Among Others
Summary:
Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and science fiction, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.
Raised by a half-mad mother who dabbled in magic, Morwenna Phelps found refuge in two worlds. As a child growing up in Wales, she and her twin sister played among the spirits who made their homes in industrial ruins, but her mind found freedom and promise in the science fiction novels that were her closest companions. When her mother tries to bend the spirits to dark ends with deadly results, Mori is sent away and must try to come to terms with what has happened without falling prey to the darkness. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
This is a review that I put off writing for a while because I’m not quite sure how to describe this book. Perhaps the novel didn’t resonate because magical realism is a bit of a dicey genre for me at the best of times, but the complete “what the heck just happened” ending really drove me up the wall. Throughout the story, Mori describes bits and pieces of growing up and how she has ended up in her current scenario. We never quite determine how dependable she is as a narrator because the majority of the book is not actually about the interesting pieces of the story.
More often than not, Mori’s diary tells us about school, evil aunts, books, and her inability to relate to others. Having read only a very few of the referenced books, I struggled to relate to Mori and she seemed like a bit of a brat more than a character my heart went out to. I stuck with the book hoping to get an explanation as to what happened, but was utterly disappointed.
Warning: Contains violence
Rating: 1 star!
Who should read it? I’d say skip this one unless you’re a diehard fan of magical realism or want to revisit all the science fiction books you’ve read (in passing).