Once I've written about 'The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina', concluding that copying the Marquez/Allende-like style in a magical realism novel isn't enough to make it good. Now I'm going to write about a 2010 novel by the Jamaican writer Kei Miller, 'The Last Warner Woman'. If someone asked me how to do magical realism, I'd … Continue reading When Magical Realism Works: “The Last Warner Woman”
Tag: speculative fiction
‘Utopia Avenue’
Out of four novels of David Mitchell I've read so far, this is the best one. It's witty and touching, and, unlike his other novels, it never gets boring in the middle. It's a story about the 1960s and a fictional British band, Utopia Avenue. Elizabeth 'Elf' Holloway, Dean Moss, Jasper de Zoet, and Griff, … Continue reading ‘Utopia Avenue’
When Magical Realism Doesn’t Work: ‘The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina’
There are subgenres known not only for their tropes, but for their style too. When 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' became the most famous novel of magical realism, certain expectations appeared as well. A magical realism novel was to have a rich, clear style that still gave the reader a space to judge the characters … Continue reading When Magical Realism Doesn’t Work: ‘The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina’
Why I Stopped Reading the ‘Dune’ Series
So, the 'Dune' series is one of the most famous sequences in science fiction: a family saga, a space opera, an epic vision of distant future. The original six books by Frank Herbert were published from the sixties to the eighties, then to be continued by his son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Well, … Continue reading Why I Stopped Reading the ‘Dune’ Series
‘The Book of the New Sun’: Last Two Novels
In my review of the first two books in the 'Book of the New Sun' tetralogy by Gene Wolfe I wrote that they were books written beautifully but without much substance. Overall, I can tell the same about, like, three-fourth of the cycle? Because in the third book, almost nothing happens, except that Severian, our … Continue reading ‘The Book of the New Sun’: Last Two Novels
The Caraval Series and Limitations of YA
So, I've just read the 'Caraval' trilogy by Stephanie Garber, and while I don't think it's a bad series, I'm not impressed either; and I can say literally the same about most YA series. I wonder why it happens to me so often, and I'll try to explain why. So, the Caraval trilogy is a … Continue reading The Caraval Series and Limitations of YA
‘Fairy Tale’ by Stephen King
A fairy-tale which wasn't so fairy, and if it wasn't, the dark retelling trope wasn't the reason for that, sadly. There is something missing in this newest book by King in comparison with his old novels. And there is something missing in comparison with other contemporary fantasy books, overall. Because there are authors who may … Continue reading ‘Fairy Tale’ by Stephen King
The Uncanny Cornwall of Daphne du Maurier
So far, I've read only three novels by Daphne du Maurier: 'Rebecca', 'Jamaica', and 'My cousin Rachel'. Each of them was gripping in its own way, and each of them depicted its characters and settings very vividly. I can see now why they are classics. And I can see why so many people see them … Continue reading The Uncanny Cornwall of Daphne du Maurier
‘The Book of the New Sun’: First Two Novels
I love 'Viriconium'. I love the Dying Earth genre. But reading the initial two parts of 'The Book of the New Sun', 'The Shadow of the Torturer' and 'The Claw of the Reconciliator' by Gene Wolfe made me aware that I might like more the aura than the actual content. Robin Hobb is known for … Continue reading ‘The Book of the New Sun’: First Two Novels
Speculative Fiction Authors I’ve Changed My Mind About
Over months, or maybe over years, I've been trying to listen. I've been trying to learn. I realized that sometimes, you need to look at somebody's set of works time-wise; because how they describe certain things can change too. Sometimes, having read other authors, you may appreciate that this one has made an actual effort … Continue reading Speculative Fiction Authors I’ve Changed My Mind About
Left Hand of Fiction 