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Book Review
Aug. 3rd, 2013 09:59 amA Turn of Light
by Julie E. Czerneda
This fantasy novel centers on Jenn Nalynn, a woman about to come of age in Marrowdell, a remote northern village settled by political exiles. However, Marrowdell is not an ordinary place - it sits on the seam between worlds - and Jenn is not ordinary either - an unprecedented convergence of events and conditions at her birth have given her subtle yet powerful magic. As Jenn's 19th birthday and the harvest equinox approach, strangers arrive in Marrowdell and various truths and crises are revealed.
I found A Turn of Light a rather enjoyable read overall, but it was a bit of a mixed bag.
Things I didn't like so much:
My biggest criticism is that a lot of the plot and tension, especially in the first 2/3 of the book, is driven by the fact that many of the other characters know important things about Jenn's nature and the abilities and limitations it gives her. Things like the potential destructive power of her magic and the fact that she can't leave the valley. But everyone, even Jenn's own family, are resistant to telling her any of it, even as she is on the cusp of adulthood. This results in a lot of worry and reaction whenever Jenn does or wants certain things, creating problems that would be quickly solved or even non-existent if anyone told her anything. It also results in Jenn doing some foolish things basically out of ignorance.
The romance plot is nice, but it relies too heavily on insta-love and a bit of a love triangle. These tropes are getting over used. There have got to be other ways to bring tension and passion to a love story.
A Turn of Light is pretty long, which could make things a little draggy at times. However, this wasn't all bad. The length also allowed for lovely descriptions, careful development of characters and events, and a thoroughly realized setting.
Things I really liked:
Czerneda does a really good job of combining the epic and the provincial. The stakes are high, the magic big, but there are no long journeys, no royalty, no large organizations, no huge battles. Just life in a small pioneer village. The juxtaposition is very successful and fresh.
The setting is wonderful. Marrowdell is a place of magic and mundanity that combine in charming ways. This is all revealed slowly, so I'll refrain from describing any of it.
The characters were terrific. Each villager is distinct and fully developed - there are no extras. Their roles, personalities, and relationships are built up over the course of the whole book, too, so the reader doesn't lose interest. Jenn could be a little frustrating, but it's because she has just the right amount of selfishness and willfulness one would expect in a teenager who has not been told really important things about herself. Her struggles to do the right things and growing awareness of what those things are are central to the themes of the book.
Ultimately, this novel is all about how to accept responsibilities and do good while staying true to yourself.
by Julie E. Czerneda
This fantasy novel centers on Jenn Nalynn, a woman about to come of age in Marrowdell, a remote northern village settled by political exiles. However, Marrowdell is not an ordinary place - it sits on the seam between worlds - and Jenn is not ordinary either - an unprecedented convergence of events and conditions at her birth have given her subtle yet powerful magic. As Jenn's 19th birthday and the harvest equinox approach, strangers arrive in Marrowdell and various truths and crises are revealed.
I found A Turn of Light a rather enjoyable read overall, but it was a bit of a mixed bag.
Things I didn't like so much:
My biggest criticism is that a lot of the plot and tension, especially in the first 2/3 of the book, is driven by the fact that many of the other characters know important things about Jenn's nature and the abilities and limitations it gives her. Things like the potential destructive power of her magic and the fact that she can't leave the valley. But everyone, even Jenn's own family, are resistant to telling her any of it, even as she is on the cusp of adulthood. This results in a lot of worry and reaction whenever Jenn does or wants certain things, creating problems that would be quickly solved or even non-existent if anyone told her anything. It also results in Jenn doing some foolish things basically out of ignorance.
The romance plot is nice, but it relies too heavily on insta-love and a bit of a love triangle. These tropes are getting over used. There have got to be other ways to bring tension and passion to a love story.
A Turn of Light is pretty long, which could make things a little draggy at times. However, this wasn't all bad. The length also allowed for lovely descriptions, careful development of characters and events, and a thoroughly realized setting.
Things I really liked:
Czerneda does a really good job of combining the epic and the provincial. The stakes are high, the magic big, but there are no long journeys, no royalty, no large organizations, no huge battles. Just life in a small pioneer village. The juxtaposition is very successful and fresh.
The setting is wonderful. Marrowdell is a place of magic and mundanity that combine in charming ways. This is all revealed slowly, so I'll refrain from describing any of it.
The characters were terrific. Each villager is distinct and fully developed - there are no extras. Their roles, personalities, and relationships are built up over the course of the whole book, too, so the reader doesn't lose interest. Jenn could be a little frustrating, but it's because she has just the right amount of selfishness and willfulness one would expect in a teenager who has not been told really important things about herself. Her struggles to do the right things and growing awareness of what those things are are central to the themes of the book.
Ultimately, this novel is all about how to accept responsibilities and do good while staying true to yourself.
