Wednesday, March 18, 2015

read: Valour and Vanity (5 stars)

Valour and Vanity (Glamourist Histories, #4)Valour and Vanity by Mary Robinette Kowal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The author promises historical Ocean's Eleven with magic and delivers. She does this while remaining true to her Glamourist Histories characters and setting. With a small twist of circumstances, the main characters Jane and Vincent are forced into position of, in the words of the book, 'no position'. They are without friends, family or resources and must rely on their own devices to survive.

Circumstances become twistier and twistier as the causes of their misfortunes are further revealed. Finally, with new found friends and allies they take action and the fun really begins (I'm trying not to reveal any of the plot, since that is what makes the story fun).

The tension and action hardly ever flag. The dialog, characters and setting all feel period-authentic. The heist is devious, well-contrived and well-delivered. There are spots where it pays to have read the previous books in the series. But this is not required to enjoy this one by itself.

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Thursday, March 5, 2015

read: The Sun, the Moon, & the Stars (4 stars)

The Sun, the Moon, & the StarsThe Sun, the Moon, & the Stars by Steven Brust
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this based on the recommendations from several authors. I share their high opinion about the insights it portrays into the creative process and the creative mind. There isn't much story here, but the characterizations and the framing devices keep things moving and interesting.

I give it high marks for overall theme and structure. The intermingling of the current tale with a Hungarian folk tale and even the subject matter of the painting the narrator is working on is pretty brilliant.

On the other hand, the writing might be a little too self-aware, even for a first-person narrative. It's also somewhat awkward and clunky at times. There's nothing I can really put my finger on. Maybe it just felt a little dated. For something written in the 1980s, it had more of a 1970s feel.

I'd still recommend it, especially to creative types: writers, artists, musicians. The ruminations and discussions on what art is and how it is produced are thought provoking and worth the read. I might even re-read this, as other authors do, when I need reminding of why we do art.

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