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A review by mary_soon_lee
A Choir of Lies by Alexandra Rowland
4.0
This is a sequel to the wonderful "A Conspiracy of Truths." The narration shifts from the earlier Master Chant to his then-apprentice, now a Chant himself, Ylfing. I love Ylfing and I liked this very much. It's a book about storytelling and making mistakes and trying to do better, and about loneliness and grief and depression, and gods and romance and futures-trading (yes, in a preindustrial fantasy novel). It contains multitudes!
Appropriately for a story about a storyteller, it has an interesting shape. In addition to containing smaller stories within it, there are footnotes attached to the main tale, penned by a different invented character to Ylfing, that add commentary and a contrasting perspective. At times, I wanted to rail at the footnote-writer since she commits the cardinal sin of not loving Ylfing the way that I do. Clearly, instead of daring to be angry with Ylfing, she should have cossetted him like a little lonely fledgling.
Four out of five stars-in-the-marsh.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Appropriately for a story about a storyteller, it has an interesting shape. In addition to containing smaller stories within it, there are footnotes attached to the main tale, penned by a different invented character to Ylfing, that add commentary and a contrasting perspective. At times, I wanted to rail at the footnote-writer since she commits the cardinal sin of not loving Ylfing the way that I do. Clearly, instead of daring to be angry with Ylfing, she should have cossetted him like a little lonely fledgling.
Four out of five stars-in-the-marsh.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).