The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I really wanted to feel the magic while reading this book, but never did. Maybe the narrative told me too many times that the Night Circus was magical, so my feisty side started to doubt. Maybe the omniscient narrator kept me just a little too distant from a more compassionate sharing with the plight of the characters. It could be that the historical timeframe of the novel never quite resonated with the personalities and attitudes of what seemed to me modern-minded characters. But I suspect it was the circus, itself, which never grew fully to its own as a character. Although I did develop a certain amount of caring for the humans who relied upon its existence, I never felt like the circus, itself, was a living, breathing, magical entity that I longed to attend, get lost in, whose fate seemed vital to me. I knew more about the way characters felt about the circus than the way I felt about it- always felt as though I had heard about, but never really experienced it. It was a cool story, but for me failed to create that fictional magic of making me feel as though I'd spent time wandering through the Night Circus.



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Mistborn: The Final Empire

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Three stars means I liked it. This was an entertaining fantasy read that at times really held my attention and made me look forward to finding out what happened next. The magic of the world was satisfying in complexity and internal logic. Characters had sufficient background depth and motivation. Overall pacing was exciting. For some reason all these elements didn't come together to make magic for me. Everything was well crafted and well executed, but I was always aware that I was reading an invented story about imaginary characters in an imaginary world. I was never able to achieve total suspension of disbelief and feel as though the world was a place I could really go play, the characters old friends, the story a tale I'd heard long ago, then forgotten. My personal favorite fantasies make me feel as though I've actually lived them, and I know in my gut I've never really been to the Final Empire.



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A Memory of Wind

A Memory of Wind by Rachel Swirsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Poetic retelling of Iphigenia at Aulis.  The vivid sensory detail fades as the novella progresses, but that may be less an inability to sustain, and more intentional depiction of flesh and blood girl dissolving into spirit wind.  Swirsky circles back again and again to two key familial moments in Iphigenia's life, fleshing out the memories a little at a time to emotionally coincide with the story's climax.

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The Dark Mirror

A few weeks ago I wrote a post called Second Helpings in which I expressed my disappointment that some of my favorite authors are turning out "new" books that failed to say anything new. So I picked up The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier with a certain amount of trepidation. Marillier writes romantic fantasy series based on Celtic history and mythology. There are certain hallmarks I expect from a Marillier novel: I expect her protagonist to have a deep respect for nature, I expect druids and supernatural abilities, I expect Celtic folklore and mythology, I expect a conflict between nations, I expect a conflict between the native religion of the land and Christianity, I expect the protagonist to be socially exiled, and that some kind of romantic relationship will sustain her in the final struggle to achieve her goal.

In The Dark Mirror Marillier delivered all these trademarks, and at the same time managed to do something new. How did she make the familiar exciting and new? By developing minor themes from her previous work and making them the major themes of her new book.

For instance, toward the end of Marillier's first book, Daughter of the Forest, readers are introduced to the idea that a community may reject and be afraid of a nubile young outsider, tying this fear to stories of mermaids or other mythological creatures who lure young men from their communities, or simply drive them mad with their beauty. This theme, which did not appear until the final chapters of Daughter of the Forest, was central to The Dark Mirror. War and political intrigue, which played the role of setting in Daughter of the Forest, were crucial to the plot of The Dark Mirror. And, appropriate to the role of battle and political plotting, the primarily female perspective of Daughter of the Forest was replaced by evenly split scenes from the point of view of the hero and the heroine. The Dark Mirror did not have the fairytale quality that made me fall in love with Daughter of the Forest- it felt more like a history, rooted in court life with professional bodyguards, tasters, and men and women angling for power. Marillier changed the tone and character of her followup without losing her voice- and she remained consistent to her world, and made all the changes resonate with elements of her previous work.

The result was a novel that I was just as enthusiastic about at the end of the read as I was when I bought it.

On Amazon the paperback edition of The Dark Mirror ranks #51,413 in Books, and the Kindle edition ranks #9,328 in the Kindle Store.

Dandelion Wine

For longer than we've been married, my husband and I have been trying to finish Ray Bradbury's summertime classic, Dandelion Wine. We started reading the slender volume of summertime, Americana-drenched vignettes aloud together one summer, long ago, but never finished it. Several summers later we tried to read the book again, but didn't get past chapter three. Our third attempt was no more successful.

In the time it has taken us to *not* read Dandelion Wine, we have finished many sprawling series, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, Harry Potter. We read the Iliad out loud, sitting side-by-side at the dining room table in Turin. We read fiction and non-fiction, mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, and mainstream. We read newspapers, magazines, novels, instruction manuals, and poetry. We read books aloud together in English, Italian, and French. We read at least four other books by Ray Bradbury.

So why did we repeatedly fail to finish Dandelion Wine?

Dandelion Wine is the distilled essence of summer: sunshine and sneakers, hot kitchens, porches, lemonade, and ice cream parlors. It isn't best read cramped in a suffocating, miserable apartment, in a land where everyone flees from their hometown during the month of August, or in a bustling city. It's easier to see The Swan in a quiet, small town where people sit on their porches late into the evening. It's easier to sense the Lonely One behind you when the cicadas and crickets have worked their hypnotic song deep into your dreams.

But, no matter where you're living when Dandelion Wine slides between your hands, the magic won't leap off the pages until you can quietly follow the residents of Green Town through the summer of 1928 as June ripens to July, bakes into August, fades to September. It's time to read Dandelion Wine when the reader is ready to accept, along with the residents of Green Town, that what makes life so beautiful is the fact that it's all only temporary.

Throughout the book we say hello, only to say good-bye. As Mrs. Bentley cherishes childhood memories she comes to the realization that she was never a child. Miss Fern and Miss Roberts are thrilled by the the Green Machine, but soon vow never to drive it again. The trolley goes on its last ride. John Huff leaves Green Town for good. We say good-bye to Grandma.

Half of summer's glory is knowing that it fades, turns into back-to-school notebooks and ten-cent erasers. If the seasons never changed, if children never grew into withered old men and women, if even the people we loved never died, would any of our experience be so precious? Finding the summer where it was okay to love things and lose them all at the same time wasn't easy- at least, it wasn't easy for me.

This summer my husband and I began Dandelion Wine in June, and finished the last chapter during the last dusty days before September. We wanted to read the paperback copy we started all those summers ago, a copy which followed us from apartment to apartment and across the ocean (twice) to return to us when we were finally ready to read it. The book is also available in Kindle format, and ranks #38,084 in the Kindle Store.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (the Movie)

On Sunday morning my husband and I were standing outside in the bright summer sun, waiting for the movie theater to open. We weren't the only moviegoers up early on a weekend morning in eager anticipation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Opinions on the quality of the Harry Potter movies swing from ecstatic to sarcastic, as fans of the books are either swept up in the magic of seeing their fantasy world come to life, or bitterly disappointed by the differences between the movie and the book. My first thought on emerging from the dark theater back into the blazing afternoon sun, was that the Half Blood Prince was a particularly good adaptation of the book into movie format.

Simply by using the word adaptation, we are accepting the fact that the content of the book must undergo some alteration, some screenwriting metamorphosis that allows the moviegoer to share approximately the same experience as the reader enjoying the book. In early films we saw screenwriting that attempted to scrupulously preserve plot points and world building details. In later films, we saw mad efforts at condensing huge, sprawling story lines into one film, that usually resulted in awkward, hectic pacing. It is already common knowledge that the seventh film will be broken into two parts, to avoid giving the audience the sense that they are simply skimming over, or reviewing major plot points of the book, instead of enjoying a movie. Given that, I wasn't sure what to expect from the pacing and enjoyability of the Half-Blood Prince.

In my opinion the screenwriters did a brilliant job of capturing the emotional journey of the story's characters. By loosening their grip on exacting loyalty to the plot, they were able to focus on character growth and development. The movie skipped important plot points, added a major scene that wasn't in the book, and changed around the order of events- but the result was a beautifully-paced movie, in which I felt I could sit back and follow the characters as they adventured and interacted. The movie version of the book was like an impressionist painting of the book- leaving me with the same feeling that I had reading the book- even if the film was a slightly fuzzy Monet instead of a crisp, digital photograph of what I had read. The ending of the movie, which I can imagine disappointed some viewers, nevertheless produced exactly the same sentiment I had upon the conclusion of re-reading the Half-Blood Prince for the second time: that this had just been our last year at Hogwarts, and hadn't it been a lovely place to grow, to be together, and enjoy.

I think fans of the characters in the book- people who read because they love Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the dozens of other touching and memorable characters that populate Rowling's world- will have a great time watching the movie, despite (and of course because of) the plot changes.

The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection

I just finished a delightful audio collection of children's short stories written and narrated by Neil Gaiman. The collection includes three short stories: "The Wolves in the Walls," "Cinnamon," and "On The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish." It ends with a poem called "Crazy Hair" and a darling interview with Gaiman conducted by his young daughter. During the interview Gaiman discusses his then upcoming project, The Graveyard Book.

Two of the short stories are prime examples of Gaiman's talent in creating a magical, fairy tale atmosphere using children with modern attitudes who live in modern homes with modern parents. "Cinnamon" is a more exotic fairy tale, in which a young woman comes to terms with her blossoming womanhood through the intervention of a tiger.

The Audio Collection was released in August 2004. It is currently #41,448 in Books on Amazon.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Revisited

The first time my husband and I read the Half-Blood Prince, we were suffering from some pretty severe jet lag and a crazy kind of reverse culture shock in which our native land seemed oddly foreign in comparison to the life we had adjusted to overseas. The arrival of the Half-Blood Prince in theaters this summer is kind of a landmark for us, as if the time needed for the book to move from release to feature film was the time we needed to settle back into American rhythms. While reading the Deathly Hallows in 2007, we came to the startling realization that neither one of us really remembered anything about the Half-Blood Prince. As evidence of our amnesia, the word "horcrux" sent us running back to the Half-Blood Prince for reference to this vaguely chilling, but unknown term.

Coming back to the Half-Blood Prince did more than just refresh our memory of the plot and get us emotionally prepared to see the movie, it gave us a real appreciation for Hogwarts. Little did we know, in those early, bleary-eyed reading sessions, that Book 6 would be the last year we'd get to spend with Harry at the school- and it's a really great year. Harry is the captain of the Quidditch team, takes private lessons with Dumbledore, and aces potions class with the aid of the Half-Blood Prince.

We were also extremely impressed with the writing in Book 6. Rowling performs her own brand of magic, managing to review the vast and complex tangle of Harry's story so far without weighing down her readers with exposition. In fact the opening chapters, in which she has a lot of expository ground to cover, are action-packed, exciting, and intriguing. Her flashbacks to Voldemort's history are well-crafted insights into the series' villain and, at the same time, give us great insight into our hero. A book heavy enough to press flowers and leaves has space for wasted words and extraneous scenes, but every word and every event in the story feels critical to the coming crisis in Book 7.

Our only small disappointment with the book was the revelation of the identity of the Half-Blood Prince. Throughout the entire book, neither one of us could remember who the Prince would turn out to be. We cannot entirely blame jet lag for that lapse in our memory- Rowling touches on the revelation so lightly, relying entirely on the chemistry of the characters' personal relationships to bring weight to the resolution of the mystery for which the book was titled.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is currently #593 in Amazon's bestselling books. It is not available on the Kindle.

New Moon - Twilight, Book 2

Today New Moon, the second in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, is the 5th bestselling Kindle book. Book 4 of the same series is the 2nd bestselling book, and Book 3 of the same series is the 4th bestselling book. In Amazon's paper bestsellers, New Moon ranks #11, behind books of the same series at #4, #7, and #8.

In other words, New Moon and the Twilight series are insanely popular.

As I read the first three-quarters of New Moon, I was on my way to becoming one more of Meyer's legion of fans. New Moon keeps all that was good about Book 1, and improves it. As I had been hoping, protagonist Bella begins to grow up and become an even stronger character.

Bella wants to become a vampire so she can be with her boyfriend, forever. Meyer thwarts Bella's desire in the most exciting way possible- by having the boyfriend dump Bella. This teenage tragedy may not have the literary substance of Ulysses- but Bella is a quintessential protagonist. Sincere and relentless in her drive to get what she wants, Bella is a protagonist who makes things happen- an ideal engine for the story. She forces fights between monsters, drives her boyfriend from the country, goes on wild motorcycle rides, jumps off cliffs, goes flying half-way around the world on a moment's notice. She is a person who does dangerous things to satisfy her desires, and her dramatic actions result in an equally dramatic story.

In Book 2 Bella is not only a stronger protagonist, but she is stronger physically and emotionally, too. She's a lot tougher in the first three-quarters of Book 2- no more fainting spells every other page. The experience of being dumped by her boyfriend, and living through it, makes her emotionally tougher, as well. This was exactly the sort of character growth I was looking for after Book 1 to justify the series as a good, if guilty-pleasure, read. I was even impressed by Meyer's technique of letting blank chapters scroll past as the time passes during which Bella is in shock after her romantic tragedy.

Unfortunately my praise of the book ends at the point in the story where the action drives toward the climax (at exactly the same point I lost interest in Book 1). Several things happen, all of which indicate a decline of quality in the narrative: 1. Bella leaves New Forks (the created world where she coexists with vampires and werewolves). 2. Action drama overtakes relationship drama (Meyer writes relationship drama better than action sequences). 3. Bella begins to faint, droop, swoon, or topple about so often that she is rarely on her own feet. 4. Tension comes from an outside danger instead of coming from the existing situation established in the first three-quarters of the book. 5. Meyer has to do an awful lot of explaining about why certain acts would be awful or terrible for one or more of the characters to live through- her readers should already know that in their guts if the threat is going to hit them where it hurts.

Toward the end of the story New Moon did reclaim a little of my interest by delving deeper into Twilight mythology. We learned more about the enmity between vampires and werewolves (Meyer did achieve the kind of set-up necessary to make the reader feel a visceral sorrow for the fact that Bella has dear friends of both species who are sworn enemies to each other). Meyer also does a little more explaining about what makes Bella so special in her mythological scheme, and adds further interest and complication to the subject of whether or not Bella will achieve her dream of becoming a vampire.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is one of those films whose title gives an accurate description of what the viewer is about to experience. Whimsy abounds in this fantasy- from the quaint cartoon opening, to the unique credits at the end. The 2007 film boasts a cast of well-known actors: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, even Kermit the Frog, and was written and directed by Zach Helm.

I'm used to fantasy films that take place in fantasy worlds, leaving the audience to connect the vital points between the fantasy experience and their own lives. But Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium expresses its theme quite explicitly- proposing to prove that the successful adult carries childlike wonder with him throughout his life. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is all about maintaining that childhood sense of wonder in adulthood, and even into old age and approaching death. The film isn't very subtle in making its point. The plot, the toy store setting, the candy-colored palette, and the typical, hard-nosed accountant foil, all constantly echo the theme- and for extra emphasis, the film's dialog and narration also underline the point. The explicit statement of theme doesn't detract from the fun, the story, or the sense of wonder which Helm invokes. It creates an open-hearted, direct dialog with the viewer, asking the audience to remain wide-eyed and childlike, in keeping with its theme.

The Colour of Magic

I just had a great time reading the first book of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, The Colour of Magic. The Discworld series is an astounding 36 books long and still running. The most recent novel in the series is available for pre-order in the US and the UK, and will be released in October 2009. On amazon.com this pre-order ranks #84 in comic literature and fiction, and around #17,000 in books, overall. Not bad sales for a book buyers can't even read until October! According to Wikipedia, as of 2006 Pratchett was the #2 bestselling author in the UK and the #7 non-US bestselling author in America.

Discworld began its impressive and popular career in 1983 with The Colour of Magic. The story is charming, its cosmology enchanting. As in many successful firsts of fantasy series, The Colour of Magic introduces the reader to its magical world through the arrival of a newcomer- although Pratchett turns this convention on its head, because the protagonist is not the newcomer, but his seasoned guide.

A lot of the pleasure of reading The Colour of Magic comes from its not-so-subtle parallels to our real world experience. The characters in the book grub for money, lie, cheat, steal, go on vacation, take photographs, and worry about their luggage- but it's all incredibly fun and clever while they do it.

The Colour of Magic is a bird's-eye-view narrative, the camera zooming in and then zooming very far out. We see the story from many angles, aware not just of the main characters' struggles, but of the interplay of the gods, of the cosmology of the universe (four elephants atop a giant turtle), and even of the multiverse. As a result of this constant panning in and out, the reader gains the emotional distance from the story needed to make it funny. The trade-off is that the reader (at least this reader) cares very little whether protagonist Rincewind lives or dies- and the story's entire dramatic structure is built on the question- will Rincewind live or die? Fortunately I was having so much fun sight-seeing in Discworld, that I didn't need any genuine concern for the characters or deep involvement with the plot in order to enjoy the book.

Gunnerkrigg Court

Gunnerkrigg Court is a free, serialized, online graphic novel updated page by page on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It took me awhile to warm to Tom Siddell's heroine, Antimony, and her strange school. But once I did, I found myself really looking forward to spending time in Gunnerkrigg Court.

At first glance, Gunnerkrigg Court is a Harry Potter wanna-be: a young girl, practically an orphan, enrolls in the magical school where her parents and their friends (now teachers at the school) were once students, only to find she has special talents critical to the fate of her community. Despite sharing this basic premise with the Harry Potter series, Gunnerkrigg Court has its own well-developed speculative world, its own vast cast of charming characters, and an interesting theme quite different from that in J.K. Rowling's books. Gunnerkrigg Court is decidedly a fun story in its own right.

From the opening pages of the graphic novel, Siddell sets up the main conflict of the story: science and technology vs. magic and nature. Gunnerkrigg Court is a place where advanced scientists and magical creatures meet, mingle...and sometimes kill each other. Besides creating an interesting story, this theme is very relevant to a world in which people are going hiking, using the compass application on their iPhone, a world interested in combining and reconciling our "magical" sense of wonder and our connection to nature, with the fruit of scientific reason and technological advancement.

Magic for Beginners

My husband wanted to reread one of his all-time favorite short stories- speculative, or otherwise- "Magic for Beginners" by Kelly Link. What appeals to my husband about the story is its spirited mix of danger and fun.

Since it had been some time since I'd read the story, we decided to read it together, out loud. The pacing of the story was much different than I'd remembered- much more of the action takes place before the road trip portion, which I had remembered, erroneously, as the bulk of the story. The other thing I had failed to remember was just how funny the story is. We had to halt the narrative over and over to accommodate my fits of laughter.

I love the characters in the story- especially the protagonist's father. His quirks seem so real, both because elements of his personality remind me of people I've known, and because these distinctive elements of his character organically meld character to situation, situation to plot.

I also love the way Link turns the mundane into fantasy. What could be more everyday than a bunch of kids obsessed with their favorite TV show? Yet Link takes their show, their burgeoning hormones, mixes in discarded sofas and a phone booth- and manages to make magic.

"Magic for Beginners" is available in a short story collection by the same name (which includes another of my favorite Kelly Link tales, "The Faery Handbag"). Amazon ranks Magic for Beginners #44 in best selling paper science fiction and fantasy anthologies. The Kindle edition ranks in the top 10% of sales in Kindle books .

The Phoenix Requiem

More fun than working, and free, too- if you've never followed an online graphic novel, you might consider giving Sarah Ellerton's The Phoenix Requiem a try. The Phoenix Requiem is a Victorian-style fantasy tale with horror overtones and just enough polite sexual tension to keep things interesting. The artwork is pretty- Ellerton renders her human characters with warmth and humor, and her supernatural beings are appropriately ethereal or horrid, depending on whether they are spirits or shades.

At first I wasn't sold on heroine, Anya, a marriage-averse guy magnet. Anya is a doctor in training, fighting against the idea that a woman's place is in the home. Based on the feminist premise, I feared she'd become a one-sided character- but Anya's struggle is mostly with herself, as she attempts to balance her career goals and personal desires. This conflict resonates well with modern audiences of both sexes, and when combined with Anya's genuine empathy for the health and well-being of those around her, creates an endearing heroine.

The Phoenix Requiem is a work in progress. I just finished reading up to Volume 3. Ellerton posts 2-3 pages twice a week. Those who enjoy watching the novel take form, little by little, can eagerly await each new post. I prefer to let several chapters build up, and then pig out on Phoenix Requiem fun.

The Sharing Knife, Book 1

I just finished Book 1 of Lois McMaster Bujold's Sharing Knife fantasy series, of which the fourth (and series final) book was published in January 2009. Books 1, 2, and 4 are available in Kindle format. Book 4 ranks #31 in Kindle's "Epic Fantasy" category. Publisher, Eos, is proud to point out that Book 4 ranked #30 on the NY Times Extended Bestseller list (as of Feb 15th).

This gives a picture of The Sharing Knife as a current fantasy series which, while not topping the charts, is certainly selling.

The Sharing Knife series is a down-to-earth romantic fantasy. In Book 1 Bujold balances life and death, procreation and a grim fight to save the world- all with endearingly honest characters, and a sense of humor. She treats sexuality with a no-nonsense, mature attitude that addresses both its pleasures and social complications. This book is far too explicit for teens and those who blush easily, yet Bujold never crosses the line into vulgarity. The worst I can say of her love story is that it serves little purpose other than to entertain and confirm mainstream values of love, sexual union, and marriage. The conventional aspect of the story can be forgiven as these values are explored by a man and woman of conflicting cultures. Book 1 foreshadows dangers in which this special union may cause painful conflict, but may also offer hope in the battle against evil.

We have already seen the smash success series like Twilight have enjoyed by stirring together spec fiction and soft-core romance. It will be interesting to see how the popularity of different spec fiction genres, such as fantasy, react to the infusion of romance.

The Graveyard Book- Hauntingly Beautiful

Neil Gaiman's latest release was everything I love about Gaiman. It was charming, but a little creepy- quaintly British, yet flesh and blood modern- and the illustrations (by Dave McKean) were magical. How could a black and white drawing of a cup of tea send chills down my spine? Yet McKean's steaming cup did just that, and did it for a reason.

Gaiman's storytelling was no less artful than McKean's drawing. Gaiman built a magical world with very specific rules, and those rules stayed firm throughout the tale, whether to help the protagonist, or to send him toward an almost certain death. Gaiman's skill and attention to detail make for a very satisfying read.

A note for art conisseurs- if you intend to read The Graveyard Book on the Kindle, download the free sample chapter to be sure you are satisfied with the rendition of the drawings. I found that the grey, slightly ethereal drawings as viewed on the Kindle added to the atmosphere of mystery, but some may prefer a paper copy for clearer, darker illustrations.

Kindle sci-fi and fantasy bestsellers

We had a request to follow up on what's happening with the Amazon Kindle's spec fiction bestseller lists. It is three months to the day I posted about the front runners at the Kindle's launch, so it seems like a good time take another look.

In science fiction, classics continue to dominate the top sellers, with Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five occupying the number one slot, and Orwell's 1984 right behind at second. In November these two classics rated in the top 300 of overall Kindle sales, and both have now moved up to around the top 200 in Kindle sales. Video game tie-ins have given way to the newest military SF by Nebula winner Elizabeth Moon, and yet another science fiction classic, Brave New World.

In fantasy, Gregory Maguire's Wicked continues to hold its own near the top of the bestseller list. Wicked has fallen from #1 to #2 in fantasy, and has fallen from the top 150 to the top 250 in Kindle's overall sales. Number three in fantasy is World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks, and number four is Gaiman's Stardust.

Here's an interesting piece of zeitgeist: the stunning success of the Dresden Files series on the spec fiction Kindle bestseller lists. Author Jim Butcher's Storm Front occupies the number 4 slot in science fiction and the number 5 slot in fantasy. Not only that, his White Night: A Novel of the Dresden Files is number one in fantasy. Not too shabby.

In horror, King continues to dominate, with three of the top five bestsellers. King's novels alternate with books by Kim Harrison.

The Taste of Tea

I've been having a lot of fun watching Japanese films. I'd begun to see a few themes emerge (life in Tokyo vs. rural life, connection with nature, connection with community, and, unexpected to me, a fascination with music and dance). Then I popped Cha no Aji (The Taste of Tea) into the DVD player and was dropped into a whole new experience of Japanese culture.

In a way The Taste of Tea was more what I was expecting out of a Japanese film: characters who are anime artists, bizarre events of the type I'd expect to see animated in a manga. When these fantastic elements are combined with an exploration of what it means to be human, the result is a film that can look at disappointment and loss with a gentle playfulness.

I had heard The Taste of Tea called a "surreal" version of Ingmar Bergman. Maybe its the last vestiges of my Midwestern upbringing, but I'd say Bergman has his own claim to surreal. I'd call the Taste of Tea a "happy" Bergman. It's an oversimplification, but where Bergman plays with his idea of what it means to be human on the dramatic stage of the creepy and macabre, The Taste of Tea approaches the same theme with childlike excess and humorous fantasy.

Neverwhere

My copy of Neverwhere ended with an interview of the author in which he mentioned that I had just read the American version (as opposed to the UK or international version) of the book. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book for me concerned descriptions London's geography, and in fact Gaiman embellished these for the benefit of those who aren't intimately familiar with London.

Neverwhere was originally written as a television script, and Gaiman saw the novelization as an opportunity to more fully realize his own vision of the tale. For me the book felt like one of the coolest plot outlines I've ever read, but, the novel failed to feel fully fleshed out. Epic events took place in the space of a few pages. Based on the book's intriguing premise, the compelling direction of the plot, satisfying world building details, and what Gaiman had told us about the characters, I often perceived the weight of a scene intellectually, but failed to feel the tightness in my chest, the wrench in my gut, that meant I had connected with the characters on an empathetic level.

In his interview, Gaiman mentioned that his protagonist was meant to be an Everyman, dull and plain, with a good heart and good intentions. Richard Mayhew fits the role Gaiman intended so well, that parts of his anatomy could be snapping off and I found I simply did not care. Door, the girl for whom Mayhew gave up "his life, his identity and everything else" is described by Gaiman as heroine, "for want of a better word." With the exception of a scene in which she walks through her murdered family's magical home, and in which she has a necklace made by a blacksmith, Door certainly didn't seem like a heroine to me, and rarely seemed worth all Richard's trouble.

The ideas, the world, and the main plot points of Neverwhere were the stuff of an enchanting adult fairytale. These elements deserved a longer treatment, with more engaging protagonists and pacing that took the time to make the reader squirm.

Brandon Sanderson to write A Memory of Light

Today TOR announced that Brandon Sanderson will be writing the last book in Robert Jordan's epic fantasy Wheel of Time series. In an interview posted on WoT fan site Dragonmount.com, Sanderson talks about his "Characters first, everything else second" philosophy, tells us his favorite character and his favorite scenes in the series, and discusses why he thinks he was chosen to conclude the Wheel of Time. Both the announcement and the interview discuss notes Jordan left- some written, some audio recordings- with detailed explanations of how the book (and series) will end.

A Memory of Light is scheduled to be published in Fall 2009.