Spinning Silver

Before I get to reviewing Naomi Novik’s Spinning Silver, I thought I’d share an anecdote. When I was in middle school, our chorus teacher asked me to try out for the state choir. Part of this, I’m sure, was just because my voice had changed early and I could produce a strong baritone/bass which for […]

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Book Review: Grey Sister

  I really like Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor series so far. The world building and the blend of dystopic sf with its religious/political backdrop is well done. Possibly because Lawrence never lets ideas take dominance over the characters themselves. Grey Sister is more of a split narrative than Red Sister. The story tracks […]

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Book Review: The Broken Kingdom

Strangely, I’ve been alternating Jemisin’s Inheritance trilogy with Pullman’s Golden Compass/Dark Materials… and it works. There is something interesting about how both deal with spirituality, the impact of the unknown on our lives, and dust… though Jemisin’s dust in Broken Kingdoms takes the form of charcoal, conte crayon, paint, and eventually dried blood. Still, there’s […]

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