I read this book at about the same time I dipped into In the Night Garden, and Vellum has given me similar grief for all that it's arranged more directly. Vellum has a simple set of four main characters, but each character is reoriented every few pages. Reynard-as-narrator, Reynard-as-villain, Reynard-as-questing-creator-god. Joey-as-sociopath, Joey-as-angel, Joey-as-Jack's-best-friend. Jack-as-Tom's-lover, Jack-as-manipulative-leader, Jack-as-underling-having-change-of-mind. Tom-called-Puck, who committed suicide, who was murdered, who is running for his life, who leads the reader to a whole new cast of characters. Phreedome, called Inanna, Anna, Ishtar, Tom's sister, Tom's mother, Tom's lover, depending on which story is being told, eluding Jack and Joey, fighting against Reynard, hunting for Tom. Finnan, Phreedom's lover, Phreedom's mentor, Tom's friend, Tom's betrayer, possibly the father of Phreedom's son, the other possibles being Jack or Joey, who raped Phreedome at a god's bequest.

If In the Night Garden is building as helix that loops into a ring, Vellum is a spiral decreasing to a particular point.

What should I rate this? Three stars? Four? This book was riveting, but the ending seems so unfinished. I'm reserving final judgment until I read the sequel. ( )

Vellum is a book that I'd been meaning to read for quite a while. It was always on prominent display in my nearby bookshops and the rough textured cover of the paperback version hinted at a great read.

On one hand this book is rich with cultural references, old legends and a grand scale. On the other hand, it moves back and forth through time and rambles from character to character. After an initially intriguing opening section (which lured me in) the book deteriorated. I gave it the 100 page test (read 100 pages and see how you feel then) and because I don't like giving up on books, it got the 200 page test. Then due to having to wait in a hospital for 2 hours it got to over 300 pages. It was then I realised how many of the seemingly disparate threads in the story were being woven together, but at that point I didn't really care anymore. The non-linear narrative was just too disjointed for me.

The lack of distinct characters in this book, their replacement with overarching characters that transcend time and location is confusing and for me, offputting. It's clear that this is a book into which the author invested a lot of time and research. It's just not for everyone and it's not for me. I definitely won't be picking up the sequel. ( )

This is one of those rare books that I could not finish. The story line bumps rapidly. The characters are not well developed. I really wanted to like this book. The prologue grabbed my attention. After that, I read the first 5 chapters and then began skimming to halfway through before I finally gave up. This book is too dark and graphic for my tastes and I cut my teeth on Stephen King. ( )

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1050982.ht...

It was tough work - this is not light reading - but I found it unusually rewarding for such an ambitious book. The plot doesn't really resolve - I may even get the sequel to find out if it does - but I really admired Duncan's delicate handling of linguistics and culture. So many authors get the language thing partly (Stephen Baxter) or completely (Robert Jordan) wrong; but Duncan does have an ear for words and how they may change and re-form over the centuries. Likewise, I was impressed with his confident handling of MacLean's Socialist Glasgow, revolutionary Dublin and the southern Caucasus - not quite at expert level in the latter two cases, but at least free of obvious howlers and successfully engaging my interest to keep me reading.

And I love the basic concept of the Book - indeed, my most serious complaint is that the book wanders away from the Book at the end. No doubt this is resolved to a certain extent in the sequel.

Anyway, a fascinating, rewarding read. ( )

Beautifully crafted sentences pull you through what is almost an impelling premise. Unfortunatley the plot is shattered across the ages and the characters aren't ones you care about either way... ultimately this book falls short of what seems like a good idea. ( )