Review - Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



A compelling story from start to finish. Chevalier touches on many social issues of the time (class divides, gender expectations, poverty, religious schisms, etc.) but the focus of the story is the relationship between Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot. These women are separated by age, income, and religion but their mutual enjoyment of fossil hunting and natural curiosity bring them together while driving the major conflicts of the story.

While I was loosely familiar with Anning's story before reading this novelization, I don't think anyone unfamiliar would have a difficult time. Without info-dumping, Chevalier shows that Anning was more an expert than the "leading" geologists and natural historians of the time; she is equally clear on Anning's persistence, attention to detail, and observational skills as the source of her brilliance, themes which are echoed throughout history in most of the great scientists' lives. Neither does she shy away from the hardships created by Anning's social situation as a poor, unmarried, working class woman. Chevalier subtly juxtaposes the experiences of Anning, who slowly & inconsistently moves up economically, with that of Philpot, who finds herself in reduced circumstances after the marriage of her brother. I enjoyed watching both find greater degrees of freedom and was equally (credibly) frustrated by the barriers they could not overcome. The friendship between them is a well written example of the great good that can come of having even one friend who shares your "weird" interest.

I also wanted to note that Chevalier does a balanced job handling the "religion versus science" conflict of the times. She shows multiple examples of religious people who react in different ways to the fossils and scientists of varying levels of insight. While the story clearly favors the pro-science stance of Philpot, it is not demeaning to religion in general yet still manages to point out the all-too-real detriments of religious oversight on scientific endeavors.

There are plentiful talking points in this story: the nature of friendship, how much class/gender/income matter, what real science looks like, the role of education and reading in social mobility, missing stories in history and science. A great selection for book clubs and readers looking for mostly accurate historical fiction or more information about overlooked female scientists.

Review - Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was my first ever Terry Pratchett book and if they're all like this, I could be spending many hours with this author in the near future.

The book never takes itself too seriously, which means the reader really can't either. But don't let that belie the solid craft and excellent story at work here. Pratchett has fun at the expense of many a trope or fantasy element and consistently underscores the point of Story: what we learn about ourselves as a result. I have an engineer's brain that likes to find and solve problems, so it's rare for me to say that there's nothing wrong with a book. It was so nice to sit back and just enjoy a story without having to say "except for this one thing...".

This may be a little dense for those not accustomed to fantasy/fairy tales/mythology but if you have even a passing familiarity with any one of those, I imagine you would find something fun here. Not an earth shattering, mind bending read but very enjoyable. I'll definitely be picking up more Discworld books in the future.

Review - Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder

Except the Queen by Jane Yolen & Midori Snyder

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I read this for my book club and hoped that the discussion would let me decide if I liked it or not. Alas, this was not to be.

There's nothing really wrong with this book and I suspect I was simply not the intended audience (not a huge follower of fae/fairy tales, so many of the plot elements left me puzzled). I just never felt particularly connected to the characters. Or the plot. Or the world.

It was an easy enough read and I enjoyed the gentle humor inherent in two people finding their way in an unfamiliar culture.

I've read books by Yolen before and enjoyed them and have several of Snyder's on my "to read" list. This book didn't made me move Snyder's work ahead or behind where it is now.

Recommended to those interested in both fairy tales and urban fantasy.

Review - Hild by Nicola Griffith

Hild by Nicola Griffith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent book that's probably not for everyone, as it is a steady, deliberate sort of read that occasionally provokes confusion (mostly from naming conventions). Griffith evokes 7th century Britain in both setting and character descriptions that slow the narrative greatly but also paint a very vivid picture of a land and culture far removed from our own version of civilization. Yet the genius of the narrative is in the characters, whose motivations are easily recognizable to the modern reader. Hild, in particular, comes alive slowly but surely as she reaches into the role her clever mother creates for her, one of the few where a woman can safely give her opinion. Hild's particular genius is pattern recognition, which she slowly augments with better information gathering as the story progresses. Griffith makes a subtle but undeniable point about the differing powers of written and spoken word and how groups in power use them throughout the plot.

Griffith's tremendous use of relationships between women in the overking's household was the shining highlight of this story for me. She has recreated a plausible world in which higher-born women are expected to run vast households and estates and be conversant in trade, medicine, and husbandry, but where individuals experience the complex ties between themselves and their guests, serfs, servants, and slaves. I was also especially impressed with factual representations of the illnesses that women in particular have battled for millenia; the modern reader will recognize concussions, gangrene, eclampsia, miscarriage, croup, and various children's illnesses, among others.

The reading experience would have been improved with a few more maps (updated as the story progressed to show who was in charge where) and some additional family trees, due to the overwhelming similarity of the names of unrelated figures. The pronunciation guide and glossary provided were both helpful but might have been better placed at the beginning.

I knew nothing about Saint Hilda or 7th century Britain before reading this book. I'm not entirely sure how much I know now, as Griffith is careful to point out that while she did massive amounts of research, it is a work of fiction. Nonetheless, a thought provoking book about power, passions, gifts, the stories we tell, and the age old wisdom that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Recommended to readers searching for a meaningful read who are not scared off by a slower-paced book and some minimal language barriers.

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Review - Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book shows tremendous promise from a new novelist. I am a little disappointed that I didn't like this better after hearing overwhelmingly good reviews from trusted sources. A Regency/Napoleonic historical fantasy novel, it is drawing the inevitable comparisons to Jane Austen's works. The author herself has stated that Austen was her chief literary inspiration.

This is unfortunate, as it tends to make the new story weaker in comparison than it would be alone. While not an Austen expert or fangirl by any means, I do enjoy the witty by-play and social commentary she used to such pointed effect. Kowal's novel seems simpler somehow for not having these subtleties. She does handle the stock characters well- Jane is the eldest daughter, not pretty but with other skills, past marriageable age; Melody is the beauty and hope of the family but naive and spoiled; Mrs. Ellsworth is the neurotic mother concerned only with her own health and marrying off her daughters; and Mr. Ellsworth is the responsible but doting father.

Even the secondary characters have personality, better than some experienced novelists write. There is real tension between Jane and Mr. Dunkirk, affection between Jane and Miss Dunkirk, and mystery about Mr. Vincent. I felt that the plot line kept me guessing about Jane and Melody's matches until most of the way through the book, rather than giving it away early as so many regency novels do. (view spoiler)[Livingston's character was apparent from the beginning but the others had their elements of uncertainty. I also think the "fall" of Mr. Dunkirk in Jane's estimation was nicely done. Jane resolves the question with her own judgement, rather than having a "marry him because he's the hero" type resolution. (hide spoiler)]

The novel has a solid structure and does show potential for growth. Kowal does a tremendous job using magic ("glamour") as a part of everyday existence. There are no bang-up magic duels here, just a new tool in the gentry's arsenal. Jane is a likeable protagonist and the conflict between the sisters is more apparent than is represented in other Regency works. The drama of this relationship adds to the plot as Jane wrestles with propriety and personal integrity. This is a little too much telling instead of showing for me but it is not overwhelming (and probably personal taste: I like subtlety).

My only other qualm is the ending. It's tied up with a glimpse of Jane's happy future, reminiscent of Austen. However, there are three sequels to this book. I feel like it will take the dramatic tension away in future installments. I look forward to seeing how Kowal handles this.

Overall, this is an easy, light, fun read. It's perfect for book clubs (quick with lots of good discussion about the purpose of period fiction, social commentary, and genre-crossing books), a beach read for those who want more than pure fluff, and for getting that friend that refuses to read "wizard books" into a different sub-genre of fantasy. Definitely interested in reading the sequels.

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