Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... Grish Mèreby Isabelle Bauthian
None Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. no reviews | add a review
No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNone
Google Books — Loading... GenresRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
How the series is set up so far, see also the page on the website of Éditions ActuSF:
01) Anasterry (2016, reissue in 2018)
02) Grish-Mère (2018, reissue in 2021)
03) Montès (2021, reissue in 2023?)
04) Landor/Capitale? (strike out what does not apply) (2023? Reissue in 2025?)
05) Capitale/Landor? (strike out what does not apply) (2025? Reissue in 2027?)
Each volume can be read independently, as has been confirmed in other reviews and by the author herself, last in this Facebook Live event (1st April, 2021; not an April Fool's ;-)). She explicitly said that she's written the stories so that you needn't worry about not having read the other ones.
Other presentations (mainly focused on 'Grish-Mère') can be found on YouTube: here and here.
However, each story does have a handful of characters featured in one or more of the other books. Luckily and for the sake of clarity, each book contains a list of characters, their home-bases, their functions and possible family ties.
----------
In this second part of the series, we follow a factotum(*), a servant in service of Lord Réor. The factotum's name is Sylve Cabron. Born, raised and educated in Landor, he was sent at a young age to a special school for factotums in Landor to learn the craft. It's also in Landor that he will be in service of Lord Réor (on a side-note, this name reminded me of the god Reorx in the series Dragonlance). Whilst on duty, protecting Lord Réor's property, an important relic was stolen right under his nose. Whodunit? Loquet, Braon of rascals (Baron des malandrins). Loquet also uses a different identity to remain under the radar.
(*) Factotums are servants, all knowledgeable and can handle anything, from cooking to defending one's home from intruders. Obviously, as they've been trained to handle all those skills.
Of course, as his function demands, this crime must be solved, the relic must be returned to its proper owner. Only, it's Sylve himself who's suspected of having committed the crime. So he decides to go on an investigation to wash himself clean of all suspicion and accusations. Correction: He flees to avoid persecution by his school's leading factotum, Mrs Indulgence. His flight will lead him to the barony of Grish-Mère, where his life will be turned upside-down, whilst trying to trace Loquet.
Grish-Mère is a matriarchal/matrilineal society, led by women, men have no place there, unless in subordinate roles. Women decide the rules and regulations, which, as you can imagine, are different (or are they?) from those in patriarchal civilisations. As powerful and responsible Sylve is in Landor, his political power is of no use there. Furthermore, as Grish-Mère is unknown territory for Sylve, he will find out the hard way that one can't just go to another barony and exert one's influence like at home. One of the most powerful guilds in Grish-Mère, that of the grocers, will be his employer for the time being. Or rather, Sylve will be their prisoner.
Sylve will be the toy of the guild (
Especially Thélban, leader of the guild and grand manipulator, will make sure Sylve does as he's told. Even if Céleste, Thélban's sister, and Constance (his wife) will stand by Sylve or even keep him from going astray. Furthermore, Thélban has several tricks up his sleeve (
While Sylve was trained in the arts of service, his proper convictions surface and resurface time and again. While his locution is flawless, impeccable, his thoughts couldn't be more contrary: vulgar, insulting, racist. I have to admit that I had some trouble with this. Sure, in the context of the story and considering his agricultural background, I can perfectly understand this decision, but like in real life, such language does become aggravating, not to say irritating. This sort of vocabulary shows no desire to show respect or understand the other or even preserve one's own image. In this way, Sylve is being hypocretical. However, along the way, he'll have to realise that his behaviour needs revising if he's to survive his personal mission.
On the other hand, through his education and training, he had to memorise various encyclopaedia on his country's baronies, the distinct customs and uses, populations, legends and myths, ... It's with such snippets - Sylve recalling specific information on Grish-Mère's history and traditions - that the world is described in greater detail.
There's also some love in the air and quite some liberties, too, even if one is married. At least, when one is head of the Grocers' Guild.
When all is said and done, Sylve will have proven his worth for the Grocers' Guild (at a high cost), but a return to his former life is out of the question. Let's not forget that his school's mistress (Lady Indulgence) had been waiting to punish Sylve for the crime he was accused of, but didn't commit. That problem would then also be dealt with, once and for all.
----------
'Grish-Mère', part 2 of 'Les Rhéteurs', is my first proper encounter with Isabelle Bauthian's writing. I was reluctant when 'Anasterry' came out, because a classic setting was not what I was looking for at the time.
With the publishing of book three, 'Montès', earlier in 2021, came the pocket reissue of the previous book. A clear incentive to finally take the plunge, not in the least because each novel is indeed stand-alone, requires no foreknowledge of the other books.
Grish-Mère is a barony where women are in command, it's a matriarchal society, female-dominated, whereas our real world is largely male-dominated. This is one of the themes and issues that Mrs Bauthian wished to address in this book. What if the world was more just towards women? How do men fit in? Which rights to they have? Which roles are they to fulfil? The focus lies of course on Sylve's quest to retrieve his master's relic, something that requires overcoming various large hurdles, not in the least the ability to adapt to unknown circumstances.
As recent developments have shown, the role of women in various aspects of society remains an important topic. Books like this one are therefore an ideal gateway to open up discussions to find ways to improve the world in that domain. If, on the other hand, you only want to read an exciting story, then 'Grish-Mère' will provide what you are after or seeking to read. On a personal note, my interest in 'Anasterry' (a utopic society) and 'Montès' (a militaristic society) has been sparked.
----------
I do have some (subjective or objective, according to your own views) remarks:
* The writing style is not everywhere equally accessible. Mainly the use of old, if not ancient, vocabulary can disrupt the reading. Luckily there are sources like the excellent Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales (CNRTL - website, HIGHLY recommended!) to look up the definitions in various dictionaries. As you know (or don't), I love languages and understand that such vocabulary was (and needed to be) used for the character of Sylve. But if French is not your mother tongue, then keep that or another relevant website or dictionary close-by.
Some of those old words: pedzouille, pécore, gonze(sse), daron(ne), chevaleresse, tartouze, ...
* No one has eyes, they have 'mirettes'. Unfortunately, no synonymes (like 'coquillards') were used, so your 'mirettes' will come across 'mirettes' often enough.
* You in French can be 'tu' (singular) and 'vous' (either singular - and polite - or plural, depending on the context). However, not each polite address is done with 'vous'. Either a contextually deliberate choice or maybe a tad of negligence? Towards the end of the book, Sylve is suddenly addressed with 'vous', not 'tu'. Why the change?
----------
I was sent this book by Éditions ActuSF for review. Many thanks to them for the trust. ( )