I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit that it didn't occur to me that Mori was intended to be an unreliable narrator, but that's an interesting theory and one I'll keep in mind when I re-read this book. I guess I expect to have a stronger sense of self-justification from an unreliable first-person narrator (Lolita is an excellent example of this) and have some of the actions in the story to contradict the narrator. Maybe the magic wasn't real, but there was no hard evidence in the story that it was fake so I was willing to go along with it. If anything, I could see categorizing this book as magic realism because there's no hard evidence that the magic is real or unreal. Either way could work.
I did love how quiet the magic was, and how quiet the story was in general.
At first I jumped at your notion that this was magical realism, and then the more I thought about it, the less I liked that description for what I read... magical realism, to me, has a certain surreal quality to it, an almost interstitial quality where you're between two worlds, if that makes sense. Then again, I'm no expert on magical realism, only that when I read it, I don't question the magic of it. Does that make sense?
I didn't mind the quiet of the magic though. I just didn't believe the narrator. :) That may be a failure on my part as a reader. :)
Oooh interesting review, really indepth and challenging. My biggest problem with this book was the ending. All through the book her mother was the Bad Guy - all looming and scary and she was terrified of her
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I suspect the deal with the ending was that Mori had grown up enough: she no longer needed to fear her mother, hence why she brushed right past her. It makes a lot of sense if the magic was all part of Mori's imagination and she could finally see her mother and the world for what it really was, not so much if the magic really was real and her mother was still a threat.
I loved Mori as a reader. While we certainly weren't reading the same kinds of books, I adored going to bookstores and prowling in my favorite sections. When I was a kid, I'd used to get the latest installment of my favorite series from the store and have it read by time we got home. My grandmother would get so mad at me for that!
Sorry coming late to your reply. In regards to the issues I had with the ending, sorry still not buying it. This HUGE GIANT TERRIFYING threat that had her paralysed at any thought of her mother? Nope, not buying it that she had grown up enough to get beyond that level of terror.
Having had a particularly difficult mother myself, that kind of conflict continues on through the relationship until you really do reach adulthood and can deal at an adult level. And Mori was nowhere near that, magic or no magic.
If the magic is real and the woman is truly a witch, then you're right, the reaction isn't enough.
But if the magic isn't real, perhaps if most everything "evil" about the mother is in Mori's head, then perhaps the reaction is realistic... it may just be that Mori's mom is mentally ill and just a neglectful mother.
Whatever the case, it's so easy to analyze, for me, every little thing as being proof of the book being one thing or the other!
Pick this comment, not the other one!ext_1316861July 23 2012, 08:36:09 UTC
Wow, okay. So logging in with google was pretty much a terrible idea. Not only did my comment get marked as spam, but apparently it screwed up what profile was linked to the comment as well. I'm back to OpenID, sorry about that
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Re: Pick this comment, not the other one!calico_reactionJuly 24 2012, 00:36:04 UTC
No problem. Thanks for the head's up!
Adding your review to the list. :)
I remember that conversation, but what I don't remember is who initiates the talk of the twin. Does the dad volunteer the information, or does Mori first bring Mor up? The latter, to me, suggests that perhaps the Dad is playing along? I'd have to re-read that section. And yes, I could very well be reading WAAAAY too much into my theory. :)
I get the idea that the two are strangers, but that sexual encounter was the wrong way of going about it, if indeed that was the purpose of the scene. Mori's reaction didn't ick me out so much: I could get where she was coming from. It was Daniel's drunken attempt: stranger or not, it's still a TEEN GIRL in the bed, you know? *shudder*
Re: Pick this comment, not the other one!ext_1316861July 25 2012, 13:29:36 UTC
Yeah, I agree, an adult man coming on to a 15-year-old (I think she was about that age?) is definitely disturbing, regardless of the intent of the scene.
I think your idea that she might have made up the scene with Daniel is an interesting one. That seems like it would make sense-- she's trying to be sex-positive, she's only just coming into her own sexuality, and she'd been reading a lot of Heinlein. That scene and her reaction could have just been her imagining how she would respond to that kind of situation.
I didn't read it because I read it last year and didn't like it.
My mini-review:
Uck. I'm not sure what others found attractive about this book but it certainly wasn't my cup of tea. It is basically a teen girl's diary. Yawner. The fantasy was minimal and the people were on the whole unlikeable. There was a lot of whining and nothing really happened. The "climatic" showdown with her mother lasted all of one page. SO not recommended.
Quote: "Bibliotropic," Hugh said, "Like sunflowers are heliotropic, they naturally turn toward the sun. We naturally turn towards the bookshop."
My first was Tooth & Claw, which is about dragons in the Victorian period. And by that I mean a story set in the Victorian period, but with dragons instead of humans. It's the story that would least likely appeal to my tastes, but it was a wonderful read and I loved the world-building. That's what I'd recommend trying, should you give her another shot. :)
I'm still up to my eyeballs in (too busy) life. I remember your review of Tooth & Claw and I really want to read something by Jo Walton. This book sounds so thought-provoking that I'm intrigued. I had every intention of reading it in July. I did. Just where is July going, I'd like to know!! 'Cause I still have a full month of things I need to do in it!!
Summer is sort of like this for me, so I can't complain (all the time.) I love the events & projects, not to mention rubbin' elbows with the kids so much. Naw... it's my favorite time of year. Just not for getting much reading done. Eon has been on my TBR forever so it might be the one book I tackle in August. Lol. If it's come to that.
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I did love how quiet the magic was, and how quiet the story was in general.
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I didn't mind the quiet of the magic though. I just didn't believe the narrator. :) That may be a failure on my part as a reader. :)
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I loved Mori as a reader. While we certainly weren't reading the same kinds of books, I adored going to bookstores and prowling in my favorite sections. When I was a kid, I'd used to get the latest installment of my favorite series from the store and have it read by time we got home. My grandmother would get so mad at me for that!
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Having had a particularly difficult mother myself, that kind of conflict continues on through the relationship until you really do reach adulthood and can deal at an adult level. And Mori was nowhere near that, magic or no magic.
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But if the magic isn't real, perhaps if most everything "evil" about the mother is in Mori's head, then perhaps the reaction is realistic... it may just be that Mori's mom is mentally ill and just a neglectful mother.
Whatever the case, it's so easy to analyze, for me, every little thing as being proof of the book being one thing or the other!
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Adding your review to the list. :)
I remember that conversation, but what I don't remember is who initiates the talk of the twin. Does the dad volunteer the information, or does Mori first bring Mor up? The latter, to me, suggests that perhaps the Dad is playing along? I'd have to re-read that section. And yes, I could very well be reading WAAAAY too much into my theory. :)
I get the idea that the two are strangers, but that sexual encounter was the wrong way of going about it, if indeed that was the purpose of the scene. Mori's reaction didn't ick me out so much: I could get where she was coming from. It was Daniel's drunken attempt: stranger or not, it's still a TEEN GIRL in the bed, you know? *shudder*
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I think your idea that she might have made up the scene with Daniel is an interesting one. That seems like it would make sense-- she's trying to be sex-positive, she's only just coming into her own sexuality, and she'd been reading a lot of Heinlein. That scene and her reaction could have just been her imagining how she would respond to that kind of situation.
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My mini-review:
Uck. I'm not sure what others found attractive about this book but it certainly wasn't my cup of tea. It is basically a teen girl's diary. Yawner. The fantasy was minimal and the people were on the whole unlikeable. There was a lot of whining and nothing really happened. The "climatic" showdown with her mother lasted all of one page. SO not recommended.
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"Bibliotropic," Hugh said, "Like sunflowers are heliotropic, they naturally turn toward the sun. We naturally turn towards the bookshop."
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Have you read Walton's work before?
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Summer is sort of like this for me, so I can't complain (all the time.) I love the events & projects, not to mention rubbin' elbows with the kids so much. Naw... it's my favorite time of year. Just not for getting much reading done. Eon has been on my TBR forever so it might be the one book I tackle in August. Lol. If it's come to that.
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And if you get to this, I hope that time allows! I understand summer is pretty non-existent when you have kids. :)
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