Books 2012: at last, good fiction, we meet again

[hawkwing_lb]

Books 2012: 8-9


8. Gemma Files, A Book of Tongues. Chizine, 2010.


This book, along with Bear and Monette's Companion to Wolves,is going on my list of books who, despite not having major human female characters, nonetheless demonstrate that it is possible to write books in which the female background characters are never cardboard.

(Me, a cranky feminist? ...Well, yes, now that you mention it.)

It's a good book. I stayed up far too late reading it. Post-Civil-War American West with magic. Dead gods. Solid characterisation. Believable sexual relations between men. A prose style that's mostly clear and really rather pretty, though on occasion it slides towards the baroque.

Cliffhanger, dammit. And I'm too broke to run out and immediately get number two. And number three. (Although if I get number two, perhaps I can convince someone to let me review number three. Maybe. Watch me scheme.)


9. Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Greenwillow Press, 2011.


YA in the epic fantasy mode with scope and personality. Getting some - deservedly - really good press. I owe stillsostrange and jmeadows and stillnotbored and maybe a couple of others for the recommendation.

It hits the sweet spot. Good characterisation, strong prose, women who talk to each other and whose lives don't necessarily revolve around men, discovering who you can be when you trust yourself, war, explosions, death, a love triangle that really isn't, people being sensible, interesting world-building.

Carson's done a damn solid job here. I understand there's a sequel in the works for late this year: if I tell you my feelings on that are give it to me! give it to me now!...

...I believe you might understand that I very much enjoyed this.

Comments

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

Can I lure you with the fact that A Rope of Thorns features at least one major human female character, as well as background ones who are neither whores nor monsters? I did it specifically to address that disparity, since this is an issue where being a woman and being a slasher sometimes interfere with each other.

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

Also, re my style: I guess you could say I generally feel that if it ain't baroque, you should fix it.;) (Oh God, I'm starting to talk like my husband.)

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

I'm not complaining. Much. :P

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

You do not need to lure me further, I assure you. (Thaet waes gode book.) Although it will be a nice bonus, when I do manage to get my hands on a copy!