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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Wow, this one could have come straight from the fever-dreams of Andrea Dworkin. What starts out as an interesting variant of the Sleeping Beauty tale soon changes into a truly horrifying dystopian screed against humanity, particularly the male wing of same. I got about 220 pages in when I had to start skipping ahead to keep from running screaming into the night. This is so bleak and hopeless that I can't recommend it. There are some images I can't seem to get out of my head, and I'm heartily sorry.
A lot people have raved about this book but for me the story fell desperately flat. Perhaps if the book had been broken down into 3 books then it would have flowed better and would have given the author the opportunity to unfold her story in 3 smaller ones.
Fitting numerous fairy tales into one tale, across different worlds and centuries is a mammoth task. I battled to keep up with all the characters and time periods. I struggled to identify with the characters and to remain interested. A few parts of the book were un-put-downable but the dreary limping throughout the remaining parts was painful and left a sour taste in my mouth.
After all was said and done there are a number of important issues raised (environmental catastrophe, nature vs nature, religion and it's role in society, etc). I think with better execution these issues could have been driven home with more impact.
Fitting numerous fairy tales into one tale, across different worlds and centuries is a mammoth task. I battled to keep up with all the characters and time periods. I struggled to identify with the characters and to remain interested. A few parts of the book were un-put-downable but the dreary limping throughout the remaining parts was painful and left a sour taste in my mouth.
After all was said and done there are a number of important issues raised (environmental catastrophe, nature vs nature, religion and it's role in society, etc). I think with better execution these issues could have been driven home with more impact.
Something about Sheri S. Tepper's books is just too bleak and painful for me. [b:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo|2429135|The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)|Stieg Larsson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275608878s/2429135.jpg|1708725] was much more violent, but somehow this one just got under my skin.
I feel like she must have had something really terrible happen to her at some point, or to someone she knew, and there's this sort of grim despair that just permeates everything. (OK, I've only read two of her books, so maybe the others are all just kittens and rainbows, it's possible)
Anyway, I didn't finish this because I didn't want any more of that feeling in my brain.
I feel like she must have had something really terrible happen to her at some point, or to someone she knew, and there's this sort of grim despair that just permeates everything. (OK, I've only read two of her books, so maybe the others are all just kittens and rainbows, it's possible)
Anyway, I didn't finish this because I didn't want any more of that feeling in my brain.
This is a standalone fantasy novel which has won the Locus award. And my first time reading a book by this author. Even though I've rated this book, I am still unsure exactly how I feel about this novel. It is a mishmash of fairy tale re-telling(faithful to the original stories, I.e. Dark) mixed with time travel , philosophy and treatise on religion. The story also speaks on beauty and motherhood in very realistic tones. There is the expected feminist perspective. I liked the adaptation of the fairytale more than the treatment of religion to some extent as they are linked. And this was also the major con for me as well. Ms. Tepper placed all religions on an equal footing which is antithesis to my worldview. There were some themes which became preachy especially that related to nature.
This is definitely the work of a more mature woman reflecting on themes that matter to her. And whilst I don't agree or fully understand all that is written, I can understand why it won an award. It resonates with themes that matter to women and men - nature vs. nurture, love, motherhood, religion, beauty, aging -which will stay with you long after you have read the novel. And for that reason I give a rating of 3. This is a book for more mature person, not for everyone.
This is definitely the work of a more mature woman reflecting on themes that matter to her. And whilst I don't agree or fully understand all that is written, I can understand why it won an award. It resonates with themes that matter to women and men - nature vs. nurture, love, motherhood, religion, beauty, aging -which will stay with you long after you have read the novel. And for that reason I give a rating of 3. This is a book for more mature person, not for everyone.
It had good ideas, some good characters and plot lines, but it felt very disjointed to me.
This should probably not be read in bits and scraps and while preoccupied with other things, because there's enough surreal in the book without adding more. I will probably appreciate it more on a re-read, but there are enough good and even lyrical bits that I think it's worth a re-read to better appreciate it.