(Untitled)

[bookelfe]

It's one hundred percent

Comments

[ceitfianna]

I started to read this book and for some reason stopped partway through, I don't recall why.

I need to start it again as I love Pamela Dean and haven't read as much of her stuff as I'd like.

[bookelfe]

I don't think these are her best books, but they're all the same among my favorites - I find them just total self-indulgent fun (although they probably wouldn't be for anyone who didn't have the same specific buttons.)

[ceitfianna]

I can see that. I found the story idea interesting but it didn't pull me in the way that Tam Lin did. I'll give it another try but it'll probably have to wait in line behind some other books.

[cerusee]

Ever read The Dubious Hills, set in the same universe, although with a completely different cast of characters? It'd be my favorite Dean book hands down if not, you know, for the fact that Tam Lin exists--although it's been just long enough since I last read it that I can't entirely remember why I think it's so brilliant, so it might be time for a reread. (Unfortunately, I think I still remember all the biggest spoilers. Why oh why is that you can only read a book two, maybe three times at most before it's impossible to forget all the plot twists that are so much fun when you don't already know them?)

I only read the actual Secret Country trilogy once, and I can't remember much of the plot at all--definitely time for a reread...

[bookelfe]

Oh man, I love the Dubious Hills - I honestly think it's the best thing she ever wrote. Which isn't to say it's my favorite exactly, because her other stuff plays so much to my kinks, but in The Dubious Hills the premise doesn't allow for chapters and chapters of characters talking about books, and as a result there's actual plot and pacing! And I think she does a really stellar job writing a really different kind of culture and consciousness, which is awfully hard to pull off.

Apparently there's a book in the works that's a joint sequel to The Dubious Hills and the Secret Country books? I mean it's been in the works for years, so my excitement is cautious and tempered, but SO EXCITED nonetheless.

[rushthatspeaks]

Last I saw on her blog it seemed to be basically done. Done-ish. Like, no release date, but extant.

[bookelfe]

!!! I am trying to restrain my excessive enthusiasm until there is an actual fixed point to look forward to at which I might be able to shove it into my eyes, but EXCITING NEWS NONETHELESS.

[rymenhild]

I didn't notice, but I think you're right about the problem with Ruth. Her eventual narrative trajectory apparently comes out of nowhere. I mean, I know Ruth's Love Interest is pretty much written to be a Byronically Attractive and Devastating Hero, but even so, why is Ruth giving up college for him?

Hm. "Byronically" doesn't have enough syllables. But even so...

Higgledy piggledy
Randolph the Kingslayer
stuck in a tale with
five kids in his crew.

Quite a distraction for
would-be-Byronical-
Randolph. I'm sorry,
it sucks to be you.

Edited for scansion.

[bookelfe]

The thing is, if you squint you can sort of find a story in there for Ruth that makes a lot of sense threaded underneath everything else - we hear various people commenting on her much meeker pre-Secret Country personality, having to impersonate Lady Ruth seems to be turning her into a more confident and assertive person, and she does seem to handle sorcerous power well and to like doing it. There's a whole ton of serious character development in there somewhere, but Ted and Laura are too busy with their own problems to much notice it, and by the time we get round to Ruth's perspectives it's all focused on the romance which is a.) also underdeveloped (I mean, I ship it, and even so I keep thinking 'can't we see them . . . actually interacting occasionally?') and b.) in my reading only a small portion of Ruth's decision to stay anyway.

tl;dr basically I want Ruth-POV fic for Yuletide this year.

Also: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SO, SO TRUE. Randolph's arc in the book: 100% "cheer up, emo Kingslayer!"

[rymenhild]

I confess that, in the idfic spirit of the Secret Country series, if I were to request fic, it would involve a V-shaped triad where Ruth and Randolph's new relationship coexists fairly happily with the longstanding love between Randolph and Fence. But yes, actual Ruth POV would work so well.

[bookelfe]

Hee, and I'll admit that I'm largely just frustrated by the fact that Ruth is running around doing all the most interesting things in the first two books and we don't get to see any of it. Impersonating a sorceress! Learning ten years' worth of magic in two months! Bluffing her way through several secret engagements, innumerable magical ceremonies and two or three different conspiracy plots! Bringing people back from the dead! WHY DO WE GET ALL THIS SECOND OR THIRDHAND.

[kindness_says]

This sounds hysterical.

[bookelfe]

It is pretty hilarious! A warning to the angst-loving fanfic writers in all of us.

[kindness_says]

Oh gosh, this was three weeks ago...worst.

But I am still laughing pondering, I mean, imagine if my twelve-year-old self and bestie had been in the situations we wrote our characters into!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jinian]

I believe the new book is mostly about Ruth. Much excitement!

[bookelfe]

SO EXCITING. I enjoy them all, but Ruth is totally my favorite.