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A review by highlanderajax
The Stone in the Skull by Elizabeth Bear
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The star rating here is fair, I think, but it's more of a comment on the structure of this specific book, and I don't think it should reflect on the author in general.
This book is, for want of a better word, a prologue. It's set up a world, it's set up some great characters, it's set up a ton of things that I want to know more about...and it's done sod-all with them. 75%, at least, of this book has almost nothing happen. Characters go places, they have conversations, they think things, and they do so in exquisite fashion. Lovely dialogue, vivid imagery, delicious hints at the broader world, and about as much plot as a children's book about a trip to the shops. But for Bear's ability to imbue her work with beautiful and immersive detail, I had the distinct feeling that most of this book could, should one choose to do so, be condensed into about three chapters.
Not only that, but while the world is detailed, the characters have - for most of the book - the depth of a puddle, and not a deep puddle at that. It is a frankly ridiculously long time before motivations, personality, or emotional presence of any character actually shine through. Events are described with almost clinical detachment; the experience is not unlike watching a wonderful ballet while deeply depressed. Fantastic things unfold, and are recited as though being recited by an observer on the other end of a video link.
So why, then, does this get the 3.5 stars? Well, first of all it is beautifully written. Incredibly so. The detail jumps off the page in a way unlike any other author. Perhaps, untroubled by plot or character depth, Bear is able to provide a backdrop that outstrips other works. It is truly remarkable, a glossy photograph of a world rather than a watercolour.
This book is, for want of a better word, a prologue. It's set up a world, it's set up some great characters, it's set up a ton of things that I want to know more about...and it's done sod-all with them. 75%, at least, of this book has almost nothing happen. Characters go places, they have conversations, they think things, and they do so in exquisite fashion. Lovely dialogue, vivid imagery, delicious hints at the broader world, and about as much plot as a children's book about a trip to the shops. But for Bear's ability to imbue her work with beautiful and immersive detail, I had the distinct feeling that most of this book could, should one choose to do so, be condensed into about three chapters.
Not only that, but while the world is detailed, the characters have - for most of the book - the depth of a puddle, and not a deep puddle at that. It is a frankly ridiculously long time before motivations, personality, or emotional presence of any character actually shine through. Events are described with almost clinical detachment; the experience is not unlike watching a wonderful ballet while deeply depressed. Fantastic things unfold, and are recited as though being recited by an observer on the other end of a video link.
So why, then, does this get the 3.5 stars? Well, first of all it is beautifully written. Incredibly so. The detail jumps off the page in a way unlike any other author. Perhaps, untroubled by plot or character depth, Bear is able to provide a backdrop that outstrips other works. It is truly remarkable, a glossy photograph of a world rather than a watercolour.
Second, the plot - when it comes - is captivating, and the plot set up and promised for subsequent works is interesting in the extreme. The characters are sparking to life, and the details we get makes them intriguing. I will definitely pick up the second book in this series, and I look forward to reading it. However, it needs to be said again that it takes quite a while to get to.
Overall, a good read. Not exactly a pulse-pounding page turner, but a well-written and engaging lead-in to what looks to be a series that is, taken together, far more than the sum of its parts.