Book Rec
I absolutely recommend The Forest House by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
I just finished reading (well, in-depth-ly skimming, since GUILTY CONSCIENCE), and my story/character/history/fantasy-lover heart is just starting to pick itself back up. I don't buy many books, but next time I stop at Chapters, I'm definitely buying this one, and re-reading it (especially the ending) a thousand times while writing the climax of "In the Morning". (No, the ending does not spoil you in any way for ItM's ending; it's just very, very powerful, and has a certain...flavour or feel that I'd love to write ito ItM--though you won't recognize it until later, if you look.)
Why is it wonderful? Complex, loyalty-dividing, forbidden, from-two-very-different-worlds love--in a unique, but lovely way, a Romeo & Juliet that takes place over years, where both characters have extremely important and (in the case of Eilan) sacred destinies; further, the romantic leads are not opposed just by their families, but by their cultures (Roman and the "conquered" Britannica).
Conflicted, complex and human characters abound (as always in MZB's writing). Both female and male characters (especially the females, but definitely including Gaius) are fully-realized, and three dimensional.
Destiny, fate and religion--my lovely, beautiful, complicated ot3, and MZB is a master at writing it.
This period of history is just...wow. MZB did her homework; I was completely transported into the time period, which I (being a history!geek of epic proportions) adored. I couldn't tell you how completely accurate it was, as I haven't thoroughly studied the time period myself, but I don't care. The *feel* of it (the tension of constantly being on the brink of war, particularly) is so true to life, no matter the year(s).
The ending--because it totally deserves all a point of its own. I won't spoil you, but it's just....wow. No, it's WOW. I am in love with this story's ending, even while I wanted it to keep going.
Yeah, um, I totally loved that novel. And now, despite my essay and my own writing, I have to find the other Avalon books by MZB. Because.
I just finished reading (well, in-depth-ly skimming, since GUILTY CONSCIENCE), and my story/character/history/fantasy-lover heart is just starting to pick itself back up. I don't buy many books, but next time I stop at Chapters, I'm definitely buying this one, and re-reading it (especially the ending) a thousand times while writing the climax of "In the Morning". (No, the ending does not spoil you in any way for ItM's ending; it's just very, very powerful, and has a certain...flavour or feel that I'd love to write ito ItM--though you won't recognize it until later, if you look.)
Why is it wonderful? Complex, loyalty-dividing, forbidden, from-two-very-different-worlds love--in a unique, but lovely way, a Romeo & Juliet that takes place over years, where both characters have extremely important and (in the case of Eilan) sacred destinies; further, the romantic leads are not opposed just by their families, but by their cultures (Roman and the "conquered" Britannica).
Conflicted, complex and human characters abound (as always in MZB's writing). Both female and male characters (especially the females, but definitely including Gaius) are fully-realized, and three dimensional.
Destiny, fate and religion--my lovely, beautiful, complicated ot3, and MZB is a master at writing it.
This period of history is just...wow. MZB did her homework; I was completely transported into the time period, which I (being a history!geek of epic proportions) adored. I couldn't tell you how completely accurate it was, as I haven't thoroughly studied the time period myself, but I don't care. The *feel* of it (the tension of constantly being on the brink of war, particularly) is so true to life, no matter the year(s).
The ending--because it totally deserves all a point of its own. I won't spoil you, but it's just....wow. No, it's WOW. I am in love with this story's ending, even while I wanted it to keep going.
Yeah, um, I totally loved that novel. And now, despite my essay and my own writing, I have to find the other Avalon books by MZB. Because.