The Remedy of Books

I waited far too long to read this book. I'd heard good things about it but had somehow managed not to hear anything about the plot before eventually reading it earlier this month. So, I had the rare opportunity to read a book with no preconceptions about the plot or if it was "my" kind of book. Thankfully, it was my kind of book.

Official blurb:

Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped.

When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart.

But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.

There is so much I loved about this book, so let me start with what a physically beautiful book it is. The cover is gorgeous, but so is each page with its edging filled with map imagery. It gave me the impression I was reading an older story, maybe because it reminded me of illuminated manuscripts and a time when books were individually hand-made. This level of care and detail really adds to the book and shows the love that went into its production.

The second thing I loved was the world building. Millwood Hargrave's world was believable and easy to understand quickly without relying on existing worlds or stereotypes. It had hints of familiarity without falling into any specific category I have seen. Often writers can use existing worlds (real or imagined) and then build their own worlds on that foundation. Sometimes it helps lend it more depth (for instance Alwyn Hamilton's world in Rebel of the Sands pulls from wild west and Arabian nights worlds to give the reader something both familiar and new), but it is still refreshing to see such a new world that doesn't quite fit any existing tropes.

The third thing I loved about this book was the use of maps and cartography in building a sense of wonder and adventure. Isabella has a strong desire to map her island and to explore beyond its edges. It's easy to imagine that if you had the opportunity to go somewhere only a few people had ever been before that it would be hard to resist. There are few things more intriguing than a map with bits unfilled (here be dragons!) or a map of somewhere only a few people have been (Treasure Island!) I was glad that her quest had a satisfyingly exciting outcome, but I won't spoil the plot in this review.

Overall Girl of Ink and Stars is a very fun read and a tale that felt both new and old at the same time. I look forward to more from Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris is a retelling of Norse mythology from the perspective of the trickster god, Loki. Now, I have to admit, my knowledge of Norse mythology is not very deep and is mostly limited to what I learned in American Gods and from the Thor movies. Because of that, many of the stories in this book, and some of the characters, were completely new to me. The book begins with an account of the creation of the worlds and the rise of gods and giants, as told by Loki, and then goes on to detail Loki's various exploits and his rollercoaster fame/infamy among the gods. Ending, of course, with the inevitability of Ragnarok.

I found myself a bit torn about liking or not liking this book. The book's "gospel" format allows it to do away with certain things necessary to most good books--most notably character development and a constant story thread. The lack of these were a bit of a downside because I found the book didn't quite capture my attention consistently. Since each tale was being told after the fact, the feeling of being involved in the action and wondering how each tale might end was missing. While I was reading it, I was interested, but the moment I put the book down I had no real pull to pick it back up again and continue reading. Harris tried to mitigate this by having Loki frequently hint at more to come or to mention that things weren't as good as they seemed, but I didn't find this motivating.

There was little development of any character besides Loki, and while that was likely intentional (he is the star of the book after all) it left me not caring much about any of the characters. Harris did do a good job of fleshing out Loki's character and really giving him a recognizable voice. I usually am drawn to mischievous characters anyway, so Loki's irreverent way of speaking and casual plotting were fun to read. At the same time, Loki's constant references to "yours truly" and "your humble narrator" as well as his pet phrase "so shoot me" really did begin to get on my nerves. I wonder if this wasn't Harris's intention all along as Loki isn't really meant to be completely likable. However, while his casual way of speaking added an irreverent humor to the book, the occasional anachronistic references ("as welcome as a turd in a hot tub") were distracting.

Most interesting to me was that the book contained a half formed idea that Loki initially was not so much a troublemaker but rather just clever and full of energy.. He initially used his wits to the gods' advantage, but slowly the gods refusal to accept him as one of their own drove him towards tricking the gods themselves and eventually becoming one of the driving forces of Ragnarok. I would really have liked to see a more developed plot there rather than sticking to occasional hints in that direction among the tales.

Even without knowing the tales, I got the feeling that this book didn't add a lot to them other than Loki's voice. However, for those unfamiliar with Norse mythology, The Gospel of Loki could be a fun way to learn some of the classic tales without needing to delve into the Prose Edda.