Tender Morsels

Couldn't get past the first 50 pages - dull and depressing. Even when cheered upa bit it was still dull, and you knew even more depressing stuff was bound to come up in the next 400-odd pages. Din't finish. Tiptree shortlist 2008 ( )

I surfaced from this book this afternoon and have been unable to shake the sounds of it from my brain. One of the most vivid things for me about this story is the muscular way Lanagan uses language. There's so much that can be done with sheer force of words, and Lanagan plumbs those depths with skill and agility.

There are so many levels to this story, and so much happening below the surface that it's hard to muster any response beyond sheer slack-jawed appreciation. The worlds are all richly imagined, both inner and outer, real and dreamt, for all that none of them are at all comfortable, none of them are safe.

The core of the book -the heart of it- beats with that lack of safety, lack of control and it's infused with rage and bitterness and somehow manages to be a hopeful and redemptive tale. So well done it's merciless.

Highly recommended, but beware of darkness. ( )

A great book, don't get me wrong, but there's no way teens in my library would read this without it being forced upon them. It's well-written and the world building is tight, but it's also brutal, challenging, and kinda icky in places. I can't believe this was really intended for a YA audience. ( )

by Margo Lanagan

I read the first part of this book in a kind of horrified fascination. I couldn't believe that things could possibly get any worse for Liga, and then they did. So, this book is not for the faint of heart. Really, truly. It's like Deerskin, both content-wise and in the "I'm sure it's good for me to read this but it'll be once and then never again" reaction.

If you can make it through the content, which is not explicitly described but which may be all the more awful because of that, it's a beautifully written book which really delves into some deep questions. How do we respond to pain? How do we deal with the people we came from? How can we go on living when we find out things that are really, really, really awful? The weakest part for me was the character of Collaby Dought. His character wasn't terribly well delineated and he seemed to be there because the original story called for him and because he provided a plot function. In particular, the switch between his narrating voice and his interactions with Branza and Urdda just didn't ring true for me.

Tender Morsels is based on "Snow White and Rose Red," but it is quite a bit darker than the original (although I will say, on behalf of all dark-haired people how annoyed I always was that Snow White got to marry the prince and Rose Red just got the prince's brother). Again, if you're at all ticklish about content, this may not be the story for you. But if you think you can manage it, I think you'll find this an ultimately rewarding and oddly hopeful story.

Obligatory cover discussion: I can't decide which one I like better. The top one works so well on so many levels, but I do like the muted colors in the second one. Thoughts?

Book source: Portland State University ( )

by Margo Lanagan

I read the first part of this book in a kind of horrified fascination. I couldn't believe that things could possibly get any worse for Liga, and then they did. So, this book is not for the faint of heart. Really, truly. It's like Deerskin, both content-wise and in the "I'm sure it's good for me to read this but it'll be once and then never again" reaction.

If you can make it through the content, which is not explicitly described but which may be all the more awful because of that, it's a beautifully written book which really delves into some deep questions. How do we respond to pain? How do we deal with the people we came from? How can we go on living when we find out things that are really, really, really awful? The weakest part for me was the character of Collaby Dought. His character wasn't terribly well delineated and he seemed to be there because the original story called for him and because he provided a plot function. In particular, the switch between his narrating voice and his interactions with Branza and Urdda just didn't ring true for me.

Tender Morsels is based on "Snow White and Rose Red," but it is quite a bit darker than the original (although I will say, on behalf of all dark-haired people how annoyed I always was that Snow White got to marry the prince and Rose Red just got the prince's brother). Again, if you're at all ticklish about content, this may not be the story for you. But if you think you can manage it, I think you'll find this an ultimately rewarding and oddly hopeful story.

Obligatory cover discussion: I can't decide which one I like better. The top one works so well on so many levels, but I do like the muted colors in the second one. Thoughts?

Book source: Portland State University ( )