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King of Morning, Queen of Day
Winner of the Philip K. Dick Award and the Prix Imaginales: Three generations of women share a mysterious power—one that threatens to destroy them.
In early-twentieth-century Ireland, life for Emily Desmond is that of the average teenage girl: She reads, she's bored with school, and she has a powerful imagination. Then things begin to change. Her imagination is so powerful, in fact, that she wills a faerie into existence—an ability called mythoconsciousness. It's this power that opens a dangerous door that she will never want to close, and whose repercussions will reverberate across time.
First to be affected is her daughter, Jessica, who, in the mid-1930s, finds that she must face her mother's power by using the very same gift against her. Then, in the near future, Jessica's granddaughter, Enye, must end the cycle once and for all—but it may prove too powerful to overcome.
In early-twentieth-century Ireland, life for Emily Desmond is that of the average teenage girl: She reads, she's bored with school, and she has a powerful imagination. Then things begin to change. Her imagination is so powerful, in fact, that she wills a faerie into existence—an ability called mythoconsciousness. It's this power that opens a dangerous door that she will never want to close, and whose repercussions will reverberate across time.
First to be affected is her daughter, Jessica, who, in the mid-1930s, finds that she must face her mother's power by using the very same gift against her. Then, in the near future, Jessica's granddaughter, Enye, must end the cycle once and for all—but it may prove too powerful to overcome.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 1991
27 people are currently reading
926 people want to read
About the author
Ian McDonald
265 books1,263 followersIan Neil McDonald was born in 1960 in Manchester, England, to an Irish mother and a Scottish father. He moved with his family to Northern Ireland in 1965. He used to live in a house built in the back garden of C. S. Lewis's childhood home but has since moved to central Belfast, where he now lives, exploring interests like cats, contemplative religion, bonsai, bicycles, and comic-book collecting. He debuted in 1982 with the short story "The Island of the Dead" in the short-lived British magazine Extro. His first novel, Desolation Road, was published in 1988. Other works include King of Morning, Queen of Day (winner of the Philip K. Dick Award), River of Gods, The Dervish House (both of which won British Science Fiction Association Awards), the graphic novel Kling Klang Klatch, and many more. His most recent publications are Planesrunner and Be My Enemy, books one and two of the Everness series for younger readers (though older readers will find them a ball of fun, as well). Ian worked in television development for sixteen years, but is glad to be back to writing full-time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 1, 2016
I'm really surprised to see how few ratings this book has on Goodreads. It's not just a good book, it's a great book, an excellent one, well and beautifully written and full of ideas I've never quite met before, well, maybe some of them, more or less, but not in THIS way. There is so much more to it than just a fantastic plot, that I don't even know where to start.
Maybe let's start with location and time - it's Ireland in last century.
It's actually three stories under one cover, every story telling us about a different woman. Generations divide them but they are related by blood and... some gift. Or curse? Every story is very different in style. First one is about 15 years old Emily. She's a precocious child dreaming of Faeryland and poetry, not getting too much attention of her busy parents. Her story is written in form of extracts from correspondence and diaries written in 1913 by Emily herself, her family members and other people involved. It's a true delight to read, if you're into this kind of stuff. Also, I love how McDonald managed to weave into his story "real life" places and people, and even some scandalous events. This particular photo came to mind while reading the first part.
Also, the atmosphere of something unexplainable, mysterious and terrible going to happen was perfectly built. The last time I had this feeling was while watching Picnic at Hanging Rock some 15 years ago (note to myself - re-watch!).
Second story spins out in Dublin of 30-ies, where foulmouthed 17 y.o. Jessica is trying to live her life jolly and rather carelessly in loving family with her parents and sisters, but Something or Someone is looking for her... or is it her subconsciously looking for Something? In this part the style is a bit different, it's a completely new story, with new characters and you have to give it a bit of patience to get into, but again - it's really worth it. My most favourite characters - Tiresias and Gonzaga appeared here. It was an honour to meet them.
Third part jumps in time, but not in space - it's still Ireland, it's still Dublin, but on the edge of new 21st century. Our new heroine, Enye, is nothing like Emily or Jessica, she's strong and independent, her katana is not a trendy decoration and she knows how to use it, and she works in advertisement. But then she gets a mysterious videotape and she meets some pretty weird new friends... And nothing will be the same again for her.
This part of story reminded me a bit of Ghost in the Shell movie atmosphere and Zelazny's heroine from 24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai, in a very good way though. It's safe to say that at this point the whole story was on borderline with cyberpunk and it's hard to believe that it started with faeries and pucks.
This book is a bit of a challenge, it's not just an entertaining read to kill some time and have some giggles - you have to pay attention all the time, make connections and conclusions, but in the end it's so rewarding. The language is beautiful and poetic yet moderate, the way McDonald writes about woods and landscape makes you truly see it, makes you believe in what Emily and Jessica and Enye saw and touched.
Although I have no idea how katana connected to computer is supposed to work (or the other way around), I'll trust that author knows...
Great, fantastic book, one of the best books I've read this year and maybe in my life.
Maybe let's start with location and time - it's Ireland in last century.
It's actually three stories under one cover, every story telling us about a different woman. Generations divide them but they are related by blood and... some gift. Or curse? Every story is very different in style. First one is about 15 years old Emily. She's a precocious child dreaming of Faeryland and poetry, not getting too much attention of her busy parents. Her story is written in form of extracts from correspondence and diaries written in 1913 by Emily herself, her family members and other people involved. It's a true delight to read, if you're into this kind of stuff. Also, I love how McDonald managed to weave into his story "real life" places and people, and even some scandalous events. This particular photo came to mind while reading the first part.
Also, the atmosphere of something unexplainable, mysterious and terrible going to happen was perfectly built. The last time I had this feeling was while watching Picnic at Hanging Rock some 15 years ago (note to myself - re-watch!).
Second story spins out in Dublin of 30-ies, where foulmouthed 17 y.o. Jessica is trying to live her life jolly and rather carelessly in loving family with her parents and sisters, but Something or Someone is looking for her... or is it her subconsciously looking for Something? In this part the style is a bit different, it's a completely new story, with new characters and you have to give it a bit of patience to get into, but again - it's really worth it. My most favourite characters - Tiresias and Gonzaga appeared here. It was an honour to meet them.
Third part jumps in time, but not in space - it's still Ireland, it's still Dublin, but on the edge of new 21st century. Our new heroine, Enye, is nothing like Emily or Jessica, she's strong and independent, her katana is not a trendy decoration and she knows how to use it, and she works in advertisement. But then she gets a mysterious videotape and she meets some pretty weird new friends... And nothing will be the same again for her.
This part of story reminded me a bit of Ghost in the Shell movie atmosphere and Zelazny's heroine from 24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai, in a very good way though. It's safe to say that at this point the whole story was on borderline with cyberpunk and it's hard to believe that it started with faeries and pucks.
This book is a bit of a challenge, it's not just an entertaining read to kill some time and have some giggles - you have to pay attention all the time, make connections and conclusions, but in the end it's so rewarding. The language is beautiful and poetic yet moderate, the way McDonald writes about woods and landscape makes you truly see it, makes you believe in what Emily and Jessica and Enye saw and touched.
Although I have no idea how katana connected to computer is supposed to work (or the other way around), I'll trust that author knows...
Great, fantastic book, one of the best books I've read this year and maybe in my life.
October 12, 2009
I knew, just by reading the back cover blurb, that this book was right up my alley. Women with mystical powers? Check. Faeries? Check. Ireland? Check. In fact, I think the only reason I didn't discover this book earlier is that it was published in 1991, and I only got hooked on fantasy sometime in the late nineties.
The story begins with Emily, a bratty but endearing girl of fifteen, poised on the edge of adulthood in the early 20th century. Emily knows she is special, set apart-and when she sees the faeries in the wood by her family's home, she knows she will never be satisfied with ordinary life. Emily makes a colossal mess of things, as bratty fifteen-year-olds will do, and sets in motion events that will affect generations to come.
What follows is a fairy tale, but not precisely a tale of faeries; it's more of an exploration of the nature of reality and of myth, as seen through the eyes of Emily and two other women: Jessica, a glib-tongued teenager of the 1930s whose tall tales have an uncanny way of coming true; and Enye, a woman of the late 1980s, torn between everyday life and a battle with supernatural forces from the world beyond.
This is a stunning story and one that I'll probably reread over and over again. It doesn't suffer one bit from the ailment that afflicts so many multigenerational novels: the tendency for one or more of the intertwined stories to lack luster. All three of the women, and their lives and times, are vivid and passionate. And I must say, there are few male authors who can write such nuanced and three-dimensional female characters. Get your hands on a used copy of this. I wish they'd reprint it...
The story begins with Emily, a bratty but endearing girl of fifteen, poised on the edge of adulthood in the early 20th century. Emily knows she is special, set apart-and when she sees the faeries in the wood by her family's home, she knows she will never be satisfied with ordinary life. Emily makes a colossal mess of things, as bratty fifteen-year-olds will do, and sets in motion events that will affect generations to come.
What follows is a fairy tale, but not precisely a tale of faeries; it's more of an exploration of the nature of reality and of myth, as seen through the eyes of Emily and two other women: Jessica, a glib-tongued teenager of the 1930s whose tall tales have an uncanny way of coming true; and Enye, a woman of the late 1980s, torn between everyday life and a battle with supernatural forces from the world beyond.
This is a stunning story and one that I'll probably reread over and over again. It doesn't suffer one bit from the ailment that afflicts so many multigenerational novels: the tendency for one or more of the intertwined stories to lack luster. All three of the women, and their lives and times, are vivid and passionate. And I must say, there are few male authors who can write such nuanced and three-dimensional female characters. Get your hands on a used copy of this. I wish they'd reprint it...
January 31, 2024
Ну ладно. Первая часть очень мне понравилась, а дальше ээээээээ
October 22, 2016
I would probably say Ian McDonald is one of my favourite current Science Fiction authors and I’ve read nine books by him before this one. This early work by him is a bit of an outlier because it switches genre to be an early example of Urban Fantasy.
The story follows three generations of women who all have some disturbing encounters with the supernatural. It starts in rural Ireland in the early 20th Century when the young daughter of a Gentleman Astronomer encounters what she believes are faeries in the grounds of her family’s estate. The second section moves to Dublin in the 1930s as another young woman with a fondness for telling unlikely stories finds some of her lies appear to be coming true. The final section is in the “present day” (a.k.a. the early 90s) as a bicycle courier hunts supernatural beings around night-time Dublin armed with a pair of katanas.
The three sections of the book have very distinctive writing styles. The first section is mostly told via letters and diary entries, which feel appropriate for the 1913 setting but can feel slightly dry at times. The section is the most conventional in the terms of the writing style while the final section feels a bit more experimental. Despite being set in the early 90s it hasn’t dated too badly and I think it’s probably the strongest section of the book in terms of the writing but it was occasionally a bit hard to follow due to the non-linear narrative that jumps between different time periods without clearly showing when each scene is taking place.
I think McDonald has always been good at characterisation. The three protagonists have some similarities between them, they’re all troubled in one way or another but some of them are better at dealing that than others. I thought Enye was the most interesting of the characters, she’s also the most pro-active whereas Jessica is perhaps the least interesting because she tended to react to events without being able to really influence them. I think in Jessica’s stories the supporting characters are probably more interesting than Jessica herself. Enye also has a good supporting cast, and even if a character has little relevance to the main plot they can sometimes still get some interesting backstory.
I read this immediately after Peadar O’Guilin’s “The Call” which coincidentally also had creatures from ancient Irish mythology interacting with contemporary Ireland, but this is a very different take on mythology. At times it felt like a Science Fiction author’s take on fantasy where none of the mythology can be taken at face value but can instead be some sort of projection of the subconscious of the main characters. It’s an interesting idea and I did like the suggestion that it isn’t just ancient mythology but also its more modern equivalents that can make an appearance. On the downside, the book does sometimes get a little bit bogged down in trying to come up with new terminology to describe what is happening.
I liked the book, but probably wouldn’t say it is among McDonald’s best work, the first two sections aren’t as interesting as the third.
The story follows three generations of women who all have some disturbing encounters with the supernatural. It starts in rural Ireland in the early 20th Century when the young daughter of a Gentleman Astronomer encounters what she believes are faeries in the grounds of her family’s estate. The second section moves to Dublin in the 1930s as another young woman with a fondness for telling unlikely stories finds some of her lies appear to be coming true. The final section is in the “present day” (a.k.a. the early 90s) as a bicycle courier hunts supernatural beings around night-time Dublin armed with a pair of katanas.
The three sections of the book have very distinctive writing styles. The first section is mostly told via letters and diary entries, which feel appropriate for the 1913 setting but can feel slightly dry at times. The section is the most conventional in the terms of the writing style while the final section feels a bit more experimental. Despite being set in the early 90s it hasn’t dated too badly and I think it’s probably the strongest section of the book in terms of the writing but it was occasionally a bit hard to follow due to the non-linear narrative that jumps between different time periods without clearly showing when each scene is taking place.
I think McDonald has always been good at characterisation. The three protagonists have some similarities between them, they’re all troubled in one way or another but some of them are better at dealing that than others. I thought Enye was the most interesting of the characters, she’s also the most pro-active whereas Jessica is perhaps the least interesting because she tended to react to events without being able to really influence them. I think in Jessica’s stories the supporting characters are probably more interesting than Jessica herself. Enye also has a good supporting cast, and even if a character has little relevance to the main plot they can sometimes still get some interesting backstory.
I read this immediately after Peadar O’Guilin’s “The Call” which coincidentally also had creatures from ancient Irish mythology interacting with contemporary Ireland, but this is a very different take on mythology. At times it felt like a Science Fiction author’s take on fantasy where none of the mythology can be taken at face value but can instead be some sort of projection of the subconscious of the main characters. It’s an interesting idea and I did like the suggestion that it isn’t just ancient mythology but also its more modern equivalents that can make an appearance. On the downside, the book does sometimes get a little bit bogged down in trying to come up with new terminology to describe what is happening.
I liked the book, but probably wouldn’t say it is among McDonald’s best work, the first two sections aren’t as interesting as the third.
January 15, 2022
Talked about this book at a conference (Books Beyond Boundaries NI, organised by Ulster University) in connection to national identity, fairies, and female power. While this book reminds me a lot of Holdstock's "Mythago Wood" it is less enigmatic, more political, and less confusing albeit as weird. It's about several generations of women (key parts take place in 1913 Sligo, 1930s Dublin, 1989/1990 Dublin) who are haunted by fairies as they can influence them / the Otherworld. It's all a bit over the top, William Butler Yeats shows up and interviews Emily in 1913, for example, the last protagonist Enye is a katana wielding bike courier, but overall this was fun. The novel should've 150 pages shorter for my liking, but great ideas and a love for detail and making history feel alive.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
November 2, 2008
This book is a three part story, focusing on three women and thier relationship to fairies. The women are, of course, related. Each section deals with a different woman and how she responses to her connection to the magical world.
February 24, 2015
This book was pretty good until the story of the granddaughter Enya. That section was written in a difficult-to-read manner and I gave up. I don't like to have to work to read a book. I did enough of that in school.
May 6, 2010
An awesome tale of the power of stories and the devastation they can wreck across generations.
March 13, 2025
Фэнтези/магический реализм/книга года 2024 по итогам "Мира фантастики". 1910-е, юная девушка грезит о фейри в живописном лесу и даже вроде бы иногда их там видит, в то время как её отец поглощён загадкой мерцающей кометы и начинает строить сигнальный маяк для общения с инопланетными путешественниками.
Начало достаточно интригующее, но потом автор сворачивает в сторону т.н. большой литературы, а-ля Нил Гейман и Сюзанна Кларк, только вместо опостылевшей доброй-старой Англии здесь (для разнообразия и ради грантов) погружение в революционную Ирландию, богатая мифология которой, кстати, появилась на свет благодаря усилиям тамошних националистов.
Собственно, моя основная претензия к этой книге состоит в том, что если очистить её от всей шелухи в виде ста тысяч отсылок ко всему на свете, начиная с исторических событий и оканчивая книгами, фильмами и музыкой, то собственно сюжетная выдержка уместится на двух страницах. Ещё я был удивлён, что оригинал был написан в 1991-м, и финальная часть, читающаяся как ретро-киберпанк (неоновые новогодние вечеринки 2000-го года и наладонные органайзеры) — это на самом деле был лёгкий уход в фантастику. Видимо, этим же объясняется и странная фиксация автора на сексуализированном насилии (рубеж 80/90-х — как раз его "расцвет" в массовой культуре).
Ещё я с этого года решил частично возвращаться к переводам (просто потому, что так читать раза в полтора быстрее, а всякие авторские изыски со сложным языком — это для меня скорее минус). Здешний перевод Наталии Осояну очень хороший, богатый и живой, уместно насыщенный словами типа "дезабилье", "дортуар", "противосолонь". Мой редакторский глаз за всю книгу, может, раз пять всего за что-то зацепился (н-р, "по словам сына садовника Габриэла О'Бирна" — тут несложно перефразировать, чтобы имя относилось именно к сыну).
В целом же не могу сказать, что мне понравилось. В моём восприятии это книга ни о чём, что-то сродни поэзии и детским рисункам (за которыми тоже скрывается обширный и далеко не всегда светлый внутренний мир).
Начало достаточно интригующее, но потом автор сворачивает в сторону т.н. большой литературы, а-ля Нил Гейман и Сюзанна Кларк, только вместо опостылевшей доброй-старой Англии здесь (для разнообразия и ради грантов) погружение в революционную Ирландию, богатая мифология которой, кстати, появилась на свет благодаря усилиям тамошних националистов.
Собственно, моя основная претензия к этой книге состоит в том, что если очистить её от всей шелухи в виде ста тысяч отсылок ко всему на свете, начиная с исторических событий и оканчивая книгами, фильмами и музыкой, то собственно сюжетная выдержка уместится на двух страницах. Ещё я был удивлён, что оригинал был написан в 1991-м, и финальная часть, читающаяся как ретро-киберпанк (неоновые новогодние вечеринки 2000-го года и наладонные органайзеры) — это на самом деле был лёгкий уход в фантастику. Видимо, этим же объясняется и странная фиксация автора на сексуализированном насилии (рубеж 80/90-х — как раз его "расцвет" в массовой культуре).
Ещё я с этого года решил частично возвращаться к переводам (просто потому, что так читать раза в полтора быстрее, а всякие авторские изыски со сложным языком — это для меня скорее минус). Здешний перевод Наталии Осояну очень хороший, богатый и живой, уместно насыщенный словами типа "дезабилье", "дортуар", "противосолонь". Мой редакторский глаз за всю книгу, может, раз пять всего за что-то зацепился (н-р, "по словам сына садовника Габриэла О'Бирна" — тут несложно перефразировать, чтобы имя относилось именно к сыну).
В целом же не могу сказать, что мне понравилось. В моём восприятии это книга ни о чём, что-то сродни поэзии и детским рисункам (за которыми тоже скрывается обширный и далеко не всегда светлый внутренний мир).
January 4, 2024
Хе-хе, как же хорошо искупаться в котле мифилогии, подсознания, фантазии и эрудиции Макдональда! Титанический труд переводчика. Наслаждение разорванными связями, башенками перечислений, сверхъестественными гибридами и реальнейшими историческими деталями.
Мифоистория Ирландии 20 века через три женские судьбы : в 1913 году Эмили уверена, что видит фейри, пока её родители бредят Йейтсом и межзвезными контактами; Джессика в 30-х мечтает стать художницей, работает в забегаловке, ругается хуже сапожника и, кажется, способна материализовать свои фантазии и страхи; в конце1980-х Энья работает рекламщиком днем, ночью разыгрывает битвы по японским законам мастеров меча и постепенно раскручивает спираль сюжета к началу.
Не спойлер , а подсказка: отец в каждом сюжете важен.
Насыщенный отсылками ко всем культурным пластам Ирландии последних веков, текст словно геологический разлом втягивает читателя в микс сказаний, верований и практик от кельтов до современных потребителей, чтобы катарсисом вечной истины разлиться светом в финале.
Я бы рискнула даже сказать, что финал почти хрестоматийно христианский. И на фоне фантасмагории 560 страниц до него - ошеломительно новый.
Мифоистория Ирландии 20 века через три женские судьбы : в 1913 году Эмили уверена, что видит фейри, пока её родители бредят Йейтсом и межзвезными контактами; Джессика в 30-х мечтает стать художницей, работает в забегаловке, ругается хуже сапожника и, кажется, способна материализовать свои фантазии и страхи; в конце1980-х Энья работает рекламщиком днем, ночью разыгрывает битвы по японским законам мастеров меча и постепенно раскручивает спираль сюжета к началу.
Не спойлер , а подсказка: отец в каждом сюжете важен.
Насыщенный отсылками ко всем культурным пластам Ирландии последних веков, текст словно геологический разлом втягивает читателя в микс сказаний, верований и практик от кельтов до современных потребителей, чтобы катарсисом вечной истины разлиться светом в финале.
Я бы рискнула даже сказать, что финал почти хрестоматийно христианский. И на фоне фантасмагории 560 страниц до него - ошеломительно новый.
January 27, 2024
4,5
"The King of the Morning, the Queen of the Day" is one of the main premieres of the Russian book winter 2024. Most of the books published today will go unnoticed and sink into oblivion. Not this novel, it was talked about as one of the most anticipated, if not since last summer, then certainly since autumn. Why? What's so special about it?
First of all, the rarest case of the influence of the translator's figure, Natalia Osoyanu is better known not for translations of such different and difficult Catherine Valente, Clive Barker, Robin Hobb, China Mieville, Gene Wolfe, but as the author of the popular fantasy cycle "Children of the Great Storm". Interestingly, the appeal to fantasy is not too typical for Ian MacDonald, who was glorified by hard fiction and cyberpunk with nanotechnology. By the way, his famous Lunar cycle, which is called the "Game of Thrones" in space, was translated into Russian by Natalia, this is a long-standing and fruitful collaboration.
However, conventionally cyberpunk modernity in this novel appears only in the third and final part, and even then, in small patches, like a computerized one connected to a handheld (does anyone else remember this dead-end path of technology development from the time of pagers?) Japanese katana. Otherwise, "King of the Morning, Queen of the Day" is a fantasy story, with fairies, elves and fairies, Wild hunting and menhirs protecting Ladies and Gentlemen from invasion. Yates from the epigraph is not accidental, he not only appears cameo on the pages of the first part of the novel, but his emphasized Irishness, mysticism and connection with folklore perfectly harmonize with the book. Although many will also see the influence of "Little Big" John Crowley in the first part, and yes, it is undoubtedly
It is a pity that catharsis did not happen, but Natasha Osoyan's translation is beyond praise, and the book definitely deserves attention.
Маленькая зеленая дверь
Только цепкие очи и ледяные зрачки,
Тени крыльев бесчисленных, погасивших луну.
Йейтс, пер. Гр.Кружкова
"Король утра, королева дня" одна из главных премьер зимы 2024. Парадокс дня сегодняшнего в том, что издатели оплакивают падение рынка, читателей обескураживают цены, все вместе сокрушаются о том. что читают теперь мало, но при этом издается такое количество книг от самых разных авторов, о каком во времена стабильного спроса и дружелюбной ценовой политики помыслить нельзя было. Большинство пройдет незамеченным и канет в Лету. Не этот роман, о нем говорили, как об одном из самых ожидаемых, если не с прошлого лета, так уж с осени - точно. Почему? Что в нем особенного?
В первую очередь редчайший случай влияния фигуры переводчицы, Наталия Осояну более известна не переводами таких разных и непростых Кэтрин Валенте, Клайва Баркера, Робин Хобб, Чайны Мьевиля, Джина Вулфа, но как автор популярного фэнтези-цикла "Дети великого шторма". Интересно, что обращение к фэнтези не слишком характерно для Йена Макдональда, которого прославили твердая фантастика и киберпанк с нанотехнологиями. Кстати, его знаменитый Лунный цикл, который называют "Игрой престолов" в космосе, перевела на русский Наталия, это давнее и плодотворное сотрудничество.
Однако условно киберпанковая современность в этом романе появляется лишь в третьей заключительной части, да и то, небольшими вкраплениями, вроде компьютеризованной, соединенной с наладонником (кто-нибудь еще помнит этот тупиковый путь развития технологий из времен пейджеров?) японской катаны. В остальном "Король утра, королева дня" история фэнтезийная, с фейри, эльфами и феями, Дикой охотой и защищающими от вторжения Дам и Господ менгирами. Йейтс из эпиграфа не случаен, он не только камео появляется на страницах первой части романа, но его подчеркнутая ирландскость, мистичность и связь с фольклором замечательно гармонируют с книгой. Хотя многие разглядят в первой части также влияние "Маленького большого" Джона Краули и да, оно несомненно.
Итак, первая новелла "Крагдарра": 1913, Ирландия, образованный обеспеченный социальный слой, в родовом поместье Десмондов (папа увлечен астрономией, мама поэтесса и видная деятельница гэльского возрождения) творятся странные вещи. Юная Эмили, их дочь, слышит звуки рогов Дикой охоты и призывную сладкозвучную мелодию, убегает ночами в лес, где встречает необычных существ явно из малого народца. В то же время, отец, наблюдая за кометой, приходит к выводу, что это корабль инопланетян, о чем делает доклад в научном обществе, однако там его осмеивают.
Одержимый идеей контакта, Десмонд все же находит спонсора для постройки на море понтонного маяка, который будет подавать сигналы, а когда тот отказывает в финансировании затеи, закладывает имение, в итоге разоряясь на своем прожекте. Что до Эмили, ее ночные прогулки по лесу не остаются без последствий, девушка становится жертвой изнасилования, о злодеях она ничего не может сказать. С позором, который навлекает на семью беременность "неизвестно от кого" и необходимостью срочной продажи родного дома, в Крагдарре начинают происходить странные и пугающие вещи, которые завершаются еще более непонятной и жуткой драмой.
"Миф-линии", вторая часть, Дублин, 30-е. Семнадцатилетняя Джессика Колдуэлл, старшая из трех дочерей модного художника, талантливая рисовальщица, но работает официанткой, потому что "бессмысленно выбрасывать деньги на учебу в Колледже художеств, когда ты все равно выскочишь через год замуж и посвятишь себя семье". Джессика красавица, но слишком остра на язык, к тому же тяготеет к чудовищной вульгарности чем распугивает ухажеров и приводит в ужас близких. Скабрезности, достойные портового грузчика, походя изрекаемые девичьими устами, кого угодно поставят в тупик. Родители отправляют девушку к психотерапевту, который под гипнозом выясняет, что она - удочеренное дитя Колдуэллов, в раннем детстве пережила гибель прежней семьи. У Джесси есть еще одно свойство, ее фантазии материализуются.
Одновременно мы следим за странствиями двух бродяг, очень непростых, как догадываемся, и по некоторым косвенным признакам понимаем, что именно эта пара Гого и Тересий спасла из огня малышку двенадцать лет назад. Вы наверняка подумали о Беккете и да, его влияние на вторую новеллу несомненно, как и Дублин джойсова "Улисса", так же роскошно обыгранный стилистически, как Йейтс и Краули первой части. Пути героини, ее приемного отца, ее психолога и хранителей сходятся, когда Джесси исчезает, скорее обманом похищенная прекрасным незнакомцем, связанным с ИРА (нет), чем ушедшая с ним по доброй воле.
Третья, "Позднее лето" и четвертая "Шехина", Ливерпуль 80-х - части Эньи, которая днем работает в рекламном агентстве, а ночью, посредством двух японских мечей и наладонника, спасает мир от прорывающихся в него иномирных тварей фагусов. Это счастье подвалило ей одновременно с бабушкиным наследством, бабушка Джессика оставила некоторые заметки, записки и рисунки, примерно тогда же девушка начала подв��ргаться атакам запредельных тварей. Она находит союзников и теряет работу (ожидаемо, когда твоя жизнь делает такой крен), и находит новую - велокурьера, и разбирается с давними проблемами в своей семье, которые отторгали ее от матери и брата. Здесь снова меняется стиль, на сей раз такой стилистический микс из офисного арго кубиклов, сленга велокурьеров, старомодно утонченного, едва ли не викторианского языка и щепотки Нила Стивенсона (куда без него в киберпанке).
И вот тут, как ни грустно, очарование книги истаивает. С первой и второй частями перехватывает дыхание от восторга, от зримого присутствия тайны, от обаяния и живости героинь. После них супергеройская миссия Эньи воспринимается как приключения на треть бионической Чудо-женщины. И финальный пафо�� прощения с примитивным фрейдизмом второго рождения и (особенно!) подавленные воспоминания Эньи - ну такое. Когда Макдональд пишет "под кого-то", он великолепен, когда "от себя" - не так хорошо. воля ваша. Нормально, есть творцы, наделенные даром первопроходца, есть гениальные интерпретаторы, и ключевое здесь все-таки "гениальный".
Не случившегося катарсиса жаль, но перевод Наташи Осояну выше всяких похвал, и книга однозначно заслуживает внимания.
"The King of the Morning, the Queen of the Day" is one of the main premieres of the Russian book winter 2024. Most of the books published today will go unnoticed and sink into oblivion. Not this novel, it was talked about as one of the most anticipated, if not since last summer, then certainly since autumn. Why? What's so special about it?
First of all, the rarest case of the influence of the translator's figure, Natalia Osoyanu is better known not for translations of such different and difficult Catherine Valente, Clive Barker, Robin Hobb, China Mieville, Gene Wolfe, but as the author of the popular fantasy cycle "Children of the Great Storm". Interestingly, the appeal to fantasy is not too typical for Ian MacDonald, who was glorified by hard fiction and cyberpunk with nanotechnology. By the way, his famous Lunar cycle, which is called the "Game of Thrones" in space, was translated into Russian by Natalia, this is a long-standing and fruitful collaboration.
However, conventionally cyberpunk modernity in this novel appears only in the third and final part, and even then, in small patches, like a computerized one connected to a handheld (does anyone else remember this dead-end path of technology development from the time of pagers?) Japanese katana. Otherwise, "King of the Morning, Queen of the Day" is a fantasy story, with fairies, elves and fairies, Wild hunting and menhirs protecting Ladies and Gentlemen from invasion. Yates from the epigraph is not accidental, he not only appears cameo on the pages of the first part of the novel, but his emphasized Irishness, mysticism and connection with folklore perfectly harmonize with the book. Although many will also see the influence of "Little Big" John Crowley in the first part, and yes, it is undoubtedly
It is a pity that catharsis did not happen, but Natasha Osoyan's translation is beyond praise, and the book definitely deserves attention.
Маленькая зеленая дверь
Только цепкие очи и ледяные зрачки,
Тени крыльев бесчисленных, погасивших луну.
Йейтс, пер. Гр.Кружкова
"Король утра, королева дня" одна из главных премьер зимы 2024. Парадокс дня сегодняшнего в том, что издатели оплакивают падение рынка, читателей обескураживают цены, все вместе сокрушаются о том. что читают теперь мало, но при этом издается такое количество книг от самых разных авторов, о каком во времена стабильного спроса и дружелюбной ценовой политики помыслить нельзя было. Большинство пройдет незамеченным и канет в Лету. Не этот роман, о нем говорили, как об одном из самых ожидаемых, если не с прошлого лета, так уж с осени - точно. Почему? Что в нем особенного?
В первую очередь редчайший случай влияния фигуры переводчицы, Наталия Осояну более известна не переводами таких разных и непростых Кэтрин Валенте, Клайва Баркера, Робин Хобб, Чайны Мьевиля, Джина Вулфа, но как автор популярного фэнтези-цикла "Дети великого шторма". Интересно, что обращение к фэнтези не слишком характерно для Йена Макдональда, которого прославили твердая фантастика и киберпанк с нанотехнологиями. Кстати, его знаменитый Лунный цикл, который называют "Игрой престолов" в космосе, перевела на русский Наталия, это давнее и плодотворное сотрудничество.
Однако условно киберпанковая современность в этом романе появляется лишь в третьей заключительной части, да и то, небольшими вкраплениями, вроде компьютеризованной, соединенной с наладонником (кто-нибудь еще помнит этот тупиковый путь развития технологий из времен пейджеров?) японской катаны. В остальном "Король утра, королева дня" история фэнтезийная, с фейри, эльфами и феями, Дикой охотой и защищающими от вторжения Дам и Господ менгирами. Йейтс из эпиграфа не случаен, он не только камео появляется на страницах первой части романа, но его подчеркнутая ирландскость, мистичность и связь с фольклором замечательно гармонируют с книгой. Хотя многие разглядят в первой части также влияние "Маленького большого" Джона Краули и да, оно несомненно.
Итак, первая новелла "Крагдарра": 1913, Ирландия, образованный обеспеченный социальный слой, в родовом поместье Десмондов (папа увлечен астрономией, мама поэтесса и видная деятельница гэльского возрождения) творятся странные вещи. Юная Эмили, их дочь, слышит звуки рогов Дикой охоты и призывную сладкозвучную мелодию, убегает ночами в лес, где встречает необычных существ явно из малого народца. В то же время, отец, наблюдая за кометой, приходит к выводу, что это корабль инопланетян, о чем делает доклад в научном обществе, однако там его осмеивают.
Одержимый идеей контакта, Десмонд все же находит спонсора для постройки на море понтонного маяка, который будет подавать сигналы, а когда тот отказывает в финансировании затеи, закладывает имение, в итоге разоряясь на своем прожекте. Что до Эмили, ее ночные прогулки по лесу не остаются без последствий, девушка становится жертвой изнасилования, о злодеях она ничего не может сказать. С позором, который навлекает на семью беременность "неизвестно от кого" и необходимостью срочной продажи родного дома, в Крагдарре начинают происходить странные и пугающие вещи, которые завершаются еще более непонятной и жуткой драмой.
"Миф-линии", вторая часть, Дублин, 30-е. Семнадцатилетняя Джессика Колдуэлл, старшая из трех дочерей модного художника, талантливая рисовальщица, но работает официанткой, потому что "бессмысленно выбрасывать деньги на учебу в Колледже художеств, когда ты все равно выскочишь через год замуж и посвятишь себя семье". Джессика красавица, но слишком остра на язык, к тому же тяготеет к чудовищной вульгарности чем распугивает ухажеров и приводит в ужас близких. Скабрезности, достойные портового грузчика, походя изрекаемые девичьими устами, кого угодно поставят в тупик. Родители отправляют девушку к психотерапевту, который под гипнозом выясняет, что она - удочеренное дитя Колдуэллов, в раннем детстве пережила гибель прежней семьи. У Джесси есть еще одно свойство, ее фантазии материализуются.
Одновременно мы следим за странствиями двух бродяг, очень непростых, как догадываемся, и по некоторым косвенным признакам понимаем, что именно эта пара Гого и Тересий спасла из огня малышку двенадцать лет назад. Вы наверняка подумали о Беккете и да, его влияние на вторую новеллу несомненно, как и Дублин джойсова "Улисса", так же роскошно обыгранный стилистически, как Йейтс и Краули первой части. Пути героини, ее приемного отца, ее психолога и хранителей сходятся, когда Джесси исчезает, скорее обманом похищенная прекрасным незнакомцем, связанным с ИРА (нет), чем ушедшая с ним по доброй воле.
Третья, "Позднее лето" и четвертая "Шехина", Ливерпуль 80-х - части Эньи, которая днем работает в рекламном агентстве, а ночью, посредством двух японских мечей и наладонника, спасает мир от прорывающихся в него иномирных тварей фагусов. Это счастье подвалило ей одновременно с бабушкиным наследством, бабушка Джессика оставила некоторые заметки, записки и рисунки, примерно тогда же девушка начала подв��ргаться атакам запредельных тварей. Она находит союзников и теряет работу (ожидаемо, когда твоя жизнь делает такой крен), и находит новую - велокурьера, и разбирается с давними проблемами в своей семье, которые отторгали ее от матери и брата. Здесь снова меняется стиль, на сей раз такой стилистический микс из офисного арго кубиклов, сленга велокурьеров, старомодно утонченного, едва ли не викторианского языка и щепотки Нила Стивенсона (куда без него в киберпанке).
И вот тут, как ни грустно, очарование книги истаивает. С первой и второй частями перехватывает дыхание от восторга, от зримого присутствия тайны, от обаяния и живости героинь. После них супергеройская миссия Эньи воспринимается как приключения на треть бионической Чудо-женщины. И финальный пафо�� прощения с примитивным фрейдизмом второго рождения и (особенно!) подавленные воспоминания Эньи - ну такое. Когда Макдональд пишет "под кого-то", он великолепен, когда "от себя" - не так хорошо. воля ваша. Нормально, есть творцы, наделенные даром первопроходца, есть гениальные интерпретаторы, и ключевое здесь все-таки "гениальный".
Не случившегося катарсиса жаль, но перевод Наташи Осояну выше всяких похвал, и книга однозначно заслуживает внимания.
Read
April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/476487.html[return][return]It is good. There was, of course, a famous real observatory in County Sligo, built by the Coopers of Markree Castle in Collooney a few miles south of the fictional Edward Garret Desmond, and I'm sure that he had it in mind. The Coopers had built what was at the time the largest refracting telescope in the world (the largest telescope in the world was the reflecting telescope of the Earls of Rosse at Birr Castle, a hundred miles or so to the south), and discovered an asteroid as well as various other less exciting breakthroughs (it does tend to rain in County Sligo). The fictional observatory is pretty close to the Drumcliffe cemetery where Yeats lies, so I found it pretty easy to buy into the sense of place.[return][return]Indeed, I think this is one of the things I like about his writing, and the writing of many of my favourite authors; the strong sense of place. King of Morning, Queen of Day is set very firmly in three distinct times and places: Sligo (mainly, with a bit of Dublin) in 1913-14; then Dublin (with a little bit of Slieve Gullion and nearby places) in the 1930s; then Dublin again in 1989. All three settings are richly imagined and in fact re-imagined, with an interleaven of creatures breaking through from the Otherworld. The other thing that springs out is that all three central characters are women, indeed three out of four generations; Emily is Jessica's mother, and Jessica is Enye's grandmother. McDonald uses female main characters a lot, and IMHO generally does it pretty well.[return][return]The three sections are somewhat different in presentation. The first bit combines diary entries, letters and newspaper cuttings a la Dracula, with the best bits being Emily's engagement with the Otherworld (mapping her father's engagement with the aliens from another planet he imagines to be approaching Sligo). The second section leans (a little self-consciously in places) on Ulysses and Waiting for Godot. The third section seemed to me to be pretty straight narrative, though no doubt there are nuances I missed. I loved the character whose real name was Anne-Marie, but her Ulster accent meant everyone called her Omry. Anyway, I liked it.[return][return]One final point of trivia. The middle section has a disparaging reference to Errol Flynn. At the time the Professor of Zoology at the Queen's University of Belfast was his father, Theodore T Flynn. Not a lot of people know that.
August 29, 2013
Dans ce curieux roman, trois histoires de femmes sont racontées, chacune d'elle engendrant plus ou moins la suivante.
Il y a d'abord Emily Desmond, à l'aube du XXème siècle, qui découvre l'existence de fées autour d'elle et tente d'entrer en contact avec ces fées, au grand dam de son père, astronome de renom entraîné dans une aventure assez scabreuse mettant en scène des extra-terrestres possibles voyageant sur une comète.
Il y a ensuite sa fille Jessica qui, après différentes péripéthies, découvre elle aussi qu'elle est en contact avec le monde de l'imaginaire et tente d'appaiser la tension existant entre ces deux univers.
Et il ya enfin la petite-fille de Jessica, Enye, qui va à son tour ... oui, entrer en contact avec ce monde.
Cahcun de ces récits est très différent. Si le premier lorgne clairement du côté de l'angleterre victorienne et du cultre du progrès du début du XXème, le second nous place dans une dimension bien plus politique, avec les tentatives d'émancipation irlandaises et le dernier quant à lui nous envoie dans le monde merveilleux des années 80 et de la pub reine. Et évidement, ces récits différents, mettant en scène des personnages différents avec des enjeux différents ont eu sur moi un effet différent.
J'ai ainsi trouvé le premier trop mièvre (normal vu l'époque), le second très bien à la fois dans ses enjeux et dans sa résolution - les personnages y sont aussi bien campés - et le dernier effroyablement confus : on ne comprend jamais dans quel moment du récit le paragraphe qu'on lit se situe, ni ce que viennent faire des combats au katana dans l'irlande des années 80 (un hommage caché à Highlander, peut-être ?), enfin bref, il est totallement loupé.
Tellement loupé même, que ma lecture en a été gâchée. A la fin du récit de Jessica, j'étais prêt à offrir une place au panthéon de mes lectures à cette oeuvre, se plaçant pourtant dans une vision du fantastique anglo-saxon à laquelle j'ai généralement bien du mal à adhérer (prenez la forêt des mythagos, par exemple, c'est le même environement, et je n'ai pas du tout adhéré). Eh bien suite à cette dernière partie, qui me perd à la fois dans sa chronologie et dans ses concepts, je n'en peux plus de ce bouquin dont la lecture de la dernière partie m'a paru durer mille ans.
Quant à l'intérêt d'ajouter à cette dernière salade un sordide Lourd Secret Familial, je n'y vois rien d'autre que la main d'un éditeur manifestement abruti (enfin j'espère).
Il y a d'abord Emily Desmond, à l'aube du XXème siècle, qui découvre l'existence de fées autour d'elle et tente d'entrer en contact avec ces fées, au grand dam de son père, astronome de renom entraîné dans une aventure assez scabreuse mettant en scène des extra-terrestres possibles voyageant sur une comète.
Il y a ensuite sa fille Jessica qui, après différentes péripéthies, découvre elle aussi qu'elle est en contact avec le monde de l'imaginaire et tente d'appaiser la tension existant entre ces deux univers.
Et il ya enfin la petite-fille de Jessica, Enye, qui va à son tour ... oui, entrer en contact avec ce monde.
Cahcun de ces récits est très différent. Si le premier lorgne clairement du côté de l'angleterre victorienne et du cultre du progrès du début du XXème, le second nous place dans une dimension bien plus politique, avec les tentatives d'émancipation irlandaises et le dernier quant à lui nous envoie dans le monde merveilleux des années 80 et de la pub reine. Et évidement, ces récits différents, mettant en scène des personnages différents avec des enjeux différents ont eu sur moi un effet différent.
J'ai ainsi trouvé le premier trop mièvre (normal vu l'époque), le second très bien à la fois dans ses enjeux et dans sa résolution - les personnages y sont aussi bien campés - et le dernier effroyablement confus : on ne comprend jamais dans quel moment du récit le paragraphe qu'on lit se situe, ni ce que viennent faire des combats au katana dans l'irlande des années 80 (un hommage caché à Highlander, peut-être ?), enfin bref, il est totallement loupé.
Tellement loupé même, que ma lecture en a été gâchée. A la fin du récit de Jessica, j'étais prêt à offrir une place au panthéon de mes lectures à cette oeuvre, se plaçant pourtant dans une vision du fantastique anglo-saxon à laquelle j'ai généralement bien du mal à adhérer (prenez la forêt des mythagos, par exemple, c'est le même environement, et je n'ai pas du tout adhéré). Eh bien suite à cette dernière partie, qui me perd à la fois dans sa chronologie et dans ses concepts, je n'en peux plus de ce bouquin dont la lecture de la dernière partie m'a paru durer mille ans.
Quant à l'intérêt d'ajouter à cette dernière salade un sordide Lourd Secret Familial, je n'y vois rien d'autre que la main d'un éditeur manifestement abruti (enfin j'espère).
September 24, 2013
"But being an inevitability does not make it a joy. Dying is the inevitable of inevitables, but that does not make it into a thing to be looked forward to."
I didn't know what I was going to make of this novel; the synopsis intrigued me and I was hooked and spellbound from the very start. Somehow, Mcdonald's managed to blend three very distinct, very separate, indeed very disjointed women into a masterpiece, a complex and powerful gestalt which, although it didn't quite hold me to the edge of my seat all the way through (Enye took a while for me to warm to) nonetheless compelled, impelled, forced me to keep turning the pages to resolve the story and see how it all came out.
Of particular appeal to me was the geography, Bridestone Wood, it being "Not quite haunted, but not quite not", and returned to generations hence by these different, different women. Each of whom see things through the views of their own times and ages, of course. And the language. The poetry, the cadence, the rhythm of things. Phrases like:
* "Mr. Caldwell’s expression one of grim resolution in the face of withering revelation, like a member of the Russian royal family on the night of the Revolution"
* "after monetary inducement of a proportion that even the piratical proprietor of the Munster Arms Hotel would have baulked at"
* "An Operatically flamboyant sunset"
* "The pith of her spirit"
These pretty, witty, catchy turns of phrase struck chords with me, lodged somewhere in my brain, connected me to the work in a way rare and pleasant and delightful.
So, yes. An experience, not just a reading. I loved the language best of all, and I'd reread the entries from Dr. Edward Garret Desmond’s Personal Diary over again, just to marvel at and relish in the language of the period. Most of the phrases that caught my eye, that set themselves a tinkling and twinkling in my head were from the second section, and seeing Mcdonald's handling of a future generation was interesting, even if I didn't click with Enye as I did with the other MacColls.
Is it worth you reading it? well, that's not for me to say. But if I could go and tell myself to read it a year ago, during a humdrum book or dry literary spell, I'd do so in a heartbeat - my only reservation being that precluding my own enjoyment of it this week.
I didn't know what I was going to make of this novel; the synopsis intrigued me and I was hooked and spellbound from the very start. Somehow, Mcdonald's managed to blend three very distinct, very separate, indeed very disjointed women into a masterpiece, a complex and powerful gestalt which, although it didn't quite hold me to the edge of my seat all the way through (Enye took a while for me to warm to) nonetheless compelled, impelled, forced me to keep turning the pages to resolve the story and see how it all came out.
Of particular appeal to me was the geography, Bridestone Wood, it being "Not quite haunted, but not quite not", and returned to generations hence by these different, different women. Each of whom see things through the views of their own times and ages, of course. And the language. The poetry, the cadence, the rhythm of things. Phrases like:
* "Mr. Caldwell’s expression one of grim resolution in the face of withering revelation, like a member of the Russian royal family on the night of the Revolution"
* "after monetary inducement of a proportion that even the piratical proprietor of the Munster Arms Hotel would have baulked at"
* "An Operatically flamboyant sunset"
* "The pith of her spirit"
These pretty, witty, catchy turns of phrase struck chords with me, lodged somewhere in my brain, connected me to the work in a way rare and pleasant and delightful.
So, yes. An experience, not just a reading. I loved the language best of all, and I'd reread the entries from Dr. Edward Garret Desmond’s Personal Diary over again, just to marvel at and relish in the language of the period. Most of the phrases that caught my eye, that set themselves a tinkling and twinkling in my head were from the second section, and seeing Mcdonald's handling of a future generation was interesting, even if I didn't click with Enye as I did with the other MacColls.
Is it worth you reading it? well, that's not for me to say. But if I could go and tell myself to read it a year ago, during a humdrum book or dry literary spell, I'd do so in a heartbeat - my only reservation being that precluding my own enjoyment of it this week.
January 2, 2017
Plongez-vous à corps et âme perdus dans l'histoire de 3 femmes à travers 3 époques. Leurs histoires semblent différentes, opposées même et pourtant... Ces trois jeunes femmes sont liées par le sang, par leur "pourvoir" surnaturel, leur capacité à voir ce que la nature offre et ce qu'elle cache de plus sombre.
La première histoire nous présente Émilie Desmond, personnage principale, au coeur de toutes les intrigues et lien entre les deux autres personnages. Fille unique d'un célèbre astronome qui souhaite créer un engin capable de communiquer avec une espèce habitant sur une autre planète, à ses dires. Émilie est capable d'interférer avec les êtres surnaturels présents dans son jardin... Âgée d'à peine 15 ans, elle se retrouve enceinte suite à une fâcheuse histoire dont la vérité ne serait pas ce qu'elle semble être. C'est avec elle que l'histoire des Mythes et d'une robe de mariée enchantée que ces créatures sorties de son esprit et de sa descendance commence.
Dans la deuxième partie, nous rencontrons Jessica Caldwell, adolescente dublinoise au caractère bien trempée, connue pour ses fantasmes et mensonges à répétitions. Elle vivait paisiblement sa vie d'adolescente tumultueuse jusqu'au jour où ses mensonges prirent vie la mettant en danger. Un lien fort la relie donc à Émilie, mais pourquoi et comment est-ce possible ?
La dernière partie nous présente Enye MacColl, jeune femme débordante d'énergie, maitrisant avec brio les katana et la culture japonaise grâce à un entrainement sérieux auprès d'un grand maître. Elle aussi se bat chaque nuit pour sauver sa peau et celle de son entourage de ces Mythes dont elle n'a aucunes explications. Elle vit seule, n'aime pas spécialement les couples, travaille inlassablement dans une agence de publicité au sein de laquelle elle se morfond et se fatigue jusqu'au jour où elle rencontre des Mythes qui ne sont pas à ses trousses mais qui sont là pour l'aider à sauver sa vie.. Quel est son lien avec Émilie, pourquoi vit-elle seule et a t-elle si peu de souvenirs de son père et surtout, comment éradiquer ces Mythes de la Terre ?
Un ouvrage absolument trépidant, extrêmement bien écrit, un beau folklore qui nous transporte au coeur de l'Irlande.
Si vous aimez la fantasy, la science fiction et le surnaturelle, ce livre est fait pour vous !
La première histoire nous présente Émilie Desmond, personnage principale, au coeur de toutes les intrigues et lien entre les deux autres personnages. Fille unique d'un célèbre astronome qui souhaite créer un engin capable de communiquer avec une espèce habitant sur une autre planète, à ses dires. Émilie est capable d'interférer avec les êtres surnaturels présents dans son jardin... Âgée d'à peine 15 ans, elle se retrouve enceinte suite à une fâcheuse histoire dont la vérité ne serait pas ce qu'elle semble être. C'est avec elle que l'histoire des Mythes et d'une robe de mariée enchantée que ces créatures sorties de son esprit et de sa descendance commence.
Dans la deuxième partie, nous rencontrons Jessica Caldwell, adolescente dublinoise au caractère bien trempée, connue pour ses fantasmes et mensonges à répétitions. Elle vivait paisiblement sa vie d'adolescente tumultueuse jusqu'au jour où ses mensonges prirent vie la mettant en danger. Un lien fort la relie donc à Émilie, mais pourquoi et comment est-ce possible ?
La dernière partie nous présente Enye MacColl, jeune femme débordante d'énergie, maitrisant avec brio les katana et la culture japonaise grâce à un entrainement sérieux auprès d'un grand maître. Elle aussi se bat chaque nuit pour sauver sa peau et celle de son entourage de ces Mythes dont elle n'a aucunes explications. Elle vit seule, n'aime pas spécialement les couples, travaille inlassablement dans une agence de publicité au sein de laquelle elle se morfond et se fatigue jusqu'au jour où elle rencontre des Mythes qui ne sont pas à ses trousses mais qui sont là pour l'aider à sauver sa vie.. Quel est son lien avec Émilie, pourquoi vit-elle seule et a t-elle si peu de souvenirs de son père et surtout, comment éradiquer ces Mythes de la Terre ?
Un ouvrage absolument trépidant, extrêmement bien écrit, un beau folklore qui nous transporte au coeur de l'Irlande.
Si vous aimez la fantasy, la science fiction et le surnaturelle, ce livre est fait pour vous !
July 11, 2019
Excellent roman fantasy complexe et intriguant au possible ! Des personnages charismatiques et étranges qu'on prend plaisir à suivre, un univers mystérieux... Un cocktail détonnant servi par une plume et un style que j'ai adorés !
December 4, 2010
Fantasy is generally not my thing, but Ian McDonald is a fine writer and I have read Desolation Road and Out on Blue Six and trust his gift. But there is a point in this book where I feel it didn't quite measure up. It is a faery-tale in a sense, in the darker sense, of faeries as creatures of ambiguous intent, sometimes nasty, sometimes not. It is also a dragon-slaying book, though the "dragons" here are not fire breathing, fiying menaces, but something McDonald calls "phaguses" which arise from the subconscious mind, the "mygmas". The ending is reminiscent of the traditional Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella endings where the young woman is ultimately domesticated. Those endings always left me feeling suffocated. The woman triumphs, she gets the man, the end. Not good enough. Because the triumph places her in a woman's "place". I don't think this is McDonald's intention. You have to end a book somewhere, don't you? And everyone is frightened of having their character make a choice that goes against popular opinion. What if she chooses to take control? Really take control?
This story centers around the pubescence of three girls (successive generations) and McDonald plays with the telekinetic manifestations sometimes attributed to teenage girls. If teenage girls can move objects when they are emotionally triggered, then what if there is a deeper level of manifestation? What else could they create? What chaos could be unleashed? What sort of demons and disturbances might inhabit the world unseen? All this world of chaos could be within the self and the disturbances only interferences in the girl's particular life and lives of the people with whom she has relationships.
Even though I am less than satisfied with the outcome of this book, I still found it eminently readable, entertaining, and full of wonderful images and characters.
This story centers around the pubescence of three girls (successive generations) and McDonald plays with the telekinetic manifestations sometimes attributed to teenage girls. If teenage girls can move objects when they are emotionally triggered, then what if there is a deeper level of manifestation? What else could they create? What chaos could be unleashed? What sort of demons and disturbances might inhabit the world unseen? All this world of chaos could be within the self and the disturbances only interferences in the girl's particular life and lives of the people with whom she has relationships.
Even though I am less than satisfied with the outcome of this book, I still found it eminently readable, entertaining, and full of wonderful images and characters.
January 7, 2014
This book and I had a...challenging relationship. For the first phase, I kind of hated it. I hated how slowly it moved, and how little it had caught my interest. And I hated that it was still holding my attention in spite of that fact. I don't like quitting on books, but I'll do it without a backwards glance when it's both uninteresting and badly written. The thing about the book, though, is that the writing wasn't bad by any stretch, and was in fact rather beautiful at times. I had to slog on. By part two I was pleasantly surprised to see how the world of the book had expanded, though while I liked it I was resentful of the fact that I was STILL reading this book and not any one of dozens of others I could be enjoying. But something was changing. By the third part of the book, I was startled to find myself genuinely enjoying it. The characters were suddenly boldly drawn, the action (there was action!) was exciting, the lid had been blown off the world in a big way...and then I could understand a little better why the first two thirds of the book had been written the way they were. While that revelation wasn't really enough to change the uneven feeling of the experience of reading the book, it did give me a much better opinion of it. In the end, as a whole, I can't really say that I liked it. I probably won't read it again. But I did respect it. That's not a sentiment I'm used to feeling for books I don't love, but it's true. Something interesting and rewarding came together in King Of Morning, Queen Of Day, and for all the dragging in the beginning, I don't regret the reading of it.
September 23, 2011
Someone reccomended this to me as a book that had changed their perspective as a child, one that was obsessively read. I can certainly see why--McDonald takes a small window and throws it open to reveal a significantly grander world beneath, and that is to be commended. He also tells three stories that are at the core the same story in different conceptually executed ways, which is no small piece of craft.
The story didn't capture me as well, and that is in part because McDonald is attempting to answer the same question Neil Gaiman did in American Gods: how does the contemporary world incorporate myth? Now, McDonald's book is many years before Gaiman's, but I read Gaiman's first and perversely see the echoes of Gaiman's thesis in McDonald's rather than the other way around.
Unsurprisingly, the third story's Gibsonesque heroine resonated with me the most, and I was extremely impressed with his handling of delicate storylines, particularly in Ireland no matter the year.
I don't know that this book captured me at 27 the way it might have done at 14, but it was well crafted and a good contribution to the fictional scholarship around modern myth.
The story didn't capture me as well, and that is in part because McDonald is attempting to answer the same question Neil Gaiman did in American Gods: how does the contemporary world incorporate myth? Now, McDonald's book is many years before Gaiman's, but I read Gaiman's first and perversely see the echoes of Gaiman's thesis in McDonald's rather than the other way around.
Unsurprisingly, the third story's Gibsonesque heroine resonated with me the most, and I was extremely impressed with his handling of delicate storylines, particularly in Ireland no matter the year.
I don't know that this book captured me at 27 the way it might have done at 14, but it was well crafted and a good contribution to the fictional scholarship around modern myth.
August 25, 2015
King of Morning, Queen of Day is a fantasy that follows several generations of women in Ireland. Each of three stories that compose the novel is set in a different time period, and it was interesting to see the differences in the form of the supernatural ‘mythoconsciousness’ and the ways the three heroines respond to their power. I also enjoyed how the writing style changes to reflect the personality of each heroine, and how the stories feel firmly grounded in each woman’s time and place. I wasn’t a big fan of the style of supernatural grittiness, though, and I was never particularly attached to any of the characters. The novel definitely shows McDonald’s skill and versatility as a writer, but, so far, his science fiction is more up my alley.
Full review on my blog!
Full review on my blog!
July 28, 2011
A good read. The book is actually three different stories - each about a an Irish woman (or girl) and her interaction with faerie and the world of myths. The first story, set in 1913, was my favorite. It is told through the diary entries and letters of young Emily Desmond and her father, and it has a flavor similar to "Little, Big", by John Crowley. The second story is set in the late 1930's, in a more urban setting, and reminded me a bit of "Winter's Tale", by Helprin. The third story takes pace in 1989 and has an a Gaiman-esque feel to it. All three stories exhibit the same wonderful lyrical prose that McDonald employs in his more well know science fiction novels.
January 25, 2019
Odlicna knjiga, tri price o tri zene iz razlicitog vremenskog razdoblja. Prva prica je o Emily, radnja se odvije 1913. Druga prica je o Jessici, koja je Emilyna kcer, radnja se dogadja 1933. I zadnja prica je o Enye koja je pra unuka Jessice i radnja se odvija 1990.
Mcdonald je sa ovim romanom pokazao svoje znanje pisanja, kako su tri price iz tri razlicita vremenska perioda, kao da su tri pisca pisala. Meni osobno je najdraza prva prica jer ima Yeatsovsku notu i svidjela mi se jer dosta me podsjetilo na film Picnic at Hanging Rock, koji je odlican i ostavlja ti stvarno na razmisljanje i mastu sto se ustvari dogodilo.
Mcdonald je sa ovim romanom pokazao svoje znanje pisanja, kako su tri price iz tri razlicita vremenska perioda, kao da su tri pisca pisala. Meni osobno je najdraza prva prica jer ima Yeatsovsku notu i svidjela mi se jer dosta me podsjetilo na film Picnic at Hanging Rock, koji je odlican i ostavlja ti stvarno na razmisljanje i mastu sto se ustvari dogodilo.
February 4, 2013
A rare fantasy from predominantly-SF writer McDonald, set in Ireland and spread across three generations. It's one of his earliest books, but all of his best traits as a writer are on display here: it's bold and intelligent, he plays with language as few writers can, he gives his female characters depth and individuality, the narrative structure is clever, with each of the three sections having a very distinctive feel, and he captures the various time periods very well. I felt that the conclusion to the third section was slightly too pat, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
did-not-finish
August 30, 2015Ian McDonald is clearly not a writer for me. I gave his science fiction novel River of Gods 2 stars but decided to give this fantasy novel a try. I made it 40% and quit. When I open the cover of the Kindle and find myself sighing in disappointment and immediately skimming, I know it's time to throw in the towel.
January 29, 2015
I quite liked this book. It made me think a bit of Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood. The writing is interesting and lyrical. Good female characters. Some scenes made me think "If you could read a Breugel painting, it would read like this."
Good stuff. I've always kinda thought we might be creating the world (a world) out of our own imaginations.
Good stuff. I've always kinda thought we might be creating the world (a world) out of our own imaginations.
August 8, 2017
McDonald is a great writer but sometimes his prose and desire to become lyrical get away from him, and text subsumes plot and story. A fascinating Holdstock-esque retelling of Irish myth combines with speculative fiction in a strange fashion that manages to somehow compel and repel at the same time.
November 15, 2013
Excellent story, very wordy in the beginning. Would make an awesome movie!
August 15, 2016
I fought my way through 65% of this book and finally called it quits. Just not my cupotea I guess.
July 1, 2017
I had my doubts about this book after the first third but it turned out to be weird and just lovely.
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