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World building, Deep Characters, Satisfying Ending

Revisado: 09-03-21

This story was a bit slow to start, but picked up quickly through act 2. The two protagonists were interesting, well developed characters with great chemistry. The writing rose and fell, carrying me through it and making me excited for each next part.

The narrator was good, but not great. Some of the characters sounded a bit too alike, and the accents blended together at times. still, it didn't detract much from the story overall. The narrator is very expressive in their dialogue.

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Madeline Miller tackles Witchcraft and Feminity

Revisado: 12-07-19

Just as with her debut, Madeline Miller has accomplished an incredible feat—breathing new life into an ancient character by tearing down expectations and tropes. Circe herself is an interesting choice as a perspective character. Her role in Greek mythology is rather small, especially compared to other more prominent gods and goddesses. This mirrors Miller’s prior novel, Song of Achilles, which retold The Illiad from the perspective of Patroclus, and gives Miller a greater freedom to shape the story. Circe’s role in The Odyssey establishes her as one of the earliest incarnations of a common ancient trope—the predatory woman. She is joined by the likes of Irene Adler, Cleopatra, and others. Knowing Madeline Miller’s previous work, and how it tackled the stereotypical Greek Hero Achilles, I was eager to see her unravel this trope. I was not disappointed
Madeline Miller does a fantastic job winding in other prominent female characters in Greek mythology, highlighting different feminine archetypes: Pasiphae, the mother of the minotaur; Ariadne, the innocent princess; Madea, the cunning witch; Penelope, the faithful wife; Athena, the wrathful warrior. Miller adds a fantastic depth to each character she explores, highlighting the complex motivations behind each of their actions. The complex games of the Greek gods, Olympians and Titans, is put on full display, fueling the tension and drama in the story.
Madeline Miller’s poetic writing never fails to disappoint, and in a story of such magnitude, seems more than appropriate. The island of Aea has never been written is greater detail. The gods and goddess, glowing with divine energy, have never been so vivid.
The tension is drawn from Circe’s own emotions, and her actions push the story forward. . Circe is elevated to a level of complexity she has never seen before, moving through each stage of her life as her desires evolve through literal centuries.

Madeline Miller is an incredible writer, with a talent for unraveling tropes and highlighting the complexity in minor characters. Her stories endlessly impress me. I can only imagine who she will tackle next.

The narrator Perdita Weeks, deserves great praise as well. She manages to juggle dozens of voices, giving a unique depth to each character.

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A Unique Perspective and an Intriguing Mystery

Revisado: 05-15-19

Anne Leckie’s latest book "The Raven Tower" is a refreshing break from fantasy tropes. I picked it up after looking for a new fantasy read since most of my experience with the genre is at least a decade old.

The Raven Tower is told in a blend of first and second person, with some chapters feeling more one than the other. The narrator (that is, the first person “I”) is a god. The second person (that is, the “you”) is a transgender man, Eolo. These are both, of course, very unique perspectives in the fantasy genre, and I was intrigued from the start. Anne Leckie handles Eolo’s gender identity very well, letting it be an aspect of him without being the entirety of his personality. Eolo is a transman, but he is also loyal, thoughtful, and observant. We are at a time when diversity and representation is important, and too many authors, I think, make the pitfall of making their characters’ diverse traits be their only traits, reducing them to tokens or symbols. Anne Leckie establishes in the first chapter that Eolo is trans but also makes it clear that isn’t the focus of the story, and she invites the reader to move on. I am thankful for this approach.

Which brings us to the second protagonist, the god, known throughout most of the book as The Strength and Patience of the Hill. Through their chapters we get a long and deep examination of the history of this fantasy world, from the earliest forms of life to the early humans, and beyond. Anne Leckie’s words convey much of the god themself as patient, observant, and thoughtful. She also uses these sections to establish the rules and lore of her world, expanding upon both the history of the world and how the gods interact with it. Gods manipulate the world by speech and must be very careful of what they say is true, lest they overstate or misspeak. Anecdotes and secondhand accounts flesh out the world, and Anne Leckie does a great job of investing the reader in the divine conflicts.

In the mortal realm, and back in the story’s present, Eolo arrives with his master, Mawat, who is heir to the Lease, at the powerful city Vastai. But things there are not as Mawat had left them, and his father, The Raven’s Lease and the Ruler of Vastai, is missing. Here Leckie weaves together a story of political intrigue and espionage, as loyalties and beliefs are brought into question. Leckie juggles a cast that is small compared to other fantasy novels, but she takes the time to show each character’s motivation and place in this elaborate political game.

My only potential complaint comes regarding the ending, which appears rather suddenly. An observant reader could read the signs and see it coming, but it is still rather abrupt and open-ended. Much of Eolo’s story is concerned with the disappearance of Mawat’s father, the Raven’s Lease, and once that mystery is solved the story concludes itself quite rapidly. Understanding whose story is being told is crucial to understanding the ending, and I think those who expect a more traditional conclusion may be less satisfied.

Overall, Anne Leckie’s fantasy debut is an incredible read. The mystery of the Lease’s disappearance combined with the wonderfully intriguing universe and the ambiguity of the divine narrator all come together to make an exciting and gripping tale. If you are a fan of fantasy but tired of the typical fare, The Raven tower is a wonderfully fresh take on the genre.

Adjoa Andoh gives a fantastic performance, juggling the many accents featured in the book and making each character distinct. The depth of emotion conveyed in her reading of Eolo is incredible, and her reading for The Strength and Patience is both comforting and terrifying, as a god should be.

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Entertaining, Fun, and Fast Paced

Revisado: 12-20-18

Zero Gravity is definitely geared toward middle-grade readers. It takes an interesting concept and follows through with an exciting if a bit stereotypical cast of characters. The story moves quickly, and each chapter is filled with a dash of humor and action. There are a few times where it leans toward the scientific, pushing itself to explain concepts such as cold welding and air resistance. These scientific theories are necessary for the plot and make for some educational material, but noticeably slowed down the story.

In a time where a lot of middle-grade fiction tries to stretch the genre, this felt a bit narrow in its scope. It was good for a short, entertaining adventure story, but not something that lingers or requires any deeper consideration.

The performance itself was applaudable. The narrator lent emotion to the text, and the individual cast members all performed their parts well.

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Incredible Story and Reading!

Revisado: 11-14-18

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle is a womderously complicated and nuanced story, weaving together themes of intimacy and perspective and questioning what it means to know someone, and why we keep secrets from those we love. This fantastic, spiritual, and seductive tale is masterfully told. Rupert Degas's vocal talent is without peer. The sheer number of distinct voices he conveys is incredible and brings to like Murakami's incredible cast of characters.

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