Kiri's comments
(member since Nov 17, 2008)
Kiri's comments from the Lois McMaster Bujold Fans group.
(showing 1-20 of 126)
Much as I love the book, I wasn't head-over-heels about the last bit. Even though I wanted everything that happened to happen it all seemed too happily-ever-after and the problems seemed too easily overcome. I wish the Koudelka sisters were more developed as characters!
Sure, Mark and Kareen's relationship seems normal to us (and in fact there's nothing "abnormal" about their relationship) but my point was that they represent a shifting in societal norms - Kareen spending time on Beta Colony and making her own choices about sex/future/husbands is certainly a change from her parents' day.
It does seem that it's just a matter of time before inheritance by women will be accepted on Barrayar, based on the forces of change at work in this book. However, Dono/Donna's choice doesn't seem forced or bizarre to me, and I love the plot twist of it! How clever of Bujold to poke at her Vor-class stodgy Council of Counts in the most devastating way possible! It's so like her to write that!
Yes, but it would be easier if I ate before seeing a bug!
Two huge examples are obviously Lord Dono's play for the Countship, and Mark and Kareen's relationship - mostly, Kareen's bid for freedom to discover who she is away from the constraints of Barrayaran society.
Even though "A Civil Campaign" is subtitled "A comedy of biology and manners", it deals with some pretty serious overturning of cultural and societal traditions. How much in flux is Barrayaran society at this time?
I LOVE THIS BOOK. There are a couple of times when it seems a bit... lighthearted, and other times when difficult issues seem to be resolved too easily, but holy cats can Bujold put a plot together. She just spins all these threads together and makes it work like a charm. Just read the part where Aral comments that Ekaterin "squished nicely" when she bounced off him in her haste to leave after the dinner party. Ha!
I gotta say, I actually loved Tien's death scene. It just so clearly illustrates what kind of man Miles is, and what kind of man Tien is.
I think it's probably actual meat but grown as a culture of protein cells rather than on an animal that has to be slaughtered.
Makes me think of a great SF short story about a space colony in which some of the scientists decide to make an artificial cow in order to get real milk. It turns into a huge machine because the production of milk is dependent on so much of the cow's digestive system... but they succeed in the end.
She does say something to the effect of "I must have loved him at one time" and I can believe it. I had my own experience of love turning to habit. Sometimes it's just easier to stay with what you know, especially when there's a child involved.
Ekaterin is highly principled; she knows what "right" and "proper" behavior is (not just manners, but morals) and she's not going to deviate from what she feels is proper behavior. This is both her strength and her failing, when that belief leads her to subservience to Tien (because that is how a good wife is supposed to behave) even when she suspects there's something wrong. But it is her strong moral base that gives her strength to leave him.
Aunt Vorthys rocks; a strong, intelligent woman with a career and a long, happy marriage!
Sep 01, 2009 07:44AM
Clearly all the events since Miles' "death" have made a deep imprint on him. He seems vulnerable in a different way than he did as a 20-something... perhaps it's that he no longer believes he's invulnerable. But there's also his acceptance of his Vor status and his desire for a wife; someone willing to settle down with him. Any thoughts?
The positive aspect of Fast-Penta (that it eliminates the need for torture) has been mentioned repeatedly in the books. Still, it is a measure of Bujold's fine writing that the world of Barrayar is complicated and messy. The proper use of a tool like Fast-penta is an ethical matter.
Re: waterboarding; there is proof that torture does not get good information out of people. Yet I think there will always be people who feel it is the only way. Sad truth.
Here's a challenge: for everyone in this group who is reading (or has read) this book, start one topic! Ask a question, put forth a thought! It's easy to start a topic - there is a "new" button at the top righthand corner of the Discussion area.
She didn't grow up in a society where such things were done, which makes it very difficult to conceive of taking such action when warranted.
How satisfying, when reading this book, to see her finally reach that point.
I'm just going to go ahead and start this topic. It's obvious to me why it was so hard for her to reach that point of leaving Tien - I was kinda in the same place at one point in my life, except without the kid and the serious disease - but this is probably not so obvious to everyone. Clearly she felt a great deal of obligation to stay with Tien. How much of that has to do with being Vor, and how much with what kind of person she is?
It's an important moment because of Dag's distracting the malice by ground-ripping it, and I do appreciate what a team effort the whole thing is.
Aug 13, 2009 03:08PM
She is SO adaptible. Which seems to not necessarily be a farmer trait - just a Fawn trait. And clearly Dag is a pretty adaptible fellow, too; he ends up pulling up roots just as much as she does.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that she figured it out herself, as the only course of action she could take that might make a difference.
Cumbia drove me crazy. Frustrating person! But a beautiful example of Bujold's ability to write a complex character like that.
It was time for a discussion of a Vorkosigan novel.
The discussions have really dropped off since "The Curse of Chalion". Come on, people! How about some controversial questions: Dar and Cumbia - who is most obnoxious? How did Fawn know to stick the knife in Dag's thigh - did she figure it out or did he reach her somehow? Malice spatter - was it going to kill him eventually?
Lois McMaster Bujold Fans
