A fun competition of thieves and con(wo)men made less fun by a less-than-luke warm romantic sub-plot and a rather odd revelation about Locke's past.A fun competition of thieves and con(wo)men made less fun by a less-than-luke warm romantic sub-plot and a rather odd revelation about Locke's past....more
'"I will not be your weakness, Sean Kendrick." Now he looks at me. He says, very softly, "It's late for that, Puck."'
This book was BEAUTIFUL. A story
'"I will not be your weakness, Sean Kendrick." Now he looks at me. He says, very softly, "It's late for that, Puck."'
This book was BEAUTIFUL. A story about belonging, it felt like autumn - all deep warmth and grey skies. If I ever write anything half so poignant and poetic, I'll be pleased.
The Scorpio Races introduces Puck (or Kate), an orphaned teenage girl who lives on Thisby Island with her brothers, Finn and Gabe. When Gabe announces he's leaving for the mainland, Puck latches on to the first thing she can think of to make him stay, racing in the Scorpio Races. Competing on capaill uisce (pronounced CAP-al ISH-ka), murderous horse-like creatures that come from the sea, the race is dangerous and winning, when up against four-time champion, Sean Kendrick, unlikely. But even as the stakes rise, a bond develops between Puck and Sean and maybe, together, they can achieve what they never could've managed alone.
Whilst the plot is exciting, it's the writing that makes this book. At times, I found myself stopping and savouring a phrase, wallowing in its beauty and perfection. At other times, I'd just sit and soak up the feelings it evoked: the warm humour or the heart ache. And part of that heart ache comes from the ability to empathise with both parties: Puck who loves the island and never wants to leave, and Gabe who feels smothered by the island and can't wait to go; Puck who needs to win so she can keep her home, and Sean who needs to win so that he can keep his horse. I genuinely didn't know if Puck would end up winning the race because it didn't matter, the book was about so much more than that. It's about finding one's place in the world, learning what's important and hanging on to those things no matter what.
"When the races are about proving something about yourself to others, the people you beat are as important as the horse you ride."
Most amazing to me is Stiefvater's ability to make a fantastical story realistic, to understate and yet tell a compelling tale. Puck doesn't set out to conquer the world, or even win the race, she simply decides to take part. She's not a crusader for women's rights, and yet she stands, quiet and determined, when others might fear to. Most would have had Puck finding the biggest, baddest capaill uisce and training herself into the ground. Instead, Stiefvater has her watch and analyse and use what she knows. Less glorious perhaps, but likely more effective.
Looking online, you'll find numerous threads debating the contextual details of the story, many of which Stiefvater omits. The term capaill uisce is Irish for water horse, so I imagined Thisby Island off the west coast of Ireland, though we're never explicitly told this. A comment about the Suffragettes would suggest it's set in the early 20th century, though the story has a rather timeless feel to it. More contentious is Puck's age. We know she's six years younger than Gabe but Gabe could be anywhere from 18 to 24. My gut said 16 but many would swear younger. Finn I imagined exactly like SJ from The Blind Side, though, from comments about the fuzz coming through on his face, he's probably older. Sean, at least, we know is 19.
I would recommend this book to almost everyone. It's got something for the thrill-seeks and something for the contemplative souls, a little romance but nothing too gauche. It's beautiful and thought provoking and real, despite its mythical water horses. Go find yourself a copy and enjoy as the weather turns colder and the skies go grey.
Augur Yorbel, will you please inform the Emperor to be that his prize racer will only run for one rider.
WHAT an awesome read. I loved this book. It's
Augur Yorbel, will you please inform the Emperor to be that his prize racer will only run for one rider.
WHAT an awesome read. I loved this book. It's got monster racing, alpha-females, sweet princes, political intrigue and family drama, what's not to love.
Tamra is a kehok racing trainer. A former racer herself, she's familiar with the huge monsters, a mishmash of animals parts host to the souls of the worst of human society in their former lives. I must admit, I was sceptical of this reincarnation at first. I figured that it was something made up by the Augurs to keep the populace in line and that this revelation would drive the plot. Not so; it seems in Becar souls genuinely are reborn into new bodies, human, animal or kehok. (view spoiler)[I don't imagine it comes as a huge surprise to anyone that it's Dar's brother, the late Emperor Zarin, residing in the lion. That said, I couldn't figure out how or why until much further along. (hide spoiler)]
Controlled through a psychic link, kehoks require rock-solid concentration and unflagging determination. Slip for a moment and it'll be your life, and probably the lives of those around you, too. But the kehok races bring in big money, and Tamra needs money. Tamra's daughter, Shalla, has been found worthy by the Augurs - morally-incorruptible, priest-like men and women who read auras and guide souls toward virtue and salvation - and if Tamra can't pay her tuition, they'll take Shalla to live in the Temple.
Raia also needs money. Seventeen and living on the streets to escape an arranged marriage, kehok racing seems the only way for Raia to make the money she needs to pay off her parents. Tamra, short on funds for a proven kehok and rider, and seeing Raia's inner strength, agrees to take her on, along with a freshly-caught metallic kehok lion. With only a few weeks until the qualifying races, the challenge is on to get Raia and the lion ready, and the stakes are rising.
Whilst the first half of the book focuses on the training and the races, the last half of the book moves into more political waters and there are plots within plots. Toward the end, success seems impossible - as it should in any good book. We are, at least, reasonably sure of our friends (view spoiler)[- the betrayals by Lady Nori and High Augar Gissa not hugely surprising. (hide spoiler)]
Tamra is relentlessly determined and quite cynical, though pleasantly free of the usual chip on her shoulder. She is kind to those who deserve it, and not unnecessarily cruel to those that don't, the kehoks for example. Meanwhile, Raia lacks confidence initially, but this soon grows with Tamra's unwavering belief and affection and her growing bond with the lion. (view spoiler)[
He'll hurt me if I let him. Then she heard in her head, as clearly as her own thoughts, a gravely male voice she'd never heard before: "I will not let him".
(hide spoiler)] Lady Evara, their patron, was delightfully complicated; Prince Dar, kind and humble but sad and lonely; and Yorbel everything we would wish for in an Augur. It only occurs to me now quite how female-heavy the cast is!
All in all, a fabulous story about determination and control. I was sad that (view spoiler)[Zarin couldn't return to human form but also secretly thrilled that the three of them, Dar, Raia and Zarin could go off into the sunset together. (hide spoiler)] I'll be looking for more Sarah Beth Durst to read now, and probably moving the The Scorpio Races up my to-read pile.
This book is probably best described as a mix between a giant escape room and the plot to And Then There Were None, with a dash of Red Rising thrown iThis book is probably best described as a mix between a giant escape room and the plot to And Then There Were None, with a dash of Red Rising thrown in. Odd doesn't quite cut it. Part of this oddness comes from the unusual blend of sci-fi and fantasy: (necromantic) magic and space. Actually, I think the book would have been much better as pure fantasy - ie. set in a fictional world rather than in space - as I don't think the space added anything to the story, but perhaps its role will be revealed in the next book.
It took me a little while to get into Gideon the Ninth (a third). There's a lot of new elements to come to grips with - including a magic system unlike anything I've ever read before - and a lot of aimless wandering while Gideon, like us, tries to figure out what the heck is going on. That said, the beginning was still surprisingly readable and the rest of the book was well worth me pushing on.
I loved the love-hate relationship between Harrow and Gideon. Their banter made me laugh and their budding friendship warmed my heart.
'“Harrow,” said Gideon, finding her tongue, “don’t say these things to me. I still have a million reasons to be mad at you. It’s hard to do that and worry that you got brain injured.” “I’m merely saying you’re an incredible swordswoman,” said the necromancer briskly. “You’re still a dreadful human being.”'
'"Thanks for backing me up, my midnight hagette," said Gideon, placing her back down. Harrow had not struggled, but gone limp, like a prey animal feigning death. She had the same glassy thousand-yard stare and stilled breathing. Gideon belatedly wished to be exploded, but reminded herself to act cool. "I appreciate it, my crepuscular queen. It was good. You were good."'
"I have tried to dismantle you, Gideon Nav! The Ninth House poisoned you, we proud you underfoot - I took you to this killing field as my slave - you refuse to die, and you pity me! Strike me down. You've won. I've lived my whole wretched life at your mercy, yours alone, and God knows I deserve to die at your hand. You are my only friend. I am undone without you."
Unsure about the trustworthiness of the other characters, I spent most of my time liking them but trying not to like them too much in case they did something shitty. I had my suspicions - some founded (view spoiler)[like Ianthe and Dulcinea (hide spoiler)] and some not (view spoiler)[like Silas and Judith (hide spoiler)]. But overall the characters were developed nicely and had depth to them. I look forward to seeing more of Harrow and the Emperor in the next book.
Gideon the Ninth is most definitely a Young Adult book - the speech in particular was at times painfully juvenile - and I would be selective about who I recommended it to. But I would recommend it. It wasn't perfect, but it was a novel and enjoyable story....more
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