Corambis

Summary: Exiled from Melusine, Felix and Mildmay must now make their way to the Convocation of Corambis, a group of wizards in a far north country, to have them pass judgment on Felix’s crimes. As Felix and Mildmay struggle to make new lives for themselves, a rebel margrave named Kay fights against Corambis to win freedom for his country.

Review: I thought I would go crazy if I didn’t get to see the end of the Doctrine of Labyrinths. Now that I’m done reading the last book, I have to say that it’s been a long, thoroughly enjoyable ride. Corambis does not disappoint. By taking Felix and Mildmay away from Melusine and the Mirador, it strips the series back to its basics: Felix and Mildmay, their internal struggles, and their show more dysfunctional relationship. These are the bits that I like best. It was satisfying to see Felix and Mildmay interact on a regular basis, something I had sort of missed in The Mirador.

Mildmay, oh Mildmay. What can I say about you that I have not said in other reviews? I could read a book about you herding llamas all day.

Fortunately Sarah Monette gives you a better plot than that. I liked the slow, almost domestic, themes that occupied the first part of Corambis as Felix and Mildmay make their way to Corambis and then try to put their lives together. I like seeing how they worry about money, their future, and their past. I also liked Kay, which surprised me. I’d thought the addition of a new POV character in the last book of the series would only detract from what I was there for, but I was wrong. I looked forward to reading about Kay as much as I did Felix and Mildmay.

If I do have one complaint it’s that the engine of Summerdown, which was so intriguing at the beginning, doesn’t become a big part of the story until the last few chapters, and by then it feels rushed. I would have liked to have seen more of that.

Conclusion: A worthy, enthralling end to one of my favourite series. show less

I was sad to read that this is the last of a 4-book series. Here's hoping Sarah Monette changes her mind! This last one had some great new cultures, levels of technology, and vocabulary that marked the country Mildmay and Felix traveled to. Sarah Monette has a real talent for making the story of people traveling to different cultures feel genuine. Her writing makes the invention of different societies, religions, magical practices all seem effortless.
As far as downsides go, I would have liked more Mildmay chapters. His voice is my favorite, and the believable change in voice when she changes narratives is another of Monette's considerable talents. I also would have preferred a less graphic description of what is probably the most show more violent scene in the series (and I'm no sissy). Despite that, I loved this series, and the characters of Mildmay the Fox and Feliz Harrowgate will stay with me for a long time. show less

It's always a bit hard to finish a series that you've fallen in love with--and I do assume that this one is done, although it does feel that the door might have been left just slightly open, things are very satisfactorily concluded. The unwinding of the master plot in this last volume is masterful and interesting, and the parallel development of the two brothers--both their relationship and their inner selves--balances and complements. It's just great. I can accept the violence of the first book and a half because of where Monette goes with it. Highly recommended unless you really really loathe violence. **** 1/2 for the series as a whole.

This book is the last book in the Doctrine of Labyrinths series, and it is quite well-done. I love the characters and the story as much as I did in the earlier books. It's been a while since I read the earlier books so I had a bit of a hard time remembering what had already happened, but Monette did a good job of, naturally through the character conversations and internal monologues, reminding me of what happened in previous books that I never felt confused. As always, Monette nails the voices of the narrators, and weaves in lots of delightful backstory.

It was very satisfying that the characters continued their emotional journeys, and they really grew a lot over the course of this book. There were times in the earlier books that I show more wanted to just smack them and say, "stop being idiots", and it was almost a physical relief to have them develop the way I wanted them to do (but, and let me emphasize - completely within character. It didn't feel like they were being rushed to those places just to conclude the books).

One thing that impressed me about this book that didn't come up in earlier books: there is a new first-person narrator, who goes blind in the beginning of the book. (Not a spoiler - it's seriously in the first few pages.) The books are told alternating between the first-person narrators, and there was one moment when I realized that, as I switched from the blind narrator to one of the others, I truly felt physically relieved, like blinders had been lifted from my eyes. I felt like I could see again after having been blinded myself. It was a fascinating moment to experience, all the more so because obviously I was using those very eyes to read the book. That should give an indication of how well Monette writes the POV, and just how deep she pulls you into her world and her characters.

If you like brilliant world-creation, compelling characters, and lots of fascinating backstory - read this series. show less

Plot: Felix Harrowgate has been exiled to be tried by the sorcerers in Corambis, a city so far away he and his brother Mildmay can’t even find a map to lead them there. But things aren’t any more peaceful in this faraway land than they had been at home. A dethroned prince set off a mechanical beast to reclaim his throne and died in the process. Of the entire expedition, only his close friend and adviser, Kay Brightmore survived, though blinded. Unknowingly, they have awoken an ancient power that once destroyed a civilization and may do so again. Felix and Mildmay must help Kay stop the destruction that he set into motion.

We’re told not to judge a book by its cover but we do all the time. We can’t help it. The cover is our first show more impression of a book, it gives us a sense of genre and tone. The Doctrine of Labyrinths (of which Corambis is the 4th book) is an example of a brilliant fantasy series spoiled by inappropriate covers. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t bad covers but they give entirely the wrong impression. These are complex, psychological and political fantasies presented as romances. Romance readers will be mostly disappointed and the intended audience may never pick the books up. I almost didn’t and I would have regretted it. Volume 2, The Virtu, is already out of print so if you get an opportunity to read this series, take it.

Monette writes amazing characters. Corambis is told from the point of view of Felix, Mildmay and Kay and each narration is distinct. You can tell who is speaking without even being told (though you are told) because each character’s voice and personality is so well developed and defined. These are almost real people to me. And like real people they are complex and conflicted, they have motivations for what they do and they make mistakes. And you don’t always like them but you love to read about them. Meanwhile the story is complex and interesting; I couldn’t put the book down until the ending which was both satisfying and appropriate. show less

The fourth and final volume of Sarah Monette's brilliant DOCTRINE OF LABYRINTHS.

The more I think about this book, the more I like it. It affected me so deeply that I want to burst out crying whenever I so much as think of certain scenes. I miss it now that it's over. I miss the characters and their world and the promise of more to come. This series will stay with me for a long, long time.

In many ways, THE MIRADOR was Mildmay's show. He shared the limelight with Mehitabel, but he was the one who really confronted his demons and came to terms with his past. CORAMBIS, in contrast, belongs to Felix. I'm not one of the (apparently scads of) Felix-haters out there. Mildmay's my favourite, but I do love Felix, too. I understand where he's show more coming from, and I think Monette's done some wonderful thing with his character. He's very much a product of his past. It's always irked me, though, that he doesn't try harder.

This whole damned book is Felix trying, and it's a hell of a struggle for him. It's often painful to read. But there are also moments where everything just clicks into place so well that I burst out crying at the sheer beauty of it all.

I won't say more than that because I don't want to ruin the book for you. God, do I ever not want to ruin the book for you. Suffice it to say that I was pleased with Felix's emotional journey. I think Monette hit it spot on.

There were a couple of things that didn't quite work for me, though. First and foremost: I missed Mehitabel and I missed Mildmay. I know Mehitabel's absence was unavoidable, but that didn't keep me from pining away for her. Mildmay is there, but he doesn't narrate too much throughout the first half of the book. There are reasons for this - really good reasons - but again: it didn't keep me from missing him. I was worried that he'd fade into the background, as Felix did in THE MIRADOR, and I was glad to see him reemerge throughout the second half.

Then there was the setting. I'm a visual reader, and I was head over heels in love with Melusine's atmosphere. It wasn't a pleasant place, by any means, but I found it a comfortable sort of uncomfortable. It was dark and deep and a pleasure to get lost in. It was exactly the sort of setting I like best. Corambis, in contrast, is bright and cold and mechanical. It feels much more conservative. Everyone dresses in subdued colours. Homosexual love is reviled. Women are considered lesser beings. It does have its good points, (it's steampunky!), and I'm sure I'd have loved it if I'd discovered it all by itself in a stand-alone volume, but I couldn't help but contrast it with Melusine. I preferred the latter.

But in many ways, it's appropriate that the characters would find themselves in a place like Corambis. It makes sense that they'd transition from the dark, labyrinthine Mirador, with its squabbling wizards and cruel witchhunts to bright, open Corambis, rational and controlled. It mirrors their emotional journey. And since I can see the intellectual reasons for the shift, I'm not too sure what do with my emotional reaction to it. I hesitate to say that I disliked it, because I didn't, but I can't deny that the setting threw me for a loop. I suspect I may appreciate it more the second time through.

But I loved the book. I really do want to make that clear. I loved this book, and this series. I cannot recommend DOCTRINE OF LABYRINTHS highly enough. Monette does some utterly gorgeous things with her characters, and she reduced me to tears over and over again. I started sobbing as soon as I read the first line of the conclusion, (which is perfect), and I proceeded to cry so hard that I gave myself a collosal coughing fit. I love this series with an unholy passion, and I cannot wait to reread it. I think I may have to make it a yearly thing.

(A longer - yes, really - version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina). show less

well, I'm sad for sure that I've read the last book of the four. I must have gone through them in a little more than a week--and if that's slow, by my standards, that's with me reading some five other books at the same time.

What I really loved was the characters. Jeez, just the interactions and their inner lives were enough to suck me in, though of course it wouldn't have interested me so much without all the magic and shit, me being basically addicted the fantasy genre. You get a window into the characters' souls, pretty much. And what made this series stand out from, oh, many, many other books I've read was the character development--I mean, not the fact that there was character development, since plenty of other authors do that just show more fine; but, I guess, the way the characters got to know themselves and each other even as they became clearer to me. The emotions shine through wonderfully. As well, the way the theme of labyrinths and finding one's way--in both literal and metaphorical sense--carries through, along with a general continuity/unity between the books, just draws the reader along on the journey.

Also, Mildmay is fuckin' awesome. And apologies for my language, but I guess you probably wouldn't like him anyway, then. In which case you're not awesome, and I don't care if you're offended. XD show less