53. Avi, Poppy -- this is a children's book that L read and then passed on to me, because it was about mice and she figured I'd like it. ( I did enjoy it, although not as much as L )
haha, I'm glad you liked the second one better. I'm a bit scared you won't like the ending since now I feel responsible for having you sticking with it XD
Hmmm, i think in terms of position (the competence/second class citizen tension) and in term of sense of humour, they are similar, but, err, I think Galeni is more... intellectual? Controlled? I dunno, he has a different personnality. Also I respect him a great deal more than West.
speaking of Galeni, the other day I saw someone put him as an example of the Ambiguously Jewish trope over at TV tropes wiki. What do you think of that?
Oh yeah. I definitely don't mean they're exactly alike, and Galeni is a lot more intellectual (he's a scholar, West is just an army guy) and less of a loose canon. (I do feel like the control piece could be at least partially cultural -- I mean, Galeni's from the "future" not the "past" like West, and Komarr seems like a very rational society even by Vorkosiverse standards, so the environment he grew up in is very different, too, family dynamics aside.) But, yeah, while Galeni isn't perfect, I would definitely agree that he is a much better person than West, and that I respect him a great deal more. (Though I do still respect West more than most characters in this trilogy. But, yeah, that's not saying much.)
Ambiguously Jewish trope over at TV tropes wiki.Interesting! (Goes to read, manages not to spend two hours trapped there. I'm getting better at this!) I'd never thought of it that way, probably because Komarr is quite clearly a colonized "country" and not, like, a diaspora. But the point about merchants and professors, I suppose
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I glad you're enjoying the Kim Harrisons. (Yeah, definitely better to start at the beginning of this series!) Erica is a lot of fun in the later books too. I really enjoy her small but fun part in the books.The relationships with Trent and Kisten continue to develop and Rachel's backstory continues to be revealed as you go on. I find the whole of Kisten picking out Rachel's clothes to be hilarious since Rachel is totally clueless on how to dress with class and has to be taught by him. I'm not all that crazy about Glenn either. The main interesting thing about him is his getting hooked on anything with tomatoes!
Oh, good to know there will be more Erica and more Trent (I know about Kisten because ODW, which I read first, was all about Rachel moping after his death, which, yeah, didn't work so well as a gateway into the series). In this case, Kisten picking out Rachel's clothes is justified -- she does have... questionable taste, and she doesn't even know where they're going -- but still, the trope as a whole irks me a bit, since it seems to be de riguer in vampire fiction, and it didn't feel subverted or anything. Glenn's tomato obsession was funny, but a little over the top, I thought. But still more interesting than anything else about him.
I just finished both Cast in Fury and Cast in Silence over the long weekend, and I have to say two things (a) I did like that she set up CiF somewhere in the previous book where she mentions licking a cub clean, and (b) I enjoyed CiSilence more than expected from the reviews. It's not an Aerian book - I think we have to wait for that - but it does fill in a lot of Elianne backstory, and it does very nifty things with the characters.
I actually really enjoy the the fact that she isn't doing much with Kaylin/Severn or Kaylin/Nightshade. I like that the mystery and the magic are center stage.
Plus, I really like that as the stories go on, Kaylin is actually growing up.
I liked the detail of licking a cub clean in the previous book even when I thought it was a throwaway cultural detail, and I thought it was really neat that it became a major plot point in this one
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I actually feel like where she and Severn are is more or less where they were as kids - he's always watching her back, and she's accepting of it. It's a lot more brother/sister at this point than romantic. Which I believe it always was, in a very real way (and not just because they met before puberty). It might, eventually, change. But it'd have to be really well done for me to like the way she handles that.
Plus, Kaylin doesn't really strike me as thinking about romance or sex a lot. In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
I find the Nightshade dynamic interesting as well, but it has a lot more hurdles. But - to me - the best part of that dynamic is just how well he recognizes the people around Kaylin. The line to Severn at the end of CiF, where he tells him to trust Tiamaris because he's doing the same is just precious.
I think you're right about the Severn vibe continuing more brotherly than romantic. Maybe the thing that bugs me is that their relationship doesn't seem to be evolving (platonically OR romantically) where her other relationships definitely are. But it does seem like CiF was at least taking strides in that direction towards the end, so I'll just be patient.
In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
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What do you think of my West ~ Galeni thing, btw? I am out to lunch, or is there actually something there? :)
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speaking of Galeni, the other day I saw someone put him as an example of the Ambiguously Jewish trope over at TV tropes wiki. What do you think of that?
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Ambiguously Jewish trope over at TV tropes wiki.Interesting! (Goes to read, manages not to spend two hours trapped there. I'm getting better at this!) I'd never thought of it that way, probably because Komarr is quite clearly a colonized "country" and not, like, a diaspora. But the point about merchants and professors, I suppose ( ... )
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I actually really enjoy the the fact that she isn't doing much with Kaylin/Severn or Kaylin/Nightshade. I like that the mystery and the magic are center stage.
Plus, I really like that as the stories go on, Kaylin is actually growing up.
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Plus, Kaylin doesn't really strike me as thinking about romance or sex a lot. In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
I find the Nightshade dynamic interesting as well, but it has a lot more hurdles. But - to me - the best part of that dynamic is just how well he recognizes the people around Kaylin. The line to Severn at the end of CiF, where he tells him to trust Tiamaris because he's doing the same is just precious.
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In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense.
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