Review: Moomin and the Sea

Moomin and the Sea by Tove Jansson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As much as I love Tuve Jansson and everything about Moomins, those comics looked much better in black and white and in bigger books, but that's only my opinion. Though as a way to spread this cultural phenomena this might work (I asked around and the vast majority of Americans I talked with never heard of Moomins!) My public library in Iowa bought two of those little books.

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Review: La Belle Sauvage

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's hard to believe, but I've been waiting for this book for almost 15 (!!!) years. This is how long ago Philip Pullman announced he'll be writing it. I happened to be reading His Dark Materials at the time and was sooo excited by the news. When a few months ago I noticed that it's almost here, I almost stopped reading altogether - I just couldn't read anything else! Did it deliver? Yes and no.

First of all, yes, it's expertly written. Better than anything I read lately. Every sentence is packed with several layers of meaning, there are no redundancies, nothing to spare. The language is crisp, clear (and made me look into a dictionary a few times). And whatever the description might say, this is NOT a fantasy book. If it's read like a fantasy book only, it doesn't make any sense. The plot alone is not enough support this construct. It's much better read as a philosophical work.

Still, one of my huge problems with the book was about the plot more or less, or specifically, Lyra herself. The book starts when she's about 6 months old and ends two months later. And all this time the only thing she does is lay on her back like a sack and smile. Yeah. Really? How long it's been since Philip Pullman actually saw an 8-months-old?! They absolutely would not be swaddled day in and day out, doing only eating, shitting, and sleeping with some breaks for baby talk. Maybe a teenage reader would notice, maybe not, but for me it was a big drawback.

And as always, I find myself disagreeing with Pullman's philosophy (theology?), but it certainly doesn't prevent me from enjoying La Belle Sauvage.

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Review: Fortunately, the Milk

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

That is brilliant! I think it's the best of Neil Gaiman's books with the best possible for it illustrations.

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Review: The Way of Kings

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Just an idle comment, nothing more. My comments are often idle. I never can get them to do any solid work." That was intense reading. And by intense I mean having to race against the deadline and trying to finish the first two books in the series before the third one is published. Well, I haven't failed yet, but considering I have one week left and the whole second book, it's safe to assume I won't make it. In any case, 2.5 weeks for a 1000+ pages "monstrosity" (author's definition, not mine) is a new record for me. However, I'm not sure it had to be that long. The pace is acceptable, the reading is interesting, but why exactly it had to be that wordy, I don't understand. Was it something particular we needed to see there? There were also quite a few instances of using a technique I don't appreciate. Some event is mentioned over and over, without any details. The readers are given bits and hints, while the characters know exactly what happened. By the end of the book, we still don't know where Shallan comes from. We are hinted at what happened to Kaladin's brother at the very beginning, but frankly, when I reached the detailed account on page 920 I no longer cared. Though I have to admit that the last 100 pages I couldn't resist and read only the dialogs, I became so excited. And then had to start them over and read carefully. And then came a massive blow - a huge cliffhanger. Turns out those 1000+ pages were just an introduction!! I suspect we won't see even the culmination any time soon. All in all, interesting, entertaining, expertly written, but not quite epic yet.

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