december 20 - The Ladies of Grace
A review: The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories.
I could never understand how a person could write a book review and be so lengthy. For instance, if I were to review a book I recently finished, The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories by Susanna Clarke, it would be short.
I wouldn't include how I found the book, which was this: I was wandering around the endless aisles of the recent Big Bad Wolf sale, picking up random books and putting them down again and again when none fitted my fancy. Suddenly I saw her, them- The Ladies of Grace Adieu in another man's arm. It took every fiber of my being not to cry out dramatically, "my good man! where could you find that?!" the man walked away and I shrugged, leaving to fate that if I could find it, I would, because I do not have the strength then to search aggressively amongst the thousands of books laid out before me to find IT. Then all of a sudden I was struck with some sort of a hip-cramp(YES IT HAPPENED) and I rested my feet and when I looked up again lo! there it was! The Ladies of Grace Adieu right in front of my eyes and so I procured it. That was the tale of how The Ladies came home with me.
I wouldn't think it would be necessary to explain the eight stories contained within this volume. I do have opinions, though, not that I don't. But people don't need to know about all of them. I guess I could say some words about my favorites.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu - I like this one a lot because essentially it is a story about girl-power. Three ladies living their lives peacefully and craftily without interference from the men-folk, and when the peace was shattered they handled things successfully into their own hands. One of them even escaped marriage not by her own doing(PS MOM THIS IS NOT WHY I LIKE THIS STORY). This one actually left me open-mouthed at the end, it was just so good.
On Lickerish Hill - this story was told in the style of old English and if you must know, I have a thing for everything English(except English-style decoration gone wrong which was ubiquitous some time ago in local magazines). If it weren't for the pesky HRH Kate and Prince William going to a proper school, I would have been a queen-in-waiting. If Wills were castle-schooled I had plans of being the scullery-maid and working my way up. Since Henry, have also, gone to a proper school this plan is bust. But all is not lost, for I don't think I can face Camilla daily. I am team Diana, you see. Anyway, because it is told in the style of old English I enjoyed it very much, though I can see it is not for everybody. I actually have a hard time convincing friends to read Jane Austen or William Shakespeare, FOR FUN(and for we could act out plays when we get together(dibs on Mercutio!)). Anyway, yes, back to the story of On Lickerish Hill it is another version of Rumpelstiltskin so therefore, it is a familiar tale and not unfamiliar. At certain points it also embraces some girl-power aspects so yay! Smart girls!
Mrs Mabb - I have apprehensions in the beginning about this one. I am a little bit of a scaredy-cat and I know this Mabb they speak of. She is... not nice, right? But the heroine in this tale is consistent and loyal and in the end she prevails so it's nice. Wait is this a spoiler? SPOILER ALERT
The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse - oooh this one is good. SO GOOD. It ambles quite nicely and if one likes Stardust by Neil Gaiman it shares the same dimensions so that is a good nod between awesome authors. I like the startling conclusion at the end.
Mr Simonelli, or the Fairy Widower - this one is quite disturbing. Tread this one with caution as it has violence and blatant disregard for human rights. It ends well, though, so, just... yeah I just won't come back to this immediately.
Tom Brightwind, or How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby - this one has footnotes! It made me pine for Jon Strange and Mr. Norrell. It gives us a window into the mind and living of a faerie. Can be draggy at some parts but overall an interesting story. A little bit historical.
Antickes and Frets - I like English and English royalty but because this one is about Mary of Scots I am just neutral about this. This does not win favors for Mary of Scot, poor queen. (My favorites are Elizabeth 1 and Eleanor of Aquitaine.)
John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner - this one hahahaha if you knew John Uskglass hahahaha hilarious hahahaha patron saint of cheese hahahaha gasp wheeze can you imagine the animals chastising the Raven King oh gourd *wipes tears from eyes*. Heeeeeeeee if you know who John Uskglass is this would be really funny, and if you don't it could still be funny. Love this one.
So yeah if I were to review The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories my review would be like this:
Do I like it? YES
Do I want to go to sleep clutching it? Well, no. While it is a pleasant read it has faeries in it and these pharisees i mean fairies, are not the delicate and small Tinker-bell types, they are mean and scary like Jon Strange and Mr. Norrell's thistledown hair man which SCARED THE HECK OUTTA ME so I don't want to have them in my dreams thank you very much.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories could also be viewed as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell for beginners so one could or should do this first before doing the other. (JSMN is one book I adore and would go to sleep clutching(because scary thistledown hair man dies(OOOPS SPOILER ALERT)).
Community service message: if you want to start on Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and need me to hold your hands through it I would. We can do it together. And then we will review it. Together.