tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post2377927095590992092..comments2023-10-25T04:17:22.699-04:00Comments on Fantasy Cafe: Guest Review: MelusineKristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-69388902639645576792009-02-21T12:22:00.000-05:002009-02-21T12:22:00.000-05:00You guys sooo nailed my reaction to this book. I w...You guys sooo nailed my reaction to this book. I was lost and confused through most of it, and at the same time so admiring I couldn't quite put it down.<BR/><BR/>Regarding the plot - sure, a lot happens, but it doesn't BUILD. <BR/><BR/>Plot is supposed to escalate, one step at a time. This was a series of incidents, and I was so frustrated with the journey in the second half - "it seemed like a good idea to go south". "It seemed like a good time to leave the city." Why did the wizards go to that tower, not anywhere else? Why did a secondary character (not to spoil, I'll say an acquaintance of Mildmay's) appear, then disappear again from the story? What was the point of her? What exactly happened in the Boneprince scene, and what was its importance?<BR/><BR/>I got extra frustrated at the point you mentioned near the end, when some main characters were "left behind" and neither Felix nor Mildmay ever spared any of them a thought again. A minute ago they'd all been in danger. What happened to the rest of the group at the inn?<BR/><BR/>The Kalliphorne scene was truly wonderful, though - my favorite too. And I actually did like the madness scenes, though there were a boatload of them. They were just so imaginative.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and I too yearned, yearned for a map...Abbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06468237458319836724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-3179118845562040572009-02-20T05:15:00.000-05:002009-02-20T05:15:00.000-05:00Well done ladies!The book is on my shelf.I thin I ...Well done ladies!<BR/><BR/>The book is on my shelf.I thin I have to read it in near future.ediFanoBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11129248787624088717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-81732652195613073642009-02-19T20:29:00.000-05:002009-02-19T20:29:00.000-05:00Anastasia - Well said, I couldn't agree more. Mel...Anastasia - Well said, I couldn't agree more. <I>Melusine</I> (and both sequels) really clicked with me. As much as I loved Mildmay, I seem to be in the minority who also enjoyed reading about Felix. He's so disturbed and haunted and for some reason tormented characters just appeal to me. Sometimes happy and light is good but most of the books that really stick with me are ones like this one - dark with deep characters.<BR/><BR/>The way in which Monette wrote both characters was brilliant. Each had a first person perspective and each had a unique voice. I could have easily known exactly whose point of view I was reading without having the name at the top of the page. Felix is so charismatic and confident yet underneath it all so insecure, and most of his thoughts relate to himself somehow. Mildmay is introspective yet very observant about his surroundings and the people around him. Both have haunted pasts and both handle it differently yet underneath the surface in so many ways they are a lot alike.<BR/><BR/>I missed the page re-write she did; that sounds like it would be interesting.<BR/><BR/>I'll be interested in hearing what you think of <I>The Book of Joby</I>. It is one I enjoyed but it's also very different from many of the books that have resonated with me so strongly (<I>Wraeththu</I>, Monettee's series, and <I>Transformation</I>). There is still a character who is put through hell, but Joby also didn't have the same level of appeal to me as many of the other characters in the aforementioned books. Even though there isn't a main female protagonist, there is a pretty decent female character (whom Joby at one point realizes is far more courageous than he and a lot of the boys).Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-55780132823959472972009-02-19T12:07:00.000-05:002009-02-19T12:07:00.000-05:00Melusine is a novel I postponed reading for a whil...<I>Melusine</I> is a novel I postponed reading for a while due to its low rating on Amazon.com (a high rating doesn't guarantee quality, but a low one is a fair warning; I generally avoid anything with less than 4 stars). But when I finally did read it, it CLICKED for me. I loved Felix, the ultra-charismatic yet flawed and troubled bad boy. I loved the mood and the language, Felix's travails and his madness, the skewed, unreal reality we saw from his mind.<BR/><BR/>The first half of the book was hard to read, it was just so dark and heartwrenching. Yet there's something utterly fascinating about how thoroughly and completely Felix was being destroyed - betrayal by someone he loved and trusted (somewhat, the evil wizard), brutal physical attack, rape, magical violation, then instead of comfort, meeting distrust and coldness and contempt from his friends and lover, losing his position, his sanity, abandoned by everyone, locked up in a place that threatened to destroy all humanity left in him. The section in the prison was the lowest (in terms of spirit) point of the book for me, made that much worse because it resonated with several other books that depicted the horror of an institution systematically taking apart a person's body and soul (like the boarding "school" in <I>The Black Jewels</I> trilogy by Anne Bishop, omg, that seriously may be the most haunting thing ever. Or <I>Renegade</I> by L. Timmel Duchamp. Or even <I>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.</I> These stories don't have happy endings, people do not get out all ok and move on with their lives.)<BR/><BR/>Sarah Monette puts her PhD in English to good use. It's quite amazing how distinct she makes the voices of Mildmay and Felix. I read on her blog that she did a white page re-write of the novel. A comparison of a scene excerpt between the two version was quite impressive.<BR/><BR/>But in the end, it comes down to the fact that the book resonated with me. Kristen, I think we are definitely on the same wavelength as far as what clicks for us in books. I've just made up my mind to read <I>The Book of Joby</I> (previously reluctant because it's so big, and is neither written by a female author nor features a female protagonist, but if you loved it, there's a good chance I will too.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-76797021094993187422009-02-18T22:50:00.000-05:002009-02-18T22:50:00.000-05:00Orannia - To Ride Hell's Chasm sounds wonderful! ...Orannia - <I>To Ride Hell's Chasm</I> sounds wonderful! I don't mind a slow pace if there is lots of character depth to make up for it. And I'll watch for the name Orannia when I do read it. ;)<BR/><BR/>Renee - I did read the Q&A with Sarah Monette on her blog a while back. It made me want <I>Corambis</I> even more. Thanks for the recommendation - <I>Havemercy</I> has been added to my wishlist. I've been wondering about that one for a little while, but you've convinced me!Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-76107342933431266032009-02-18T21:22:00.000-05:002009-02-18T21:22:00.000-05:00Kristen: Yes! I'm a big geeky fan. :-PWhen I look ...Kristen: Yes! I'm a big geeky fan. :-P<BR/>When I look back on the series, I have to say, <I>Mélusine</I> is still my favorite. F & M's journey across country is amazing.<BR/>A few months back, Sarah Monette did this amazing Q & A series on her blog, and gave some great insight to the series.<BR/>On the "if you like" vein, <I>Havemercy</I> is a recent read that really reminded me of <I>Mélusine</I>. There's a review of it over at Dear Author today! :-)Reneehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07026384330126049496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-27491084979373612892009-02-18T21:12:00.000-05:002009-02-18T21:12:00.000-05:00Thank you Kristen :)I am looking forward to hearin...Thank you Kristen :)<BR/><BR/>I am looking forward to hearing what you think of To Ride Hell's Chasm. I think it's an amazing book...not easy to get into because it is rather slow paced but the depth to the characters and the descriptions... And if it helps Janny Wurts includes a glossary, which is very useful as the world-building is quite complex IMO. Oh, and you might spot the name Orannia when you're reading too :)oranniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14007355589161084262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-92206876588422631672009-02-18T20:06:00.000-05:002009-02-18T20:06:00.000-05:00Ana - You're welcome. ;) Looking forward to The V...Ana - You're welcome. ;) Looking forward to <I>The Virtu</I> review when you and Thea get a chance.<BR/><BR/>SparklingBlue - Thea's right, the cover does make it look more like a romance than it is. I do like the covers, though, especially the one for the third book (even though my least favorite character is on it). It just has this mysterious atmosphere that I find intriguing.<BR/><BR/>Carolyn Jean - If you like character driven novels, this one is a good one. My favorite books are the ones with a lot of focus on the people in the story and with the fantastic characterization, I loved this one.<BR/><BR/>Renee - Oh good, another fan! Which is your favorite? I loved this one, but <I>The Virtu</I> is easily my favorite in the series. I prefer Mildmay as well, but I kind of like to read about messed up people so I liked Felix, too. With each book in the series I read, though, I just love Mildmay even more.<BR/><BR/>M. - I found the story satisfying too, although I can understand why some would think not a lot happened. Things did happen, just not quickly and the main focus was Felix and Mildmay. I was very glad I had bought the next book already when I was done - just had to read it.<BR/><BR/>Orannia - Thanks for mentioning <I>To Ride Hell's Chasm</I>. It sounds right up my alley and has been added to the wishlist. I hope you enjoy <I>Melusine</I>!<BR/><BR/>Karen - It is a great review! I actually gave this one a 9 because it resonated with me so strongly, but I also can't disagree of the criticisms of it. Even realizing it was flawed while reading it, I just didn't care because the characters were so well drawn.<BR/><BR/>Thea - As M. mentioned, the dropped storylines do get picked up in the next book. I think that one is the strongest in the series (so far, at least). It had much more forward movement as far as the plot went and a lot of the questions I had after reading <I>Melusine</I> were answered. Plus I just loved Mildmay even more in this one.<BR/><BR/>So, you convinced me to read <I>Kushiel's Dart</I> in spite of the scary page count... Now I need some Lynn Flewelling advice (didn't know you were a fan). I have been meaning to read something by her for quite a while. Which series do you recommend starting with?Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-19394706755584658752009-02-18T16:22:00.000-05:002009-02-18T16:22:00.000-05:00Sparkling Blue--The cover is rather eye catching, ...Sparkling Blue--The cover is rather eye catching, isn't it? It looks more romancey to me than fantasy, but don't let that fool you! Definitely give this book a try :)<BR/><BR/>CJ--Thanks! If you are looking for a character driven story, look no further. I think part of my issue with this book was because it is so character-heavy, but that's just a matter of personal preference :) This is certainly a dark fantasy to try, especially if you're relatively new to the genre.<BR/><BR/>Renee--Felix really is the main character, you're absolutely right. I'm interested to see what the next book is like, with Felix no longer out of his mind bonkers. Maybe that will endear him more to me? I hope :p<BR/><BR/>Thanks for those links to the map and calendar--that definitely helps! I wish publishers would get on board and print these in the actual books. I am a sucker for maps. <BR/><BR/>M.--Put on paper like that it does seem like a lot more is going on than we let on in our review...but i think the point, at least for me, was that these events are nothing more than a laundry list. These plot points aren't developed, they don't drive the story. There is action without reaction, plot without any setup or reasoning behind it. We don't SEE or experience what happens; rather, it simply happens. Felix's narrative is so convoluted and repetitive that the actual experiences of the asylum, or the shipwreck or whatever are irrelevant. We know these things happen, but they don't <I>happen</I>. If that makes any sense.<BR/><BR/>I know this book resonates with a lot of readers, and maybe part of that is reading later volumes and getting into it more. But for me, <I>Melusine</I> was good, but not spectacular. It didn't strike that passionate chord with me like say a <I>Kushiel's Dart</I> or a Lynn Flewelling novel. I still liked it, and will continue with the series though!<BR/><BR/>Orannia--Thank you! And I hope you get a chance to snag this from the library :) It's definitely got some full characters and should hit the spot if you're craving a character-driven fantasy.<BR/><BR/>Karen--thanks dude :) Clearly this book and series has a really strong following, and I'm interested in seeing how the next book in the series goes. Maybe it'll strike that chord with me (and Ana) too :)Theahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11138984974139025278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-30799343477873787632009-02-18T15:17:00.000-05:002009-02-18T15:17:00.000-05:00Great review from those Book Smuggling gals! ;)You...Great review from those Book Smuggling gals! ;)<BR/><BR/>You know I really liked this book. Personally, I'd give it an 8, but I think you make some good points.Karen Mahoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02358606301398259487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-62696554222071554152009-02-18T14:47:00.000-05:002009-02-18T14:47:00.000-05:00Thank you so much Ana, Thea & Kristen!Hmmmm. I...Thank you so much Ana, Thea & Kristen!<BR/><BR/>Hmmmm. I have to say, ever since I heard you were reviewing this book (and I read the summary) I have been wanting to read it :) I love character-driven books - one of my favourite books is To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts. I spent most of the book not knowing what was going on but loving the intense emotional rollercoaster I was on with the characters. <BR/><BR/>Am off to order Melusine from the library :) And I will keep the map etc. handy :)oranniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14007355589161084262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-55176722297710621632009-02-18T14:19:00.000-05:002009-02-18T14:19:00.000-05:00I read on the author's livejournal somewhere that ...I read on the author's livejournal somewhere that even though most readers like Mildmay more, it is more of Felix's story.<BR/><BR/>Ref: 'nothing really happens, plotwise' - I'm puzzled by this. Strategic murder of lovers, being shut up in insane asylums, having to escape from the city by secret passages, magical foretelling,magical torture shipwrecks, near-drownings, laying ghosts from many centuries past to rest, creating labyrinths, hiding identity during travel among hostile foreigners - to me, all of these count not just plotpoints, but pretty darn good ones. If they didn't register for you, then wow, you must be reading some seriously exciting stuff! :-)<BR/><BR/>The dropped storylines - they do get picked up again. I personally was satisfied with point the author chose to close off the first volume. It seemed a logical and emotionally satisfying point, and led me straight on to the second volume.M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07498466631016466048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-25430304093415664952009-02-18T11:35:00.000-05:002009-02-18T11:35:00.000-05:00Ooh, I have much love for this book (series!)While...Ooh, I have much love for this book (series!)<BR/><BR/>While it seems to me that Felix is the main character (his actions drive the plot,) Mildmay is the one that I just love to read. You're right. SM does an incredible job establishing each voice as distinctive. Though Felix broke my heart, like Thea, I kept rushing thru Felix's narrative to return to Mildmay's<BR/><BR/>It <I>is</I> an overwhelming world, that I think SM just scratches the surface of in book 1, but really fills out over the course of the series. The time/calendar system also drove me crazy. SM actually has an explication of <A HREF="http://www.sarahmonette.com/calendar.html" REL="nofollow">Melusine's calendrical system</A> and, yes, <A HREF="http://www.sarahmonette.com/melusine-map.html" REL="nofollow">A MAP</A> of Melusine! :-)<BR/><BR/>Great review, ladies!Reneehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07026384330126049496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-64900040883663538852009-02-18T08:54:00.000-05:002009-02-18T08:54:00.000-05:00Great review. This one has been on my shopping li...Great review. This one has been on my shopping list for a while, ever since I read about it at Renee's blog. I really love a character driven story like this, even though I rarely read dark fantasy. I'll be even more curious to read it now!!Carolyn Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17195853833116263029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-41654633582993648552009-02-18T08:33:00.000-05:002009-02-18T08:33:00.000-05:00Hm, sounds intriguing, and the cover looks nice.Hm, sounds intriguing, and the cover looks nice.SparklingBluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03078183466560217480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-53403858703617808872009-02-18T07:15:00.000-05:002009-02-18T07:15:00.000-05:00and thanks for daring us back Kristen! ; Dand thanks for daring us back Kristen! ; DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com