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linekgh's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
arachne_reads's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't enjoy this book. How do you give a bad review to a book without being an asshole? I don't like trashing people's work. I do get something out of pinpointing what fell flat for me, though, and will attempt to do so here.
Throughout the book, I kept thinking to myself, "this reads like the plot of someone's Changeling game..." only to come to the end, and find in an author interview that Brennan had indeed used exactly that as the core of her novel. There was little to hide Brennan's references to various Changleing kiths, despite her researches into specifically English faeries. Vidar reads as a sluagh. Dame Haelgestra reads as a troll. Rosamund and Gertrude read as boggans. Everyone else reads as sidhe. Other clues? The Wild Hunt as an organization instead of ghostly or faerie event; White Wolf made many references to mythological events as "really" some kind of secret society-- it's a theme that runs through Changeling, Vampire, Werewolf, all their games set in The World of Darkness. Brennan almost makes reference to the Deep Dreaming. That was disappointing for me. I think, perhaps, if I had known this first, I might not have picked up the book.
The effect was such that Lune didn't feel like a fully fleshed-out character. There was nothing to tell me, "this is what Lune would say or do in this situation." I don't even know what Lune looks like. I've gotten that feel from people's roleplaying characters before: they are simply a shorthand, a splice, for the player in question, and the character sheet is merely an overcoat for them to wear about the world, but the other players all seem to imagine the character as an outgrowth of their friend. This made Lune feel to me like paper vessel to contain plot, and not like an entity about whom I harbored any feelings of warmth, or being on her side. I had not been part of that game. Reading a story about it did not bring me any closer to the pathos of that particular game.
More disappointing was how... very surface?... the politics of it all felt. Everything had clear simple answers, that tied the story up too neatly. The obscuring factors were all lifted neatly away with very simple realizations, and none of the people who knew fragments of Suspiria's tale was very far off from the truth.
That brings me to heart of my dislike of the book, the underlying story of Suspiria and Francis, and problematic cultural notions of love.We are culturally supposed to uphold this notion of "true love" above all else, and thrill at the idea of walking through fire for our beloveds, but Suspiria makes a deal with hell to forgo her curse and flings her love aside. And yet, Tiresias/Francis still loves her. After she abuses him disgustingly. We as readers don't get to see any of this love develop. We don't get to see any of the underpinnings of why in any of the flashbacks. Even the "love" that develops between Michael Deven and Lune just reads like they are working partners, but because we have a male lead and a female lead, clearly, it's love. All despite Lune's masks and betrayals. None of it felt like anything other than a plot bullet point, and yet it still tried to toe the party line that "true love conquers all," a notion that has been used in my own life to try to keep me in highly questionable situations against my better judgement. Here, it functions as a kind of cultural shorthand, "it is this kind of story" without building the visible structures in the narrative itself. .
I have enjoyed other works of Brennan's. This work didn't sit well with me.
Throughout the book, I kept thinking to myself, "this reads like the plot of someone's Changeling game..." only to come to the end, and find in an author interview that Brennan had indeed used exactly that as the core of her novel. There was little to hide Brennan's references to various Changleing kiths, despite her researches into specifically English faeries. Vidar reads as a sluagh. Dame Haelgestra reads as a troll. Rosamund and Gertrude read as boggans. Everyone else reads as sidhe. Other clues? The Wild Hunt as an organization instead of ghostly or faerie event; White Wolf made many references to mythological events as "really" some kind of secret society-- it's a theme that runs through Changeling, Vampire, Werewolf, all their games set in The World of Darkness. Brennan almost makes reference to the Deep Dreaming. That was disappointing for me. I think, perhaps, if I had known this first, I might not have picked up the book.
The effect was such that Lune didn't feel like a fully fleshed-out character. There was nothing to tell me, "this is what Lune would say or do in this situation." I don't even know what Lune looks like. I've gotten that feel from people's roleplaying characters before: they are simply a shorthand, a splice, for the player in question, and the character sheet is merely an overcoat for them to wear about the world, but the other players all seem to imagine the character as an outgrowth of their friend. This made Lune feel to me like paper vessel to contain plot, and not like an entity about whom I harbored any feelings of warmth, or being on her side. I had not been part of that game. Reading a story about it did not bring me any closer to the pathos of that particular game.
More disappointing was how... very surface?... the politics of it all felt. Everything had clear simple answers, that tied the story up too neatly. The obscuring factors were all lifted neatly away with very simple realizations, and none of the people who knew fragments of Suspiria's tale was very far off from the truth.
That brings me to heart of my dislike of the book, the underlying story of Suspiria and Francis, and problematic cultural notions of love.
I have enjoyed other works of Brennan's. This work didn't sit well with me.
ajhackwith's review
4.0
Brennan's vision of faerie politics, the court, and it's interaction with mortals took a little bit of effort to fall into, but once I did, I devoured the book. I especially loved the Goodmeade sisters and the scenes that lushly described how faerie operated in the mortal world.
ohkatereads's review
3.0
This book is exactly my cup of tea but it also wasn’t - loved the incorporation of early modern England and the fae, enjoyed the narrative and the storytelling, didn’t finish it feeling particularly strongly about it one way or another. I much prefer (and would recommend!) her A Natural History of Dragons series.
hollyannmccann's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
behindmybookcase's review
3.0
As a Renaissance literature scholar, I really appreciated the research that went into this book. So often with historical fiction, it can just miss the mark, which completely throws me off. Brennan did an absolutely wonderful job of transporting me to Elizabethan London, and making me feel like I was in on the early modern joke. However, I feel like if I was not such a fan of the Renaissance, I would have rated this book lower. While the language is absolutely beautiful, I found it hard to really connect to the characters. At times, I didn't particularly care about them specifically, but cared more so about the world in which it was situated. If you are a fan of the Elizabethan period I 100% recommend giving this a read, but it not, it is a 2.5 star book.
ladyhighwayman's review
4.0
The ending was quite the emotion roller coaster that I wasn't expecting. This was such a unique book, and I really didn't have any expectations when I started it. There were a few times in the book that I thought it might be losing momentum, but it then quickly picked back up.
And I love stories where the villain is redeemed, which is probably why the ending was so emotional for me. I love when a villain has a complex background that made them they way they are, but then find redemption in the end. I didn't think it would happen for Suspiria, but it did. LOVE IT.
And I love stories where the villain is redeemed, which is probably why the ending was so emotional for me. I love when a villain has a complex background that made them they way they are, but then find redemption in the end. I didn't think it would happen for Suspiria, but it did. LOVE IT.
smcleish's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog here in October 2010.
The Elizabethan age was obsessed by Faery, something most famously seen in several Shakespeare plays ([b:A Midsummer Night's Dream|1622|A Midsummer Night's Dream|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327874534s/1622.jpg|894834], the spirits in [b:The Tempest|12985|The Tempest|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327793692s/12985.jpg|1359590], the Queen Mab speech from [b:Romeo and Juliet|18135|Romeo and Juliet|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327872146s/18135.jpg|3349450], and the pretend fairies in [b:The Merry Wives of Windsor|104778|The Merry Wives of Windsor|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347766098s/104778.jpg|2761760] being just some of the best known examples), but most developed in Spenser's enormous allegory [b:The Faerie Queene|765427|The Faerie Queene |Edmund Spenser|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328308492s/765427.jpg|19904], which parallels Elizabeth with the queen of the Fae herself.
Folklore graduate student Marie Brennan has taken this thought and put together a story of a connection of a different kind between the two queens, a pact which guarantees the security of the English realm and its fae reflection. But it is not a treaty without cost, and the queen's spymaster Francis Walsinghamn has begun to suspect that tere is an unknown player in the game with direct access to Elizabeth. He chooses one of his agents, William Deven, to investigate, knowing that the young man is already more involved than he realises: Deven has been courting Anne Marston, waiting lady to the Countess of Warwick, and known to Walsingham as a likely agent of this unknown power. And indeed Anne is a glamour put on by Lune, a lady of the Fae Onyx court below London, to appear human so she can act as a spy for Invidiana, the Onyx Queen (the name meaning "hateful", as opposed to Elizabeth's allegorical name Gloriana, "glorious").
Atmospheric, interesting and with good characters, Midnight Never Come is well worth a read. I don't normally like books based on role playing game scenarios (I probably wouldn't have read it if I'd realised it was before borrowing it from the local library).It's biggest problem for me was the title, which comes from a play by Marlowe and which in context gives away important aspects of the ending.
The Elizabethan age was obsessed by Faery, something most famously seen in several Shakespeare plays ([b:A Midsummer Night's Dream|1622|A Midsummer Night's Dream|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327874534s/1622.jpg|894834], the spirits in [b:The Tempest|12985|The Tempest|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327793692s/12985.jpg|1359590], the Queen Mab speech from [b:Romeo and Juliet|18135|Romeo and Juliet|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327872146s/18135.jpg|3349450], and the pretend fairies in [b:The Merry Wives of Windsor|104778|The Merry Wives of Windsor|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347766098s/104778.jpg|2761760] being just some of the best known examples), but most developed in Spenser's enormous allegory [b:The Faerie Queene|765427|The Faerie Queene |Edmund Spenser|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328308492s/765427.jpg|19904], which parallels Elizabeth with the queen of the Fae herself.
Folklore graduate student Marie Brennan has taken this thought and put together a story of a connection of a different kind between the two queens, a pact which guarantees the security of the English realm and its fae reflection. But it is not a treaty without cost, and the queen's spymaster Francis Walsinghamn has begun to suspect that tere is an unknown player in the game with direct access to Elizabeth. He chooses one of his agents, William Deven, to investigate, knowing that the young man is already more involved than he realises: Deven has been courting Anne Marston, waiting lady to the Countess of Warwick, and known to Walsingham as a likely agent of this unknown power. And indeed Anne is a glamour put on by Lune, a lady of the Fae Onyx court below London, to appear human so she can act as a spy for Invidiana, the Onyx Queen (the name meaning "hateful", as opposed to Elizabeth's allegorical name Gloriana, "glorious").
Atmospheric, interesting and with good characters, Midnight Never Come is well worth a read. I don't normally like books based on role playing game scenarios (I probably wouldn't have read it if I'd realised it was before borrowing it from the local library).
celiaedf12's review
2.0
It's been a little while since I finished this, so the review's going to be a bit sparse. Plot in brief: Queen Elizabeth makes pact with Fairy Queen. Insane prophet informs our heroine, a fairy, that the pact is doing no good to either side. Our heroine joins forces with our hero, a human, in order to save the world.
Some interesting concepts, and the author went to some pains to create a truly English fairy world drawn from English lore. All the supernatural elements and mystery to the store wrapped up very quickly and neatly, and I wasn't completely thrilled with the author's style.
Some interesting concepts, and the author went to some pains to create a truly English fairy world drawn from English lore. All the supernatural elements and mystery to the store wrapped up very quickly and neatly, and I wasn't completely thrilled with the author's style.
toomanytomes's review
2.0
This is the first book by Marie Brennan that I’ve read and I could tell that she clearly knows her stuff when it comes to Elizabethan history and fae. I was confident throughout the book that Brennan knew what she was talking about.
Overall, however, I was rather disappointed with this book. I feel like it could’ve done so much more with what it had. The characters and plot felt a little flat and 1 dimensional. I think there was a lot more Brennan could’ve extrapolated on and expanded further.
The main protagonist, Lune, was the more interesting character for me. Watching her trying to navigate Invidiana’s court without being murdered left Michael’s scenes feeling rather dull in comparison. Where Lune is constantly threatened with exile or death at every turn, there are no high-stakes for Michael. Michael achieves his position in Elizabeth’s court with ease and there is never any threat that he could lose that position.
The first third of the book was a real struggle for me to get through. I put it down for a day or two as it just wasn’t interesting me. After that first third, though, the pace picks up a bit and things start happening.
Still, by the middle of the book, I just wasn’t as invested in these character’s fates as I’d hoped to be. It felt a bit rushed and I think Brennan could’ve invested a few more pages to adding to the intricacies of the fae and mortal courts.
I adore novels about political manoeuvring, diplomacy and courtly politics and I did get a taste of that is this novel, but if you’re looking for something with a bit more scope and intricacy, then this isn’t the book for you.
At a solid 400 pages, I wish this book could’ve been longer, if only because I wish Brennan had invested more time in world-building and developing the fae court and its relationship to Elizabeth I’s court.
Overall, this book was short and easy to read. I was in a reading slump when I picked up this book and it did pull me out of that slump, so for that I thank Marie Brennan.
Overall, however, I was rather disappointed with this book. I feel like it could’ve done so much more with what it had. The characters and plot felt a little flat and 1 dimensional. I think there was a lot more Brennan could’ve extrapolated on and expanded further.
The main protagonist, Lune, was the more interesting character for me. Watching her trying to navigate Invidiana’s court without being murdered left Michael’s scenes feeling rather dull in comparison. Where Lune is constantly threatened with exile or death at every turn, there are no high-stakes for Michael. Michael achieves his position in Elizabeth’s court with ease and there is never any threat that he could lose that position.
The first third of the book was a real struggle for me to get through. I put it down for a day or two as it just wasn’t interesting me. After that first third, though, the pace picks up a bit and things start happening.
Still, by the middle of the book, I just wasn’t as invested in these character’s fates as I’d hoped to be. It felt a bit rushed and I think Brennan could’ve invested a few more pages to adding to the intricacies of the fae and mortal courts.
I adore novels about political manoeuvring, diplomacy and courtly politics and I did get a taste of that is this novel, but if you’re looking for something with a bit more scope and intricacy, then this isn’t the book for you.
At a solid 400 pages, I wish this book could’ve been longer, if only because I wish Brennan had invested more time in world-building and developing the fae court and its relationship to Elizabeth I’s court.
Overall, this book was short and easy to read. I was in a reading slump when I picked up this book and it did pull me out of that slump, so for that I thank Marie Brennan.