Alphabet of Thorn
I finally read Alphabet of Thorn, and I must say, I was disappointed. I was hoping for something as delightful as In the Forests of Serre, but this one just didn't do it for me. For one thing, it really seemed to drag on and on, and what was supposed to be a slow building of tension was for me a slow building of boredom. I just couldn't see what the point of it all was, and by the time the big mystery is revealed, the book is almost over. To make matters worse, it ends far too neatly without any internal conflict for the heroine. I think you will know what I mean if you read it.
Of course, Patricia McKillip is a fine, fine writer, and far be it from me to discourage anyone from reading anything she's written. This was just not her best effort. I noticed too that this is one of those books where you can really see the author at work--but not in a good way. Some of the dialogue was too self-conscious--you could just see Patty thinking, "Now how can I bend the conversation the way I want? Ah, I know..." and it came out too forced. Oh, and strangest of all was the similarity to Lirael by Garth Nix, a wonderful book, but also with a heroine who is an orphan brought up in a library. Very odd. I think that authors not only like to write about writers and writing and letters and books...they also like to imagine an orphan who knows nothing but writing and books. Or something. At any rate, I'd recommend Lirael over Alphabet of Thorn.
But do read In the Forests of Serre, and while you're at it (or maybe just beforehand), read The Changeling Sea, a book I adore that was one of Ms. McKillip's earlier efforts. Sometimes the early ones are the best.
The Changeling Sea is another of those books, like Beauty, that I not only read over and over but also find myself wishing I was the one who had written it. Now, what good would that do me? None at all. I just need to write my own damn book. Maybe one of these days.
But really, I'd just as soon be a hack as the proud author of a perfect little fairy tale. I want to pay off my house. For now, I'm just happy to have written a longish LJ entry.
Of course, Patricia McKillip is a fine, fine writer, and far be it from me to discourage anyone from reading anything she's written. This was just not her best effort. I noticed too that this is one of those books where you can really see the author at work--but not in a good way. Some of the dialogue was too self-conscious--you could just see Patty thinking, "Now how can I bend the conversation the way I want? Ah, I know..." and it came out too forced. Oh, and strangest of all was the similarity to Lirael by Garth Nix, a wonderful book, but also with a heroine who is an orphan brought up in a library. Very odd. I think that authors not only like to write about writers and writing and letters and books...they also like to imagine an orphan who knows nothing but writing and books. Or something. At any rate, I'd recommend Lirael over Alphabet of Thorn.
But do read In the Forests of Serre, and while you're at it (or maybe just beforehand), read The Changeling Sea, a book I adore that was one of Ms. McKillip's earlier efforts. Sometimes the early ones are the best.
The Changeling Sea is another of those books, like Beauty, that I not only read over and over but also find myself wishing I was the one who had written it. Now, what good would that do me? None at all. I just need to write my own damn book. Maybe one of these days.
But really, I'd just as soon be a hack as the proud author of a perfect little fairy tale. I want to pay off my house. For now, I'm just happy to have written a longish LJ entry.