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer. She is one of the co-authors of Sorcery and Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot and also of a lovely short story that I read in the Queen Victoria's Book of Spells collection (with Ellen Kusher, whose group effort Tremontaine I'm reading right now!). I had never read one of her solo books though but figured I couldn't go wrong, especially by grabbing a used copy of this out-of-print book. Well, you can probably guess how this went ... LOVE.

I was just trying to write up a regular plot summary but it sounded so stupid and flat compared to the actual story. The back of the book makes it sound like a boarding school tale, which it admittedly is at the start. But there are three parts to the story and the second two are full of real life and high stakes adventures. Faris, the main character, is a couple years from coming of age at the beginning of the story and has an "evil" uncle who is ruling her country of Galazon until she is 21. And the school? It seems like a normal finishing school but the girls who excel there are those that are able to use magic. But do they teach magic at the school? Not really. It's just theoretical instruction and then innate ability just kind of takes over by the time the young women are ready to leave. Faris hates it at first but then finds friends and loves it and then, of course, is pulled out early by her evil uncle, but not before things go totally wonky with her nemesis, Menary.

And then once she leaves and heads toward Galazon by way of Paris, the adventures/perils begin, with real consequences for Faris, her companions, and her enemies. Some of the things that happen are actually quite intense. The back of the book says "ages 10 and up" but there are some violent things that happen that seem more appropriate for a slightly older kid. I say this because the intensity did something to me, the adult reader. During the days I was reading this book I was tense and stressed and had to keep getting back to it. The world felt so real and Faris's eventual mission so important that I ended up speeding through the almost 500 pages of story. Then the ending was so unexpected, so outside of normal children's fiction norms, that I ended up in awe of Stevermer and her feminist ideals.

As this book was first published in 1994, did any of you read it as a kid/teen? I'm really curious how a young reader would actually handle some of the things that happen in the story. Also, I would LOVE to see this book made into a film. In the meantime, I'll just search out more of Stevermer's books and collaborations and enjoy her fabulous worlds!

Always looking for more magic,
K

Walter Moers' Zamonia

I had the ridiculously good fortune the weekend before this last one to meet up with some blogging friends -- Robin, Selena, and, the reason for it all ... Ana, who was visiting Seattle for the first time. Yay! We met at Elliott Bay Book Company where we bought too many books together and then had a lovely little sit down with lemonades. It was so nice to be with these dear friends in person. There were so many of you that we also wished were there too!

Anyway, at one point we each volunteered what we were currently reading and I tried to explain my current read and completely failed, mumbling something about "dinosaur-ish author explores a city dedicated to books". My explanation might not even have been that clear! Then I just looked back over my blog and saw that I rave about most of the books in this series but can never quite explain what they are about in a way that doesn't make them seem ridiculously odd. So, here is my latest attempt to get some of you interested in the Zamonia series by Walter Moers, translated from German into English by John Brownjohn.

There are five books currently translated into English in this series --

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear

Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures

The City of Dreaming Books

The Alchemaster's Apprentice

The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books

The first two books have a character in common but aren't related, the third and fifth feature the same main character and take place 200 years apart, and the fourth is another one-off, but all five are set in the same world. They all feature illustrations by the author and a fantasy world like no other. The fifth, which I just finished, is actually only the first half of a huge, rambling story and it was my least favorite (but still enjoyable) Zamonia read, a real fan's book ... but that could change once the rest of the story is available (in The Castle of Dreaming Books, release date unknown). Anyone could easily start with The City of Dreaming Books or any of the other three and discover the world, just in a slightly different order.

So what are these all about? A whole bunch of species living in the ridiculously diverse landscape of Zamonia and the city of Bookholm. There is a bit of magic, a lot of unexpected friendships, some intense adventures, and a deep and abiding love for books and words. Main characters can be bears, dogs, cats, or even dinosaurs and eventually you think nothing of it. You get too caught up in the prose, the humor, and the adventure of Moers' tales. Just search for Zamonia on Tumblr and you will see that this series has fans from all over the world that have been inspired to create and dream and explore.

These are some of the things I have said in past posts about this series:

I don't even know how to begin to explain this book or series but if you are looking for something completely different, this is it. If you don't enjoy the absurd or fantastic, then don't read it. (Rumo)

I know this sounds super strange but it's actually a beautiful tale with tons of suspense and action but also lots of thoughtful musing. (Alchemaster)

This book is funny and exciting and charming and imaginative. Each book I read in this series is more amazing than the last. Moers is a genius in the vein of Terry Pratchett or Jasper Fforde, using wordplay in a witty but seamless manner. I'm sure that I have missed well over half of what was really in this story. Rather than discouraging me, it just makes me look forward to rereading. (City)

So, I'm sure I still haven't satisfactorily explained what these books are about and what makes them so special but, if you're in the mood for something completely different and unique, you may want to give this series a try.

Spewing gibberish,

K

The Invisible Library, Continued

via B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog

Recently I gushed about The Invisible Library and, though I wanted to space these reads out more, I couldn't resist immediately picking up the next two books in the series, The Masked City and The Burning Page (the fourth, The Lost Plot, will be out next January). My verdict on it all? Every book in this series honestly gets better and better. There is more depth to each successive plot even though they are all connected and the characters become more complex. Strangely, my favorite thing has ending up being Irene's internal dialogue as she learns how to be a leader, questions her motivations on decisions, and thinks through her friendships and alliances. She isn't a perfect heroine but she's a strong, intelligent, capable one and that's better than perfect. This is definitely going to be one of my regular-reread series. I can't recommend it enough, even for people who don't necessarily like fantasy. Seriously. Read these books.

Recommending strongly,

K

#DWJMarch : The Pinhoe Egg

The Pinhoe Egg is simply Diana Wynne Jones at her best. This final Chrestomanci book has a stellar cast of heroes, animals, and villains. It takes us out of Chrestomanci Castle and down into the surrounding villages, exactly where those who live there don't want "The Big Man" and his family to be. The villages are mostly populated by magical families of long-standing, the Pinhoes and the Farleighs, and they have a war brewing between them. This is because the head of the Pinhoe family has gone a bit mad and has begun using her power against her friends and enemies alike. The best hope of stopping her comes from her grandchildren, Marianne and Joe, but their lives soon become entangled with those of the Castle kids and everyone has to figure out what they are best at before they can help others.

I honestly got teary a couple of times while reading this one because it is just so wonderful. Of all of DWJ's many worlds, this is the one I would want to live in ... preferably as Marianne. I love the animals (griffins! unicorns! horses! cats!), the very sweet Jason/Irene story, the parallels between Cat and Marianne, the partnership of Joe and Roger, even the adventures of Chrestomanci himself. And I love that Cat is still trying to recover from the damage that his sister did to him in Charmed Life and trust himself and others. This is probably-definitely on my top five DWJ books of ever list.

Question of the Day: There are three different kinds of magic in this story: enchanter magic, dwimmer (natural magic), and the hybrid tech-magic that Joe uses. Which kind of magic would you most like to have?

My answer? If you can't tell from many of my questions this month, I really, really, really wish I could live in a world with magic! As for which kind, I think it would be the strong dwimmer that Cat has. I have a pretty brown thumb so the ability to make things grow and thrive seems like magic to me even coming from those who can do that in our world. The connection to animals like Syracuse would be amazing too. Sigh.

Dreaming a beautiful dream,

K

p.s. Don't miss Deborah O'Carroll's humorous How to Read a Diana Wynne Jones Book post!

#DWJMarch : Conrad's Fate

Conrad's Fate takes place a few years after The Lives of Christopher Chant, while Gabriel de Witt is still Chrestomanci. It has a complicated plot but here are some of the elements:

A mountain setting in Series Seven (Chrestomanci's world is in Series Twelve)

A kid, Conrad Tesdinic, with bad karma, a flaky mom, a runaway sister, and a controlling uncle

A ridiculously big mansion (Stallery)

A teenaged stowaway, Christopher Chant, from another series

A missing enchantress (Millie)

A grumpy butler

A mysterious "pulling of the possibilities" -- using magic to affect stock markets and such

And ... a raucous troupe of actors

I always forget that Conrad's Fate is my second favorite Chrestomanci story until the next time I binge read it and find myself hating that it's over far too soon. I adore the friendship of Conrad and Christopher, the upstairs/downstairs world of Stallery, and the mysteries of the probabilities and Millie. I also love the fact that DWJ chose to write this book in the first person. She didn't do that very often (The Spellcoats might be the only other one) and it's interesting to have the story from the point of view of a kid who is being manipulated. This book definitely needs to be read after The Lives of Christopher Chant because it has spoilers for that one but could be your second Chrestomanci read.

Question of the Day: If you were to discover a family secret, would you rather it be: a noble title, money, or magic?

My answer? Magic. I have been trying for decades to activate my secret magical abilities and I'll keep trying for decades more. :)

Reveling in the possibilities,

K

#DWJMarch : The Lives of Christopher Chant

The second Chrestomanci book, The Lives of Christopher Chant, happens about twenty-five years before the first one. It has another nine-lived enchanter, a different Chrestomanci, travel to the related worlds, lots of death, and, best of all, Throgmorten, one of the Asheth Temple cats!

This is a well-crafted story that has so many twists and reveals that it's a joy to explore. The last time I read it, I was apparently annoyed by Christopher but now had no problem with him. I think that his moodiness and mine must have aligned this time. Instead of being annoyed, I saw a kid that is being pulled in many different directions by family and obligation and is expected to do great things but at the same time is given very little reward or credit. I can understand why he would be so frustrated! The moment that his strength is acknowledged and respected, he lives up to it and becomes a better person.

Question of the Day: When The Living Asheth gets to World Twelve-A, she needs a new name so that she can hide from The Arm of Asheth. She chooses Millie because of the boarding school books that she adored from Christopher's world. If you needed a new name, which bookish moniker would you choose?

My answer: I think I might choose Celia Bowen (from The Night Circus) but would be tempted to choose Sophie Hatter (Howl's Moving Castle). My favorite fictional name is Thursday Next but I'm assuming that would draw too much attention and, if I've had to change my name, I'm probably trying to lay low.

Jenny posted about this book earlier this week so head over there for more TLoCC love! Also, she suggests reading it first if you haven't read any of the Chrestomanci books yet and I agree.

Contemplating aliases,
K

#DWJMarch : Charmed Life

Charmed Life! Let me tell you a little about it. There's this kiddo named Cat (Eric, really) Chant and he and his sister, Gwendolen, have been newly orphaned by a boat accident. They live for a bit with a kindly witch where Gwendolen gets magic lessons and Cat gets violin lessons -- until his sister changes his violin into a cat. Everything seems okay until Gwendolen and her tutor concoct a mysterious scheme, of which one of the steps is to get the kids living with their parents' cousin, the current Chrestomanci. They don't really know who he is or what he does but head off to his castle anyway, taking nothing with them but Gwendolen's secrets.

Many will see this story as a cautionary tale -- either about choosing carefully whom you trust or about telling the truth and not holding things back. If Cat had done any of these things, he wouldn't have already (unknowingly) lost some of his nine lives. I also think it's a tale about finding your place and your talents and embracing them. If only we all had the chance of our place being Chrestomanci Castle!

And, since we are focusing on lives this month ...

Question of the Day: The reason an enchanter has nine lives is that he has no counterparts that existed or survived in the eight related worlds. Would you rather have nine lives all to yourself or eight living counterparts in the other worlds?

My answer? The thought that I would have to die some sort of death nine times before leaving the world is actually a bit stressful. Knowing that the ones who are more or less "me" in the other worlds are survivors in a variety of conditions would actually be reassuring. But, the magic ... hmm ...

Living one non-magical life,
K

New Releases: Traveler and Freya

I wanted to get a couple of reviews written before March Magics so today you get two YA new releases --

Traveler by L.E. DeLano was released a couple of weeks ago and is the story of Jessa, a girl who is having very vivid dreams of a boy that she doesn't even know. When she finally sees him one day in real life, she isn't quite sure how to react -- especially because moments later, he saves her from certain death. It turns out that the boy, Finn, is from an alternate reality and can travel through mirrors. He's come to tell Jessa that she can do the same ... and that Jessas in other realities are being killed. Whether he can save her in this world depends on if she can trust him and figure out who is out to get her and why.

This book is part of Feiwel and Friends' Swoon Reads crowdsourced imprint. I'm glad that DeLano finally got her chance to be published because this was a compelling story. I loved the idea of travelling to parallel universes by trading places with the "you" in that place. The peril in the story seemed real, the mystery was complex, and the characters with disabilities or struggles were portrayed honestly but with sensitivity. I especially appreciated that a variety of kids were shown who were on the autism spectrum because it is indeed a spectrum. I did have a bit of trouble siding with Jessa because she was all over the place and not always in a tolerable way. Also, there was no indication until the very last moments that this was going to be the start of a series and it had very little closure. It seemed like the middle of one big story instead of the end of the first chapter of that tale, if you know what I mean. I'm not sure if I will look for the next book in the series but I did enjoy reading this one overall.

Freya by Matthew Laurence will be out in mid-March (but I'll be busy then so I'm mentioning it early) and is pretty much an intersection between one of my favorite books, American Gods, and one of my favorite t.v. shows, The Librarians. As you can guess from the title, this is the story of Freya, Norse goddess of love and war, and where she is now -- a mental hospital in Orlando, Florida. She's been hiding out voluntarily for decades, weakened from a lack of belief and weary from being around for a thousand years. She still has value to someone though because a man shows up, offering her strength and believers, if she will only come and use her skills to help the corporation he works for. She refuses and immediately becomes a target for destruction. Her only chances for survival are the acquisition of a high priest, Nathan (who she abducts from the hospital), and the will to overcome her own godly nature.

With just a few iffy descriptions (ie., lots of throwing around of the word "crazy" at the beginning of the story in the hospital) that may have gotten fixed before the final version, this story was incredibly fun and action-packed. Freya a.k.a. Sara was a great main character and I really enjoyed exploring her inner self. The tie-ins to Walt Disney World were amusing and the other gods were varied and interesting. Even the villains had some depth to their characters, which made for a more satisfying read. There was also a nice mix of magic and technology, of ancient and modern.

And unlike in the other book, it became apparent at just the right time in this story that it was the first in a series and I couldn't be happier. Laurence could only introduce so many gods in this book and there are many more that I'm now dying to see in a modern setting. I also wouldn't mind if this got picked up and made into a movie because there are so many strong females and good magic and action in it! However, I would want Freya to be played as a curvy and beautiful size-10, the way she is described in the story, and not as the svelte girl the publisher chose to put on the cover. (Sorry, svelte girl.)

Transporting and transfiguring,

K

#RIPXI: 2, The Evil Wizard Smallbone

My second read for the RIP XI Challenge was The Evil Wizard Smallbone, a new middle grade fantasy tale from Delia Sherman (out on September 13). It's the story of twelve-year-old Nick, an orphan who lives in an abusive home with his uncle and cousin. He finally runs away in the middle of winter only to collapse on the doorstep of Evil Wizard Books, domain of the Evil Wizard Smallbone. Once Nick is there, he's trapped by the wizard and the wards around the shop and town of Smallbone Cove that keep away the evil French loup-garou, Fidelou -- a wizard-werewolf hybrid. If Nick could only find a way to learn a little magic of his own, he might finally get the safe life he dreams about.

With a setting in rugged, coastal Maine and many unexpected twists and turns and changes of character, this story is quite the adventure. Nick is surly and reckless but also earnest and determined and I very quickly found myself rooting for him. His relatives are truly horrid, almost as bad as either of the wizards, which was reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones. I greatly enjoyed the magic system in the story, especially the way Sherman dealt with transfiguration. And I'll let you in on a little secret -- the bookshop is magical! By the end, I was reading as quickly as possible, hoping for the best but never quite sure where the tale would go. This tale has as much adventure in it as it does heart.

Searching for the books with magic,
K

#MarchMagics - Recent Reads

I grabbed a few books from the library for March Magics (as you may have seen) and these are the first three that I've finished --

First was Yes, Dear, Diana Wynne Jones' only picture book. It was released in 1992 and the illustrations by Graham Philpot are SOOOO early 1990s. The clothes and hair are laughable and really could have been done better to make this a more timeless book. Also, the grandma absolutely should have looked like Diana, right? I liked the message of this story (that there will always be someone who will believe in the magic with you) but it needs some updating or it's going to be weeded from every library.

Next was a reread of Witch's Business. (a.k.a. Wilkins' Tooth). I first read this in 2010 for Jenny's DWJ Week. This is a fun story and one for a younger audience. It has funny swears ("eyeballs-in-salsa", "slimeballing", "degutted") and a really frightening witch. But it also has kids who are realistic as their alliances change and in how they band together. This is definitely one that holds to Jenny's Law (better on reread).

Guards! Guards! was the next Discworld book I chose to read (my 14th!), moving over to the Guards storyline after already reading partway through the Rincewind, Witches, and Death series. I liked this book more and more as it went on. Captain Vimes definitely grew on me as did Carrot. I liked the different kinds of dragons and, yes, I even liked Lord Vetinari. Ankh-Morpork isn't my favorite setting but I don't think it's anyone's favorite place to live either so it's actually just fine!

What have you been reading? Are you in the middle of any DWJ or Pratchett books right now?

Happily filling my head with magic,
K

#MarchMagics Readalong: Equal Rites

Welcome to the Equal Rites readalong! This is our first readalong of the month and, for some of you, your first Pratchett!

This is the third Discworld book but the first in the Witches series. Some readers find the Rincewind books (The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic) a bit harder to start with. And, luckily, this book delivers all of the Discworld basics so that readers aren't short any information. You learn about the structure of Discworld -- a flat disc of earth and water on the back of four massive elephants who stand on the back of A'Tuin, the great turtle. You learn about Ankh-Morpork, the large city of grime and crime. And finally, you learn about witches and wizards.

This book introduces us to the powerful witch Granny Weatherwax, a prominent figure in many of the Discworld novels. (In fact, she shows up in a full dozen of them!) Though many readers start their journey with The Wee Free Men, the first Tiffany Aching book, I enjoyed having more of the backstory about Granny Weatherwax before getting into that subplot of the Witches story.

We also get to meet Esk (Eskarina Smith), who shows up again in I Shall Wear Midnight, so also I find it's nice to know her already before that time comes. Traditionally, the eighth son of a eighth son will become a wizard. Esk is the eighth daughter of a eighth son and somehow, bucking tradition, she inherits a staff and, consequently, powers from a dying wizard on the day she is born.

Equal Rites (obviously a play on the words "equal rights") establishes the lore about witches and wizards (did I just say "lore'?! ::gulp::), and especially the traditional roles of women (witches) and men (wizards). Different characters react in different ways to Esk and her desire to become a wizard. The narrow confines of gender roles are explored again in the Tiffany Aching series when one male character shows aptitude toward being a witch.

Was this your first time reading Equal Rites? Did you like it?

Who was your favorite character?

Would you rather be a witch or a wizard?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below or leave a link to your own post!

Breaking boundaries,
K

#MarchMagics - Favorite Series

Favorite Series was a bit of an easier prompt for me than the last one because there is one series that I've already read many times and plan to read many, many more -- Diana Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci books.

Charmed Life

The Lives of Christopher Chant

Witch Week

The Magicians of Caprona

Conrad's Fate

The Pinhoe Egg

Mixed Magics (short stories)

I've actually written two different posts on this series -- one in 2008 in the first month of my blog and the other in 2014 as part of that year's DWJ March. Charmed Life is a dark story and a tough one to start the series with for some readers but it hooked me on the entire idea of a set of parallel words, some with magic in them, that are all monitored by one man -- the Chrestomanci. He only features briefly in Witch Week and The Magicians of Caprona and so I didn't like them as much at first but after a couple of rereads and a radio play, they really grew on me too. I love Christopher Chant and Millie, Tonino, Conrad, Cat Chant, and even Nan Pilgrim! Right now I'm listening to an audiobook of The Lives of Christopher Chant and I even got Z listening for a while too (and he declared it a rip-off of Harry Potter until I told him that this was written first and then he got on the right side of the issue!). These books offer something new on every reread but I still envy those of you that have them all ahead of you.

Also, as a special treat this year, Goldeen Ogawa has recorded herself reading a scene from The Magicians of Caprona for your listening pleasure. It is super fantastic so go and have a listen. She has a lovely speaking voice!

What is your favorite DWJ or Pratchett series or which series do you want to try?

(If you have a link, leave it in a comment or in the main Linky post)

Heading back for another set of rereads,

K

New Release: Sorcerer to the Crown

I know, I know. EVERYONE is raving about Sorcerer to the Crown and Zen Cho.  I actually didn't request it right away from the library because of that whole ridiculously-high expectations thing. But I was told that it was totally my kind of story and I caved. Then ... I loved it.

So what does this story have that makes it so great?

-- An alternate Regency London/England that has magic, naturally. I don't think I have to explain why that is the best setting possible.
-- Discussions of race. One of the main characters is Zacharias Wythe, an emancipated slave, rescued in his youth and trained in the ways of magic by the Sorcerer Royal of England. Needless to say, the majority of the other magicians are not his fans.
-- Discussions of gender. The other main character is the unfortunately-named Prunella Gentleman, who, despite the belief that women cannot handle magic, seems to have an exceptional aptitude for it. She's multi-racial as well.
-- Dragons and fairies and familiars. It's probably all because of Hedwig, but who doesn't love a good familiar?
-- Politics. English politics, fairy politics -- it's all good.

I'm sure I've missed something else awesome. After all, I rushed through the story quite quickly. I couldn't help it. I had to know what was going to happen to Zacharias and Prunella and all of the magic of England. Anyway, if any of this interests you, you should pick up the book sooner than later. I'm going to buy my own copy -- hopefully with the gorgeous UK cover shown above!

(p.s. This will be a trilogy.)

Off to my ideal world,
K

The Tiffany Aching Novels

I have been slowly working my way through Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and hadn't yet gotten to the Tiffany Aching books. (The entire world is broken down into smaller series and these are the later books in the Witches sub-series.) However, since I knew the final Discworld novel (and Pratchett's final book ... sob!), was coming out in October, I decided to catch up beforehand so that I could cheer/grieve with everyone else. I started at the beginning of August with The Wee Free Men and fell instantly in love with not only the main character, Tiffany Aching, but with almost every side character as well. Then, about every two weeks, I picked up another of these books (or audiobooks) -- going from A Hat Full of Sky to Wintersmith to I Shall Wear Midnight and then finishing with The Shepherd's Crown on the morning of Readathon.

I can't say enough good things about this series. The characters, many of whom are witches, are interesting and smart and complex. The plots are exciting and unique while being nestled in a coming-of-age master plot. The audiobooks, read by Stephen Briggs, are wonderful. (To be honest, having the audiobook helps a lot with understanding the Scottish-like brogue of the Nac Mac Feegle.) Through the series I laughed (a lot), gasped, and even cried.

These books are listed as YA but I really think that's only because Tiffany herself is a tween/teen throughout the series. I didn't notice much difference between the writing in these books and in the other eight Discworld books I've read so far. If you are new to this series, the Tiffany Aching books aren't a bad place to start either.

I will absolutely be buying my own copies of these five books for my personal library. I plan to reread them often as I continue working my way through the approximately three dozen other Discworld novels that I haven't yet had the pleasure to read.

Until we meet again,
K

RIP X: 5, The Aviary

A middle grade tale of family, history, and magic, The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell has been on my TBR for a while. I'm glad I finally picked it up because it was strange and unique and I enjoyed almost everything about the story.

Clara and her mother live with old Mrs. Glendoveer in a deteriorating house with locked doors and an aviary of somewhat frightening birds in the yard. The birds belonged to Mrs. Glendoveer's husband, a famous magician. One day, she starts telling Clara her secrets but it will be up to Clara to find out the rest of them -- and what they mean for her life.

That description is a bit vague on purpose because not knowing what was coming made this read better. I was nervous more than once about what would happen. My only small complaint about the book is that it is supposed to be a period story but there were very few clues to that in the story or the writing. I didn't even realize that it was supposed to be set in the past until a little way in when a date was mentioned. Still, though this was a bit annoying, it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story. This is a super creepy read that was perfect for the RIP challenge.

Changing my mind about birds,
K

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

I've wanted to reread Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, well, pretty much since I first read it (probably in 2004 or 2005 when it was still new).  I have to admit I was a bit nervous though because many readers through the years have decided they couldn't get through it, with its copious footnotes and details. I thought maybe my memories of it were more glowing than the book itself. But, the new BBC miniseries prompted me to get to it now and, though it admittedly took me a couple of weeks to get through it, I enjoyed it again just as much as I remembered having done the first time. It is a glorious novel that builds an entirely believable hidden world of magic, just out of focus from our own world.

(trailer)

The seven-episode miniseries has begun airing this week in the UK and will show on BBC America in the US starting on June 13.

Susanna Clarke wrote in The Guardian about the experience of seeing her novel come to life --

... But nothing, I find, has prepared me for the sight of my own characters walking about. A playwright or screenwriter must expect it; a novelist doesn’t and naturally concludes that she has gone mad. (What do they need so many umbrellas for? Don’t they realise that they are imaginary?) 

... In the part of Wentworth Woodhouse that has been made to look like the House of Commons, Sir Walter Pole smiles and saunters over to speak to me. In a ballroom of immense magnificence Lady Pole and Mrs Strange perform a dance of their own invention; it is both graceful and funny. (Later someone will give me a photograph of it.) Stephen Black looks grave and self-possessed and keeps to the shadows. Childermass – in straightforward Yorkshire fashion – shows me his tarot cards and lets me hold them for a moment: they feel warm and pleasantly rough in the hand. Out of the assembled ranks of fairy dancers the gentleman with the thistle-down hair gives me a friendly wave. (This last, I am willing to admit, is not the least in character.)

 Neil Gaiman wrote in the same simply about why he loves this story --

In February 2004, to my perplexity and my delight, the mail brought an advance, but finished, copy of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I took my daughters on holiday to the Cayman Islands, and while they romped and swam in the surf, I was hundreds of years and thousands of miles away, in Regency York and in London and on the continent, experiencing nothing but the purest pleasure, wandering through the words and the things they brought with them, and eventually noticing that the paths and lanes of the story, with its footnotes and its fine phrases, had become a huge road, and it was taking me with it: 782 pages, and I enjoyed every page, and when the book was done I could happily have read 782 more. I loved the things she said and the things she did not say.

Perhaps some of you that didn't get through the novel will feel inspired to pick it up again after the miniseries. It's getting favorable reviews claiming that it is true to the book, something that we all hope for every time we see an adaptation being made. And perhaps others of you will do as I did and pick up your already beloved copy again and disappear into the world of magician Jonathan Strange and his mentor, Mr. Norrell.

With a nod to The Raven King,
K

#DWJMarch: The Pinhoe Egg

After being sidetracked by Conrad's Fate, I continued in my Chrestomanci Volume III and reread The Pinhoe Egg. I have to say that I kept seeing parallels between characters in this story and ones from other DWJ books. It makes sense though because this is a late story, published in 2006. It's still delightful and I love the new magics that DWJ wove into the Chrestomanci world in this tale.

Though this is the 6th Chrestomanci book, it would work perfectly well as a stand-alone. You learn enough about the recurring characters to not be confused and there are plenty of new ones that everyone is just getting to know for the first time. There are lots of threads in the story -- Cat and his further exploration of his enchanter's magic, Roger and Joe and their creation of a new magic, Marianne Pinhoe and her discovery of her true magic, and then the revelation of the workings, good and bad, of the hereditary magic, or dwimmer, of the Pinhoe and Farleigh clans. I know this might seem confusing but it is actually quite easy to follow because of Diana's brilliant storytelling.

Marianne is the most interesting character in the story after Cat. She's coming of age but is treated like a useless, irresponsible child. Her father is quite awful and her mother is apathetic at best. I love watching her blossom though under the influence of Cat, who also comes to terms with some of the abuse from his own childhood. It's a much deeper message than one would think would be delivered in a story of magic with creatures and curses and children.

Learning to truly see,
K