melita's booklog - mostly

 I couldn't settle on a novel so I ended up reading a bunch of fanfiction on AO3, Archive of Our Own. I'd think of an author that I liked, search it, and read a what was available. They have a big request/fulfill thing called Yuletide so I read some when the new stories were revealed too. 

I had managed to snag an advanced reader (review) copy of The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer from NetGalley during the holidays as well. 

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Books, for providing it in exchange for an honest and fair review. 

Stevermer hasn't had a novel out since 2010 with the middle grade book, Magic Below Stairs. The setting is new, early 20th century in an alternative America. There are solitaires--ordinary people, traders--who can change to an animal form, and sylvestri--who have an affinity to nature and appear to be, in the Americas at least mostly First Peoples. I'm not sure that made much sense as there should be a bunch from the "Old World" too who had then emigrated to the new world, but it wasn't explained. Traders stick together and create family trusts. There's a throw-away line deep in the book that in addition to trading between their two or split souls (human and animal), they literally were traders, shipping goods around. Which made me wonder if they were supposed to represent Jews. 

The main character, Thalia Cutler, is working as a stage magician as part of vaudeville. Her mother died when she was little and she was taught her skills by her father and his friend, David Nutall. Her father has also died. Something strange happens during one of her shows--she seems to change shape when the trick goes wrong. So could she be a Trader? She's also hit with a non-compete for one of her best tricks so she and Nutall have to find, and finance, some new amazing feat. 

Thalia, having lived in show business, is generally able to take care of herself which I appreciated. There are many interesting characters. I'd like to know more about the sylvestri. Thalia meets several Traders who end up helping her out and there are hints of a possible future romance...maybe. I thought I caught a hint that Thalia's and father and David Nutall might have been more than just close friends but Thalia resolutely doesn't want to think about that. <rolls eyes> I may have been reading more into it because of the fanfiction binge where I read many stories about characters being in non-canonical relationships (AKA not in the books/source material). 

Honestly, if this hadn't been an ARC and by an author that I've loved in the past, I would probably have stopped reading about 1/3 in. It did pick up pace not long after that and it wasn't a hardship to finish. I will likely read the sequel. While the story ends well, there are several open threads that could be picked up. 

Why didn't I like it more? I think the worldbuilding didn't seem deep or broad enough. The book felt relatively short (a check shows the hardcover is 288 pages). It felt like it was written a little young. Solidly trying for young adult maybe? Like I said, I will be on the lookout for the next book. 

After a big purchase of books on "Buy from Tor" day, plus illness, busyness at work, I haven't been in the book to read a new author.

Instead I reread Patricia Wrede's Frontier Magic series which is comprised of:

• Thirteenth Child


• Across the Great Barrier


• The Far West

Set in the 1800s, it's an alternative Earth complete with magic and a lot of magical plants and creatures. Franklin, Jefferson, and ...someone else set up a magical barrier along the Mississippi, and connecting into the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence to hold back the majority of the magical creatures and enable homesteading. A few hardy souls are starting to homestead on the far side of barrier and investigate what's in the west. Eff is the thirteenth child of a college professor father, and the twin of a double-seventh son. She's supposed to be quite unlucky based on classical magic theory, and having problems with relatives who believe it. Her parents decide to relocate to the frontier and a new college where it won't be obvious that she's a thirteenth child. Eff ends up assisting professors in caring and studying the fauna and flora, including traveling beyond the great barrier. Very fun stories, but reading them back-to-back, I found myself getting a little bored in the third book--too repetitive. I'd still love to catch up with Eff.

I then felt like reading Caroline Stevermer's A Scholar of Magics but thought I should read A College of Magics. The latter focuses on Faris Nallaneen, the heir to a Ruritanian country in eastern Europe. Sent off to Greenlaw (in France) to acquire polish, she ends up learning magic too, and becomes quite powerful in her own self. Her best friend, Jane, is a major character in the second book, when she is sent off to Glasscastle (in Britain) to convince a scholar there to take up a similar position to Faris's. While there, she ends up working with Samuel Lambert, an American sharpshooter, who is helping with some research. Both books are just lovely, with interesting twists and turns.

I also read Lois McMaster Bujold's new novella, "Penric's Demon", set in the Chalion universe, I think earlier than Curse of Chalion. Light fluff, but an engaging character.

I also read a short story by Megan Whalen Turner set in her Queen's Thief series. The story is about Eugenides as a child, hell-bent on becoming the Thief like his grandfather.

In other fun news, Martha Wells announced that she's sold a duology, set in the Raksura universe. Yay!!! Happy Dance!!!!