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juushikaTitle: A Companion to Wolves
Authors: Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
Published: New York: Tor, 2007
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 302
Total Page Count: 122,118
Text Number: 355
Read Because: enjoyed "Mongoose" by the authors, borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: In a frigid northern land suffused with Norse-like mythology, men live and fight in concert with wolves to hold back the threat of troll invasion. Njall is a young nobleman, raised separate from this war—until his intense bond with his sister wolf draws him into its heart. A Companion to Wolves is a world of its own, and thus difficult to summarize and supremely immersive: the harsh wintery setting, the seductive premise of telepathically bonded wolves, and the dual battles that surround Njall in the intense social politics of pack dynamics and the brutal fight against trolls. It throws up some hurdles—primarily a long list of similar-sounding names—but succeeds as a book to get lost in. But it's escapism with weight and purpose: the world is grim and suffused with sexism and rape. These problematic topics are handled with more grace than not. The sexism isn't just historical grittiness, but impetus to character growth and an argument against gender-based limitations—which can be simplistic, but works on the whole. The central role of sex and rape within the book is a trickier subject: it feels almost too convincing in-universe but remains problematic; still, it prompts an intense and complex emotional climax (one with drove me to tears—few books have done that).
Like the accomplished voice, it's beneficial density. The book is id-driven but intelligent, captivating but stubbornly unvarnished. There are weaknesses in both writing and content—problematic justification of rape, a too-special protagonist who overshadows a fascinating world—but despite my quibbles I loved every word. I read A Companion to Wolves in a dizzying day, seduced and totally enraptured. At its best, telepathic animal companions are this: they incite heartbreaking longing, but they're not fluff or idealization; rather, they are twice the number of, and a new facet to, intense emotional bonds—the connections which aid us in our journey through a harsh world, and such a harsh world is this one. I loved this book, and yearn to own and reread it. There are caveats, but I recommend it with enthusiasm.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Authors: Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
Published: New York: Tor, 2007
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 302
Total Page Count: 122,118
Text Number: 355
Read Because: enjoyed "Mongoose" by the authors, borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: In a frigid northern land suffused with Norse-like mythology, men live and fight in concert with wolves to hold back the threat of troll invasion. Njall is a young nobleman, raised separate from this war—until his intense bond with his sister wolf draws him into its heart. A Companion to Wolves is a world of its own, and thus difficult to summarize and supremely immersive: the harsh wintery setting, the seductive premise of telepathically bonded wolves, and the dual battles that surround Njall in the intense social politics of pack dynamics and the brutal fight against trolls. It throws up some hurdles—primarily a long list of similar-sounding names—but succeeds as a book to get lost in. But it's escapism with weight and purpose: the world is grim and suffused with sexism and rape. These problematic topics are handled with more grace than not. The sexism isn't just historical grittiness, but impetus to character growth and an argument against gender-based limitations—which can be simplistic, but works on the whole. The central role of sex and rape within the book is a trickier subject: it feels almost too convincing in-universe but remains problematic; still, it prompts an intense and complex emotional climax (one with drove me to tears—few books have done that).
Like the accomplished voice, it's beneficial density. The book is id-driven but intelligent, captivating but stubbornly unvarnished. There are weaknesses in both writing and content—problematic justification of rape, a too-special protagonist who overshadows a fascinating world—but despite my quibbles I loved every word. I read A Companion to Wolves in a dizzying day, seduced and totally enraptured. At its best, telepathic animal companions are this: they incite heartbreaking longing, but they're not fluff or idealization; rather, they are twice the number of, and a new facet to, intense emotional bonds—the connections which aid us in our journey through a harsh world, and such a harsh world is this one. I loved this book, and yearn to own and reread it. There are caveats, but I recommend it with enthusiasm.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
