There is a great deal to admire about this ambitious novel: its central characters are vividly drawn, complex, and satisfyingly larger than life. ParkThere is a great deal to admire about this ambitious novel: its central characters are vividly drawn, complex, and satisfyingly larger than life. Parker-Chan’s sense of place is authentic. And the genderqueer themes are a welcome presence in the landscape of mainstream fantasy literature. Where this book falls short for me is in its many chapters of palace and court intrigue; the inclusion of a vast cast of supporting players makes following the twisting threads of betrayals and shifting loyalties challenging and murky.
Still, over all, I’m glad to have spent time following this tale, and I’ll be interested to see its development in future installments.
Merged review:
There is a great deal to admire about this ambitious novel: its central characters are vividly drawn, complex, and satisfyingly larger than life. Parker-Chan’s sense of place is authentic. And the genderqueer themes are a welcome presence in the landscape of mainstream fantasy literature. Where this book falls short for me is in its many chapters of palace and court intrigue; the inclusion of a vast cast of supporting players makes following the twisting threads of betrayals and shifting loyalties challenging and murky.
Still, over all, I’m glad to have spent time following this tale, and I’ll be interested to see its development in future installments....more
This was a mildly diverting, easily-digestible nostalgia trip, at a time when I have precious few spare moments to read, what with a newborn at home aThis was a mildly diverting, easily-digestible nostalgia trip, at a time when I have precious few spare moments to read, what with a newborn at home and rehearsals for my show occurring every day.
I adored these comics when I was a kid, and as an adult I do appreciate the fact that there is more than a little care taken to flesh out these characters and their histories and personalities. I’ll return to the rest of the series periodically when I need some easy stuff to read.
Merged review:
This was a mildly diverting, easily-digestible nostalgia trip, at a time when I have precious few spare moments to read, what with a newborn at home and rehearsals for my show occurring every day.
I adored these comics when I was a kid, and as an adult I do appreciate the fact that there is more than a little care taken to flesh out these characters and their histories and personalities. I’ll return to the rest of the series periodically when I need some easy stuff to read....more
This was a bewildering, entertaining, and inventive sequel to the wonderfully enjoyable Gideon the Ninth. I can’t say that I’m able to parse fully allThis was a bewildering, entertaining, and inventive sequel to the wonderfully enjoyable Gideon the Ninth. I can’t say that I’m able to parse fully all of the implications of the various revelations and plot twists that Muir flings at her readers in this installment, but that doesn’t overly trouble me. As with the first novel, I have the feeling that Muir is wanting some of her thornier emotional beats to land with a little more impact, and for me, they fall short of that. But I remain thoroughly impressed by how confidently and wittily and boldly she crafts her work, and I definitely will continue on with The Locked Tomb. ...more
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