Just finished reading Tress of the…

Rustypuppy — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 23:31:48 GMT

Just finished reading Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. Was going to wait until tomorrow to write this up, but I don’t feel my feelings will change on it, so might as well do this now.

Interesting characters, top notch world building (as all of Sanderson’s books have), and some amazing writing in terms of style, phrasing, metaphor, simile, concepts, insights, etc. etc. etc.

I liked the story, figured out one reveal right before it happens (which is always fun), and for over half the book, assumed it was one I would keep to re-read again later.

But …. I thought this was wholly Tress’ story, similar to Garth Nix’ Frogkisser! or The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.

It is. And it’s not.

It’s also about Hoid, a character that appears in some form in all of Sanderson’s books, especially those that deal with the Cosmere. If you’ve read those books, Hoid is probably a fun addition, all the asides and reference something comforting and familiar and inside joke fun, especially since he seems to be in a situation unlike ever before.

If you haven’t, it feels like sitting at a table of decades old friends who keep talking about things they’ve shared that make no sense unless you were there. Which I wasn’t.

Part of all the Hoidness is that it is him telling the story …. which my reader brain accepted and wanted to keep turning the page, but my writer brain had a problem with because it’s kind of Greek Chorus but more personal and how would Hoid know about what Tress’ father did since he wasn’t there? But maybe that’s just an aspect of Hoid you are assumed to know because you know Hoid?

Anyway, it really bothers me right now. I might try a re-read in a few years and have no problem with Hoid at all.

I do think the writing is wonderful and if you like modern tellings of fairytale themes like the Princess Bride, you’d probably like this book.

#tressoftheemeraldsea #brandonsanderson #fairytale #fantasy #rustypuppyreads

I picked this up a month…

Rustypuppy — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:17:16 GMT

I picked this up a month ago, then got distracted by the 5 Heartstriker books and Argylle, but once I started it, I finished it in 3 days: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

This is one of those books that is written as fantasy to be able to comment on reality, and while the subtext isn’t that sub in some places, it was secondary to the great, well-defined characters for me.

Written in a close POV, you follow Linus, a worker a the Department in Charge of Magical Youth in his investigation and evaluation of a unique orphanage in the system that is classified due to the extreme magical nature of the children kept there. It’s a story of found family and growth and seeing individuals as they are instead of how others have told you they should be.

It is a stand alone novel, with a sequel coming out in September 2025 called Somewhere Beyond the Sea, that, from the blurb, takes place very soon after the events in this book.

#bookstr #books #reading #tjklune #fantasy #magic #children #rustypuppyreads