(no subject)
Sep. 13th, 2013 09:08 amIf you ask the villagers of the Isles, St. Ann is the goddess who makes their truly amazing grapes grow and is generally an all-around ace patroness -- discounting the human sacrifice, of course.
If you ask the visiting royal couple who are hanging out in the Isles on their honeymoon, Ann is the fine print they sort of wish they had investigated when the Isles officially became part of their kingdom, which officially does not condone human sacrifice.
If you ask visiting trader Béata kel Kakiaretë, Ann is a FASCINATING MYSTERY and she would like to take a number of notes, please, if you wouldn't mind.
If you ask her great-grandfather, Ann is an out-of-control brat who should have listened to him when she had the chance.
And if you ask the zombie shrines who allow the villagers to communicate with Ann -- well, then you're right back to asking Ann, who is perfectly content to present herself as a goddess who makes the grapes grow. Except maybe Zombie Shrine Rob, who was not super excited to become a zombie shrine and is still sort of bitter about the whole thing.
So A Shrine to St. Ann was a rec from![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
gogollescent, and it is a really enjoyable fantasy with a lot of intriguing stuff to say about godhood and power and culture clash, plus really charming and likeable characters -- Béata, who is basically a Steerswoman born into the wrong fantasy world, is probably my favorite, but the others are all great too, including Ann's grandmother, who is FABULOUS -- with as I see it one major flaw.
( Vague spoilers, I guess )
I would still totally recommend the book! Ann is terrible and fascinating, the worldbuilding is fantastic, the plot is compelling, and the main emotional thread of Ann's relationship with her family is carried through and is cathartic and sad and compelling and satisfying. I just wish that, since we did have all of these other super interesting characters, they got more to actually do.
(Also,shati would be annoyed by the amount of stealth royalty.)
If you ask the visiting royal couple who are hanging out in the Isles on their honeymoon, Ann is the fine print they sort of wish they had investigated when the Isles officially became part of their kingdom, which officially does not condone human sacrifice.
If you ask visiting trader Béata kel Kakiaretë, Ann is a FASCINATING MYSTERY and she would like to take a number of notes, please, if you wouldn't mind.
If you ask her great-grandfather, Ann is an out-of-control brat who should have listened to him when she had the chance.
And if you ask the zombie shrines who allow the villagers to communicate with Ann -- well, then you're right back to asking Ann, who is perfectly content to present herself as a goddess who makes the grapes grow. Except maybe Zombie Shrine Rob, who was not super excited to become a zombie shrine and is still sort of bitter about the whole thing.
So A Shrine to St. Ann was a rec from
gogollescent, and it is a really enjoyable fantasy with a lot of intriguing stuff to say about godhood and power and culture clash, plus really charming and likeable characters -- Béata, who is basically a Steerswoman born into the wrong fantasy world, is probably my favorite, but the others are all great too, including Ann's grandmother, who is FABULOUS -- with as I see it one major flaw.( Vague spoilers, I guess )
I would still totally recommend the book! Ann is terrible and fascinating, the worldbuilding is fantastic, the plot is compelling, and the main emotional thread of Ann's relationship with her family is carried through and is cathartic and sad and compelling and satisfying. I just wish that, since we did have all of these other super interesting characters, they got more to actually do.
(Also,
shati would be annoyed by the amount of stealth royalty.)
