soph (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sophia_sol) wrote2012-09-16 02:39 pm
sophia_sol) wrote2012-09-16 02:39 pm
The Thief, Queen of Attolia, King of Attolia (Megan Whalen Turner)
HMM LET'S HAVE SOMETHING MORE CHEERFUL HERE NOW. Time for more book reactions! Of books I read months ago because I keep forgetting to actually POST them!
Today it is the first couple Attolia books, because I've been told for years that they're amazing and I should read them, and I'm finally getting around to it.
The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
I realized upon reading the first page that I have TOTALLY read this book before, but sometime in the realm of a decade or more ago, so it was one of those things where after I read a part it might (or might not) have sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn't actually REMEMBER anything that was going to happen.
I could tell straight off that Eugenides wasn't being open about everything -- it was very clear that it was all within his Careful Plans to have been bragging about stealing that seal, and being caught, and even the way in which he was released, but I wasn't sure what was the truth until he revealed it -- his true identity, and the fact that he'd stolen the stone back a second time).
And at that moment of reveal I was so frustrated, because that was not playing fair by the rules of narration, just happening to leave out pertinent details like that so that the author can reveal them at the most opportune time.
But upon reaching the end it was okay, because it's not that the book just happens to be in first person, the book is actually supposed to be a tale that Eugenides has written down on the subject, and I absolutely believe it of Eugenides that he'd break the rules of narration for cheap thrills! So, good job there, then, book!
Although frankly, if I hadn't already known that this book (and this series) are seriously highly thought of, I might well have decided to abandon the book at the point of the reveal, because authors playing cheap tricks with narration PISS ME THE HELL OFF. I'm glad I had that outside knowledge to keep me from abandoning it! Because it really was a pretty good book.
The Queen of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
A really enjoyable book! I like almost everything about it.
When Eugenides revealed to the Queen of Attolia that he loves her and has for ages I was all SIDE-EYES because wtf that was out of nowhere, but later he explains that he's been a creeper over her for years so that makes sense at least that he knows her enough to love her. But her love for HIM on the other hand feels VERY MUCH out of nowhere and wtf.
Everything else about the book, though, I really enjoyed! One thing I love about these books is how the royalty of the three countries is ALWAYS referred to as , eg, "Queen of Attolia" or even just "Attolia" like that's her name and entire identity. It's a lovely detail. And then that scene where the Queen of Eddis deliberately calls the Queen of Attolia by her given name and the Queen of Attolia rejects being called that -- that's really good stuff.
The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
Damnit, I forgot to write down my feels when I read this book, which is TOO BAD because I had a lot of feels and also thoughts! It was REALLY GOOD, definitely by far the best book in the series thus far, and basically WOW. And unfortunately it has now been long enough since I read it that I can't REMEMBER any of my thoughts, so all you get is what I said briefly in an email the day I read it:
"omfg King of Attolia is utterly amazing. I ship the king and queen so hard, and everything about that book was so very well done. YESSSSS GOOD."
And now all that's left is for me to read A Conspiracy of Kings! Which is sitting on my shelf right now, actually, waiting to be read, but I have a book I borrowed from a coworker and two books I borrowed from a friend and a book I have out from the library and another library book I intend to borrow from my mom, all of which are higher priority right now because they have restricted time-frames. So. I'll get to it at some point, I assume!
Today it is the first couple Attolia books, because I've been told for years that they're amazing and I should read them, and I'm finally getting around to it.
The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
I realized upon reading the first page that I have TOTALLY read this book before, but sometime in the realm of a decade or more ago, so it was one of those things where after I read a part it might (or might not) have sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn't actually REMEMBER anything that was going to happen.
I could tell straight off that Eugenides wasn't being open about everything -- it was very clear that it was all within his Careful Plans to have been bragging about stealing that seal, and being caught, and even the way in which he was released, but I wasn't sure what was the truth until he revealed it -- his true identity, and the fact that he'd stolen the stone back a second time).
And at that moment of reveal I was so frustrated, because that was not playing fair by the rules of narration, just happening to leave out pertinent details like that so that the author can reveal them at the most opportune time.
But upon reaching the end it was okay, because it's not that the book just happens to be in first person, the book is actually supposed to be a tale that Eugenides has written down on the subject, and I absolutely believe it of Eugenides that he'd break the rules of narration for cheap thrills! So, good job there, then, book!
Although frankly, if I hadn't already known that this book (and this series) are seriously highly thought of, I might well have decided to abandon the book at the point of the reveal, because authors playing cheap tricks with narration PISS ME THE HELL OFF. I'm glad I had that outside knowledge to keep me from abandoning it! Because it really was a pretty good book.
The Queen of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
A really enjoyable book! I like almost everything about it.
When Eugenides revealed to the Queen of Attolia that he loves her and has for ages I was all SIDE-EYES because wtf that was out of nowhere, but later he explains that he's been a creeper over her for years so that makes sense at least that he knows her enough to love her. But her love for HIM on the other hand feels VERY MUCH out of nowhere and wtf.
Everything else about the book, though, I really enjoyed! One thing I love about these books is how the royalty of the three countries is ALWAYS referred to as , eg, "Queen of Attolia" or even just "Attolia" like that's her name and entire identity. It's a lovely detail. And then that scene where the Queen of Eddis deliberately calls the Queen of Attolia by her given name and the Queen of Attolia rejects being called that -- that's really good stuff.
The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
Damnit, I forgot to write down my feels when I read this book, which is TOO BAD because I had a lot of feels and also thoughts! It was REALLY GOOD, definitely by far the best book in the series thus far, and basically WOW. And unfortunately it has now been long enough since I read it that I can't REMEMBER any of my thoughts, so all you get is what I said briefly in an email the day I read it:
"omfg King of Attolia is utterly amazing. I ship the king and queen so hard, and everything about that book was so very well done. YESSSSS GOOD."
And now all that's left is for me to read A Conspiracy of Kings! Which is sitting on my shelf right now, actually, waiting to be read, but I have a book I borrowed from a coworker and two books I borrowed from a friend and a book I have out from the library and another library book I intend to borrow from my mom, all of which are higher priority right now because they have restricted time-frames. So. I'll get to it at some point, I assume!
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(Anonymous) 2012-09-16 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)- Dinah