Take a photo of a barcode or cover
mary_soon_lee 's review for:
Spear
by Nicola Griffith
This short novel is one of six nominated for this year's Nebula Award. It's a queer Arthurian retelling, lyrical and convincing with strong Welsh roots. I loved the main character, restless for a larger world, and loved the supporting cast too, horses and humans both.
Three more remarks after a spoiler warning....
It's been a quarter century since I last read Nicola Griffith (I loved "Slow River") and clearly that was an error.
Four and a bit out of five speared stars.
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).
Three more remarks after a spoiler warning....
Spoiler
I found the fraught ties between mother and daughter particularly moving, perhaps because my own daughter is on the cusp of leaving home. I loved Llanza and Bedwyr, and loved Griffith for not writing them as straight white hero knights. Lastly, while the ending worked fine, I preferred many of the scenes along the way to it.It's been a quarter century since I last read Nicola Griffith (I loved "Slow River") and clearly that was an error.
Four and a bit out of five speared stars.
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).