Among Others in Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy

May 03, 2012 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it really liked it

Shelves: family, books-about-books, school-days, library-checkout, witch-sorcereress-healer, set-in-uk, metafiction, tough-as-nails-heroine, yearly-reading-challenge-2013, hero-or-heroine-limps-disabled

Among Others is kind of like a love letter to bibliophiles, especially those who fell in love with books as a youngster, finding solace and comfort between the pages of so many different stories. In some ways, Mor's character tapped me on the shoulder, reminding me of myself as a preteen. I went through some physical problems that made life very difficult for me. In fact, (view spoiler) Among Others is kind of like a love letter to bibliophiles, especially those who fell in love with books as a youngster, finding solace and comfort between the pages of so many different stories. In some ways, Mor's character tapped me on the shoulder, reminding me of myself as a preteen. I went through some physical problems that made life very difficult for me. In fact, (view spoiler) I also identified with how Mor saw her life through the lens of fiction. I think that people who spend so much time reading do tend to analyze life and books in that manner.

I found myself wanting to write down all the book titles, and even looked some up on my Kindle Fire as I read. I am not a heavy science fiction reader, but I did read tons of fantasy and some sci-fi when I was younger. This book makes me want to investigate sci-fi with a renewed interest. It seems to have much to offer Mor, and perhaps I will find the same appeal with further reading. As Mor did, I read all the ones my library had, and then some of the adult books at that point. I remember that joy, which I still have, of going to the library and bookstores and finding what new books I could read. There never seemed to be enough books. The identification factor was very strong with Mor in this regard. Also having divorced parents, and how that opens a wound inside you that doesn't ever seem to heal. Lastly, a sister I love dearly. Now, my mom wasn't an evil witch. Nor was I gifted with magic powers and the abilities to see fairies (although I would love to see fairies, to be honest. I guess I'm on the wrong side of the ocean for that).

In some ways, this book has a surreal flavor. Many times I wondered how much of Mor's magic-sensing abilities and magical frame of reference was just part of her imagination's way of dealing with some events that a young person doesn't know how to handle. But, then, I think that there is too much reality to the magic here to come to that conclusion, ultimately. At any rate, I liked how at times you couldn't tell.

This lovely book is a piece of fiction that feels so intimate and personal to me. I can only believe that the author poured her own love of books and some of her own experiences with books into this book. That kind of intense realness cannot be faked. Books are such a pleasure, one that never pales. You can find so much joy and pathos in a book that it literally is like opening a door to another world, where you can escape from your own little problems enough to gain courage to face another day. Whether that's a school full of mean girls, or parents who fight more than they show affection. Or physical problems, loss, loneliness, you name it. As an adult, that allure of books hasn't palled for me. I like to think that a grown up Mor finds just as much joy and solace in her books. And I can't fault her for it. I'm the same way.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars

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Jan 27, 2012 seak rated it liked it

Shelves: audio, arc-review, 2013

This book got rave reviews when it came out, even won the Nebula Award, which I can see. However, I didn't absolutely love it as seems to be the norm.

What I loved:

I did love a few things. I loved that I really wanted to go back and read all the classics of science fiction and fantasy. Walton writes with such a love of the genre that you can't help but become enamored yourself.

I loved that if you are a fantasy nerd like me and the main protagonist Mori (and it may be safe to assume, Jo Walton), ...more

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Sep 16, 2016 Netanella rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hugo-winners, fantasy, nebula-winners, 2016-rrrc-challenge-addicts-reading, 2016-september-reading-challenge, magical-realism

What a wonderful and amazing book. This has been queued up on my tablet for a while now, and was the perfect panacea to help me recover out of a longish illness. "Among Others" is set in the late 70's, early 80's in Wales and England, and it has a slow, mesmerizing quality that resonates through the book. The story is not in any hurry, and when we meet our young heroine, we discover that she's recently been sent to live with her father, whom she's never met before, and then packed off to a board ...more

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Nov 05, 2022 Tom rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Been a long while since I've posted a review. My reading hasn't waned, but my persistence with posting reviews has. I have a new objective now of reading Hugo/Nebula award winners (at least those I've overlooked until now) and posting my thoughts here.

Here's another "magical teen in boarding school" story, except it isn't. The magic here is on the fringes, always could be logically explained away. The evil queen witch mother could really just be clinically insane. The meat of the story is young ...more

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Jul 25, 2019 Dea rated it it was ok

Get your tropes! We got your old overused tropes here! We got “You are not like the other girls!” We got “Girl being molested by parental figures!” And save the best for last, we got “All your problems will be solved, girl, as soon as you get a man, or three, in your life!”

More seriously though, and to avoid having to go on a rant about the tropes above, half of this book is book reviews. If you like reading about people discussing books you have not read yet, or reducing some pretty big concept ...more

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