Since I needed to read more of the young adult list, I prioritized those books in week one, meaning, as seen in my first Goodreads Choice Award related post, I read seven young adult books the first week and *only* three of the books on the adult fantasy list. (As I mention in the first review, this post will contain reviews for *almost* all of the books that I read for this list rather than the books I read in the first week.)
This novel is the shortest of the books on both lists, I believe, but one of the better ones. Not all authors can write novellas; it takes a certain skill. Clark definitely has that skill. I mist admit at this point in the review that I am finishing this review significantly after I read the novella. I mistakenly assumed that I had written all the reviews for the books that I read in week one. Then came over a week of a sinus infection and a two night field trip with my students and here we
are. I remember enjoying this story and the explanation that Clark used in the plot to help bring together the events and explain just how this undead assassin was contracted to kill her younger self.
This book, along with a couple others, should not have been put on the fantasy list. Having only one fantastical element, revealed only at the end of the book, I kept getting annoyed with my reading experience since I expected a fantasy book. The main character works as a midwife and at the start of the novel helps a woman new to town, a woman the main character did not know was pregnant much less at the point of birth, something someone
in her position would know, give birth. This event brings the women closer together even though the newcomer speaks no English and seems a bit afraid of her husband. The plot slowly unfolds from there in this short novel/ long novella. I found the writing evocative and the atmosphere breathtakingly addictive which ended up garnering this book a much higher rating than I wanted to give it since I believe that it does not belong on the fantasy list.
This Arthurian retelling served as my personal introduction to Lev Grossman, best known for his Magicians trilogy. Full disclosure, I read this entire book on my first sick day of the year, the day after that two night field trip while battling a stubborn sinus infection. That being said, I do not think that a mind completely clear of brain fog and illness would have changed my opinion of this unfortunately mid book. The
main character (whose name I will not even attempt to remember) comes to Camelot in an attempt to gain a seat at the round table only to find out that Arthur died a few days prior at some battle but his death is being kept secret for the moment for national security type reasons, to use a distinctly modern phrase. If Grossman had limited the perspective to his alone, this book would have gone so much better for me. Arthurian legends have been retold so many times throughout Western history that most readers know them so well they become bored when someone tries to do it again. I guess Grossman thinks he’s different and that his much grittier take on the original stories in the Arthurian cannon need to be told because Grossman devotes far too much page time to these retellings that not only feel like one-offs but also read quite jarring because Grossman places many of these perspectives in Arthur’s point of view, a character that we know to be dead rather than using third person omniscient. This book could have been two hundred pages shorter and much more enjoyable if he had skipped those chapters altogether.
I enjoyed this portal fantasy book which appealed to every book lover’s weak spot, books actually being the magic. I just wish that the author had sprinkled in a few more unique touches to make the narrative stand out a little bit more. In this book, the main character finds herself in possession of the titular Book of Doors given to her by a customer at her workplace, a bookstore, a few minutes before he dies peacefully of old
age. Curious about the book, the main character finds herself swept up into a highly secretive world full of black market auctions and powerful magic, magic so strong it can open doors in time. All of these tropes work for me and so did this book.
Talk about an unexpected yet pleasant surprise. I went into this book with lower expectations based on some reviews that had come back less than stellar. If I had remembered that this book was also a closed circle mystery I would definitely have approached it differently. The main character is the only legitimate child of the ruler of one of twelve provinces in this empire. Each of the ruling families maintains their grip on power partially due to magical powers known
as blessings. Between the ages of seven and ten the blessing manifests in the divinely chosen heir. The main character has just one problem; his blessing never showed up meaning that it’s likely that one of his father’s bastards who will inherit the blessing. Since the heir of his province must be legitimate, the main character must lie to everyone including the emperor. This means that he must maintain this lie on a fairly regular pilgrimage taken by the heirs to all of the empire’s provinces to the island that supposedly is the most holy of locations. This makes for the closed circle part of the mystery. Then comes the tragic death of the emperor’s heir, originally ruled a suicide until yet another death occurs bringing in the murder aspect of the mystery. I loved this story, including the campy humor of the main character which really worked for me. I loved this one which cements the idea of the fantasy and mystery genre blend being my favorite type of story.
I hoped that this Mulan retelling would work for me, especially seeing how Mulan is my favorite animated Disney movie. Unfortunately, I found myself quite disappointed, especially with the needlessly abrupt ending. The author attempted to tell a grittier version, changing the main character’s reason for enlistment for one of filial piety to one of escape from her opium addicted father who sold her into a marriage
for more opium money. Although many of the well-known plot beats remain the same, I found myself confused with part of the plot where the main character finds herself captured by an enemy prince. Most of the confusion on my part stemmed from the way the author had the character refer to this enemy prince whom she obviously *insert eye roll* developed feelings for as well as her commander, also a prince, whom she finds herself attracted to. Then that ending came with little to no resolution and an author’s note that made it seem like she hates Disney movies and how ahistorical they are.
I am almost certain that I write a full review for this book back much closer to when I read the book. Unfortunately, I searched my notebook several times and could not find it.
I definitely enjoyed my read and introduction to Alexis Henderson and would be open to reading other books by her.
Leave a Reply