Review: Galen Beckett, The Magicians and Mrs. Quent

[rymenhild]

Last night, I dug myself out of a pile of ungraded papers, closed the file holding my unfinished chapter draft, and went to the bookstore. This was certainly a foolish and ill-conceived decision, which I do not regret overmuch.

As you may discover from my syntax, I've been reading Regency pastiche again.

Comments

[jennaria]

It worked. ;-)

Also, this sounds like something I'd like to pick up. Magic-using Regency AU pastiche -- good ones -- are hard to come by.

[rymenhild]

If that's what you're looking for, this is the right book.

(I'm also a fan of Sorcery and Cecelia -- but not its sequels -- and Patricia Wrede's Mairelon the Magician duology. I've never been able to finish Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, although I've tried several times.)

[ceitfianna]

I've seen this book around and been very curious about it. I'm glad that you liked it.

[rymenhild]

If you read it, let me know what you think!

[cerusee]

Ooh, this sounds right up my alley. You had me at "Regency pastiche," but this was the selling point for me: I enjoyed the subtle presentation of knowledge that the characters don't know or aren't willing to express.

[rymenhild]

Excellent. Book reviews are for convincing other people to read books, after all...

[bookelfe]

I had mixed feelings about Magicians and Mrs. Quent! Overall I enjoyed it and its highly pastichey nature, but I'm not sure that third-person-Heyeresque Ivy and first-person-Bronteesque Ivy actually felt like the same person. Or . . . that Ivy's plotline and Eldyn's plotline felt like they belonged in the same book.

[rymenhild]

Fair enough! The tonal shift was jarring, although after a while it didn't bother me, and you are right about the clashing plotlines. But... it's the book equivalent of a cup of hot cocoa, and that's what I was looking for last night. In another mood I might have hunted out its flaws, but it was the right book for my mood so I was generous. :)

[bookelfe]

I very much know that feeling. :D It is excellent to be in the right mood for the right book

[philena]

Greetings! I found you via newredshoes. I, too, am a graduate student who teaches and works on research (linguistics), although I am not advanced to be worrying about my dissertation. I like your reading interests, and I'd like to hear about your teaching experiences. I hope you will not take it amiss if I friend you.

[rymenhild]

Hi there, and come on in! I haven't been posting much lately. I'm in seriously-must-get-chapter-draft-done-in-two-days-because-I'm-on-the-job-market levels of dissertation doom. But I poke my nose into LJ fairly regularly.

[rymenhild]

Reading your journal, I have a strong suspicion that we're in the same place. Flagship state university, east of the bay?

[philena]

Go ursids!