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Loading... Among Others (edition 2012)by Jo Walton
Work InformationAmong Others by Jo Walton
  
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 daplz | Apr 7, 2024 |    ) EllieBhurrut | Jan 24, 2024 | Later... Okay, that sentiment pretty much stuck with me through the whole book. Having been a science fiction-loving teen-ager in 1980 (when this story is set), there are so many nostalgic moments when Morwenna mentions the books she's reading. But just as engrossing is her personal tale, told through her diary entries. But I have to say (without getting too spoilery) the climax feels under-written. It is abrupt and not described in the same detail as the rest of the book. So in that regard, I feel a little cheated. But I still do not hesitate for a second to recommend this book. Update 20180822, Audiobook edition. The audiobook is bril. As it is a first-person narration, the reader performs in a heavy Welsh accent. This may put some people off, but I found it brought the whole thing to vivid life. Still highly recommended. (  ) Treebeard_404 | Jan 23, 2024 | ) mslibrarynerd | Jan 13, 2024 |  ) ntietz | Dec 28, 2023 |
 As [Mori] tries to come to terms with her sister’s death through both books and fairy magic, the novel assumes true emotional resonance.  There are really two points where the success of the novel as what it is make it fail to connect with me. The first has to do with the books. It's written in the form of a diary, and the form and voice are spot-on. But part of getting the diary form right is that it doesn't provide much in the way of information about the many books that Mori reads in the course of the novel-- you wouldn't expect a teenager with a lot on her mind to do a detailed plot summary of everything she read, after all. This is no big deal as long as you recognize the references to authors and titles. But if you don't-- and there are a lot of books mentioned that I know about but either haven't read or do not recall fondly-- a lot of significance is lost. The titles sort of flash by as blank spots in the narrative, a kind of "This Cultural Reference Intentionally Left Blank" effect that ends up being a little off-putting. Among Others is many things – a fully realized boarding-school tale, a literary memoir, a touching yet unsentimental portrait of a troubled family – but there’s something particularly appealing about a fantasy which not only celebrates the joy of reading, but in which the heroine must face the forces of doom not in order to return yet another ring to some mountain, but to plan a trip to the 1980 Glasgow Eastercon. That’s the sort of book you can love.  But, just as the magic, it's a peculiar, unique book. I've read most of Walton's fiction. I like this best, but in some ways it's the least structurally certain of her works; I think the magic that's so subtle it's deniable at the start of the book fails to maintain that quirky quality at its end—and I understand why, but still found it jarring. Regardless, there's a deep beauty to this book that feels so entirely real I'm grateful for its existence, for the fact that I could read it, and for the way it now graces my own internal library. This isn't a traditional fantasy, by any means. But it's a smart, heartfelt novel, with a strong, likable narrator, and many touchstones in terms of other books that will resonate for us, depending on how we felt/feel about those books. It has also jumped right into my short list of favorite books ever, and it's one that I plan to reread more than once. Is abridged inAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Fiction.
Science Fiction.
It doesn't matter. I have books, new books, and I can bear anything as long as there are books.' Fifteen-year-old Morwenna lives in Wales with her twin sister and a mother who spins dark magic for ill. One day, Mori and her mother fight a powerful, magical battle that kills her sister and leaves Mori crippled. Devastated, Mori flees to her long-lost father in England. Adrift, outcast at boarding school, Mori retreats into the worlds she knows best: her magic and her books. She works a spell to meet kindred souls and continues to devour every fantasy and science fiction novel she can lay her hands on. But danger lurks... She knows her mother is looking for her and that when she finds her, there will be no escape. No library descriptions found. 
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.97)
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Jo Walton's Among Others
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But. If you're interested, do give it a look. The world Walton creates is complex, the characters are very human (and non-human), and it name-checks a host of classic SF and fantasy. I suppose it's just not my flavor right now. (