What I'm reading Wednesday

[bunn]

Hey, it's Wednesday, and it's actually occurred to me to post about what I'm reading!  I keep seeing other peoples 'what I'm reading' posts on Thurs, and thinking vaguely 'maybe I'll do that next week'. And apparently, this is that week.

What I have just finished reading: The King's Peace by Jo Walton.  Dark Age Arthuriana set in a mildly alternate universe, told from the point of view of Arthur (Urdo)'s war leader, a woman called Sulien,    Fabulous world building, with a lovely epic Irish feel in places and in others, a little End of the Empire Sutcliff.  Sometimes a little confusing - there's a huge cast of characters, some of them pretty minor, and some who are mentioned in half a sentence towards the end of the book after having died years earlier.   There are definitely some places where the story could have used a little revision to make it clearer who is speaking, or remind the reader which character is which.   The format of the book is, similarly to Sword at Sunset, a telling by the elderly hero reporting on the events of her past life, and I don't think Walton slips from future to past as effortlessly as Sutcliff.

But on the whole:  a compelling retelling, and I shall read the next one.

What I'm reading now: Mist over Pendle by Robert Neill.  It's 1611, and Margery Whitaker, youngest daughter of a family of relentlessly joyless Puritans, has been sent off to live with a remote (but rich) cousin, because she has a disgraceful tendency to crinkle her forehead enticingly at young gentlemen.   I am not sure where this is going, but it seems very readable so far.

Comments

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

I love Mist Over Pendle! It's a wonderful book.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wondered where I picked up the recommendation, was it from you? 1611 is a bit outside my usual reading period (not sure why, but I usually tend to read things set before about 1450, or after 1900. It's a prejudice!

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

I don't think recommended it to you, but I would have done had the subject arisen. I've bought it as a present for just about everyone I know!

[alitheapipkin.livejournal.com]

I was just going to comment that it sounded interesting so a further recommendation has spurred me to add it to my to-read list :) I have a soft spot for anything Pendle related, I was in Pendle college at Lancaster University as an undergrad.

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

I was in Pendle college at Lancaster University

I live near Bolton, so the Lancashire Witches are part of local history.

[sineala.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I have always meant to read more Jo Walton (I loved Among Others) and I think I have a copy of that one lying around somewhere. I will have to try it.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I meant to mention that it does open with a rape - but it's key to the plot and characterisation, and unlike a lot of historical fiction, you don't feel the writer is having a jolly time writing about it.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any Jo Walton yet, but someo e on Making Light has just been talking about her.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I loved 'Among Others' - which seems to be generally very popular - but it's hard for me to give an objective view on it, because one of the things I loved about it is that it's set in almost exactly the time and place where I grew up myself (South Wales, and then Devon, 70's) So I was like 'THIS IS MY CHILDHOOD ONLY WITH FAIRIES! Clearly a lot of other people see stuff in it that appeals to them too though!

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Even though I didn't grow up in South Wales and Devon in the 70s, I will still keep an eye out for her!