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A review by tani
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold
5.0
Seeing all of the mixed opinions on this book, I was a bit nervous going in, but I had faith that Lois McMaster Bujold knows where my heart is. And I was right. She most certainly does.
This is a very quiet book. Some people will be bored. I see a lot of people comparing it to fanfiction, and that's an understandable comparison. (Many of these people seem to see this as a damning accusation indeed, which is an opinion that I wholeheartedly disagree with, but let's side-step that issue.) There is plot, but it is far dominated by the emotional concerns of the characters. This is a story about what people do when the harrowing adventures are done, and they're just living their lives. It's about recovering from loss. It's about moving on. It's about new horizons.
The book leads with its biggest revelations, and almost everything following is just the characters responding, processing, and making decisions. A lot of people have expressed their displeasure with those revelations, but I can honestly say that I was nothing but pleasantly surprised. It's been a while since I've read the earlier books in the series, but I believe that there is certainly space for these revelations. I would also mention that many of the earlier books are from Miles' point of view, which gives a very different take on Aral than what we see from Cordelia's point of view. In fact, my memories of Aral-as-Miles-sees-him were almost completely different from Aral-as-Cordelia-sees-him, which I found a very interesting indeed.
Some of the most satisfying moments of this book, for me, were conversations. That final conversation between Jole and Miles, in particular, was very much appreciated. I love to read about character interactions, and many of the conversations in this book are thoughtful goldmines.
This entire book left me feeling both introspective and hopeful. It may not have rocked me with action, but I think that instead, it did something much more difficult. It set me thinking about my own life, about my choices, and about my future, and it did so in a way that makes me feel hopeful and excited for whatever is to come. That is a truly welcome gift in the mire of uncertainty that life can sometimes be.
This is a very quiet book. Some people will be bored. I see a lot of people comparing it to fanfiction, and that's an understandable comparison. (Many of these people seem to see this as a damning accusation indeed, which is an opinion that I wholeheartedly disagree with, but let's side-step that issue.) There is plot, but it is far dominated by the emotional concerns of the characters. This is a story about what people do when the harrowing adventures are done, and they're just living their lives. It's about recovering from loss. It's about moving on. It's about new horizons.
The book leads with its biggest revelations, and almost everything following is just the characters responding, processing, and making decisions. A lot of people have expressed their displeasure with those revelations, but I can honestly say that I was nothing but pleasantly surprised. It's been a while since I've read the earlier books in the series, but I believe that there is certainly space for these revelations. I would also mention that many of the earlier books are from Miles' point of view, which gives a very different take on Aral than what we see from Cordelia's point of view. In fact, my memories of Aral-as-Miles-sees-him were almost completely different from Aral-as-Cordelia-sees-him, which I found a very interesting indeed.
Some of the most satisfying moments of this book, for me, were conversations. That final conversation between Jole and Miles, in particular, was very much appreciated. I love to read about character interactions, and many of the conversations in this book are thoughtful goldmines.
This entire book left me feeling both introspective and hopeful. It may not have rocked me with action, but I think that instead, it did something much more difficult. It set me thinking about my own life, about my choices, and about my future, and it did so in a way that makes me feel hopeful and excited for whatever is to come. That is a truly welcome gift in the mire of uncertainty that life can sometimes be.