Reading roundup

[hamsterwoman]

Wow, it's been a while since my last one of these...

4. Sergei Lukyanenko, Last Watch -- yeah, Twilight Watch is definitely my favorite of the four. Last Watch was fairly disappointing actually, coming as it did after TW, even though on its own merits I think it was probably better than Day Watch. The three stories didn't feel as connected, and

Comments

[hamsterwoman]

Oh, interesting, I had no idea Libba Bray did her own audiobook of this! It sounds like it should be a fun one, with the different narrators and commercials and all that stuff.

I think I agree with you that it felt like the narrative respected Tiara less even though it sympathized with her. Not quite as bad as the other "dumb blondes" since she does have some growth, but I didn't feel the same depth of understanding, either.

And actually this helps me crystallize what I feel about Tyalor's ending. I do think that was a *respectful* ending for her, but, on the other hand, it wasn't a HAPPY one. The other major characters got a happy ending, and she didn't -- the loneliness, as you say, and no reunion with her father. And since everybody else got a happy ending, it feels like the narrative is saying Taylor didn't DESERVE one, which doesn't sit right with me. (I totally agree her father would turn the island upside down looking for her, too.)

I also thought about there being more to Ladybird Hope than just the terrorist angle. I can't remember if I'd also figured she might've been Taylor's mother, but that sounds like a familiar thought. She clearly sort of occupies that role in her mind anyway, but it would've been even more poignant if it really was her.

I do think it is kind of anvilicious in its parody, yeah. I had read Going Bovine first, and was somewhat prepared for that, but it was quite jarring compared to the fairly nuanced portrayal of the more "serious" characters. This isn't something Bray does in her other stuff I've read, just these two non-fantasy books, from what I've read. I guess she still wanted some zany element to play with if she didn't have magic/zombies/whatever?

Even with the caveats (which I also felt), I was really impressed that this was a book that existed. I'm actually a bit surprised it hasn't been picked up more by fandom, because female friendships and lots of different backstories and a lot of diversity of protagonists, while being, I thought, a pretty fun story in its own right.