While I ultimately found this book to be quite enjoyable, I wanted to talk about a couple of points early in the book that really put me off Eddi's character.
1. Stuart hits her. Not only does Stuart hit her, but she thinks "all those arguments and he never hit me" when he does, which made me concerned about what Eddi thinks/accepts men should be like. After he's hit her hard enough to knock her down, she never experiences anger and, in fact, just goes after him to apologize. I didn't like that at all
( ... )
As it turned out, I'd read ALL FOUR of the September selections pretty recently - I'd finished Neverwhere, no kidding, less than a week before the poll went up - and so, despite being SO EXCITED about the idea of the reading group, I didn't participate this time around.
I feel about this book the way you've described feeling about a lot of Grand Master sci-fi. :-D I get that what Bull was doing was truly innovative at the time, I really do, but I've read so much of the stuff that came later than I'm just not feeling it like I might had I read it in high school, when it was new. It was a fun urban fantasy read, well-constructed and interesting on a technical level as well as just a good story, but not mind-blowing.
But I did love the details, especially the meticulously crafted setting details and, yes, the song-title chapters!
Not at ALL, except for the striking lack of any reference to Internet/modern telecom. It seems - and this is maybe just because UF writers are pretty hip people overall, but it seems like there's a pervasive awareness of and deft handling of technology in UF - even when it's of the reverse variety (I just finished the Dresden Proven Guilty, and I was amused by the role the USB key played in the mystery). The lack of it actually worked for the plot in a way - a couple of times when one or another character was out trying to locate one of their cohorts, or everyone was wondering where so-and-so was and they show up as if magically - I was reminded of my own, late-80's, adolescent experiences of running around town and playing phone tag, and that just wouldn't scan as credible in the era of e-mail and text messaging.
I really do need to (and wanted to) read this, but grad school has eaten up all my free time, between revising my thesis and the Recent SF/F genre reading course...
But it's on my list, because I do have an UF in the works... with fae even.
But I'm not really into the whole two-court fairy queen thing, so the mythology will be a bit different.
You'll definitely want to put this book down as required reading, either for grad school (do you still get individual reading lists) or personally. Especially if you're going to write about the fae.
There are 5 online courses one for each term (there are 5 terms and 6 residencies now) 3 are readings in a genre. The other two are for writing and teaching... basically prep for the genre paper and the teaching module.
I'm not unhappy with the reading course--I'm actually reading more in a term than I would have (8 books rather than 5) and stuff that I might not have read otherwise (like China Mieville).
But the fae story I want to write will come after I finish SHU, so I have time to do some reading and more research into fae/elves/folktales, etc.
No, for other reasons -- I'm getting married in 2.5 weeks (aah!) and am so crazy busy trying to get everything ready that I never got around to getting a copy of the book! I do still want to read it someday and if I do I'll come back here and comment :)
A re-read, which was an interesting experience. When I first read it about 12 years ago, I enjoyed it, but didn't remember much of the plot or about the characters.
My reaction to it upon the second reading was "meh" with a side of "ick."
My main problem with it was that Eddy is a classic Mary Sue character. We are told, repeatedly, how special she is, but we never actually see much specialness. She has a quirky taste in clothes. Gorgeous men (erm, male creatures) fall instantly in love with her. She's a supernaturally talented musician. Yet on the page, she's really not all that interesting.
I skimmed every section where the band is playing. Boring. Made for a problematic climax.
The Phouka was cute, but I kept seeing Prince.
The sense of place was excellent.
There was way too much romantic angst. Also boring.
I appreciate talkstowolves comment, above, because it's right on. That stuff bothered me, too.
The screenplay material at the end demonstrated to me that it'd make a terrible movie.
It definitely would've made a horrible movie. I didn't care for the screenplay material at all. I could visualize those scenes and think of nothing but cheese.
I responded to talkstowolves comment. Not sure if my remarks made any sense, but the problems are worth noting, but not--I think--obsessing over. At least, I don't think they should make or break the book. Now, if this book had been written in today's day and age? Oh, there would've been fury on my part
( ... )
Comments 41
1. Stuart hits her. Not only does Stuart hit her, but she thinks "all those arguments and he never hit me" when he does, which made me concerned about what Eddi thinks/accepts men should be like. After he's hit her hard enough to knock her down, she never experiences anger and, in fact, just goes after him to apologize. I didn't like that at all ( ... )
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Have you ever read Holly Black's TITHE?
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I feel about this book the way you've described feeling about a lot of Grand Master sci-fi. :-D I get that what Bull was doing was truly innovative at the time, I really do, but I've read so much of the stuff that came later than I'm just not feeling it like I might had I read it in high school, when it was new. It was a fun urban fantasy read, well-constructed and interesting on a technical level as well as just a good story, but not mind-blowing.
But I did love the details, especially the meticulously crafted setting details and, yes, the song-title chapters!
Reply
Did you find that, when you read this, the book was dated?
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But it's on my list, because I do have an UF in the works... with fae even.
But I'm not really into the whole two-court fairy queen thing, so the mythology will be a bit different.
Reply
Reply
There are 5 online courses one for each term (there are 5 terms and 6 residencies now) 3 are readings in a genre. The other two are for writing and teaching... basically prep for the genre paper and the teaching module.
I'm not unhappy with the reading course--I'm actually reading more in a term than I would have (8 books rather than 5) and stuff that I might not have read otherwise (like China Mieville).
But the fae story I want to write will come after I finish SHU, so I have time to do some reading and more research into fae/elves/folktales, etc.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
A re-read, which was an interesting experience. When I first read it about 12 years ago, I enjoyed it, but didn't remember much of the plot or about the characters.
My reaction to it upon the second reading was "meh" with a side of "ick."
My main problem with it was that Eddy is a classic Mary Sue character. We are told, repeatedly, how special she is, but we never actually see much specialness. She has a quirky taste in clothes. Gorgeous men (erm, male creatures) fall instantly in love with her. She's a supernaturally talented musician. Yet on the page, she's really not all that interesting.
I skimmed every section where the band is playing. Boring. Made for a problematic climax.
The Phouka was cute, but I kept seeing Prince.
The sense of place was excellent.
There was way too much romantic angst. Also boring.
I appreciate talkstowolves comment, above, because it's right on. That stuff bothered me, too.
The screenplay material at the end demonstrated to me that it'd make a terrible movie.
Reply
I responded to talkstowolves comment. Not sure if my remarks made any sense, but the problems are worth noting, but not--I think--obsessing over. At least, I don't think they should make or break the book. Now, if this book had been written in today's day and age? Oh, there would've been fury on my part ( ... )
Reply
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