October 2016: The Library at Mount Char - Half-way Discussion

[Jack]

Whoops, I was supposed to post this on the weekend. And I was going to post an end discussion too, but seems like that's already been happening for a while!

I really can't remember what was happening at the halfway point. I accidentally finished off the book a few days after the first impressions thread. Someone remind me? Haha.

[Travis]

What counts as the first half? The book has a part 1 and a part 2, but one is larger than the other.

[Jack]

Travis wrote: "What counts as the first half? The book has a part 1 and a part 2, but one is larger than the other."

Ah, bother. Say chapter 8?

[Phoebe]

This story does the genre blending well, and it reads more like a horror/thriller to me. It's an incredibly dark take on 'children who grow up in a magical library and learn/receive super powers'. I'm not finished with this book, but I kind of see where it's going, and it's like every imaginable fantasy trope is being twisted to its most horrific conclusion. It reminds me of an uber-pessimistic American Gods in its best moments, but the downside is I haven't connected with any of the characters, but that's definitely intentional with this book. I felt like I really connected with Jenny Wurts's characters (even when their actions didn't make sense to me...), and this might be one of those reads that's objectively good but that I don't personally love.

[Hannah]

I'm about to start chapter 8 - so far I really like the book, but as H.D. says above, I haven't really connected with the characters. I feel like I should connect with Carolyn at the very least, but I just don't. There's not really any feeling of routing for any of them to suceed. Then again, I've been reading it in fits and starts - I've not had much time to read this month.

The book itself is different for me, I haven't really read much dark literature - well at least not to this extreme - but I'm liking it. I love how perfect it feels for an October read! (It's even set in October if I remember right). I think this book has definately opened me up to reading more like this at the very least.

[Mike]

Again, I had the foresight to take notes so I could post in this thread! I did them about halfway through Chapter 9, so I'll spoiler tag when appropriate.

Thoughts at the 51% mark. I got this far in about 24 hours. I don't know what's going on, but I really want to. (view spoiler)[So many questions. How did Carolyn get to the house where Steve had been holed up? What's with this walking iceberg thing that's waking up? When will we get to see Father? (hide spoiler)]

My general feeling in reading this is falling deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. I read someone on /r/Fantasy (I think it might have been Seth Dickenson of The Traitor Baru Cormorant) say this book starts out weird, and then keeps doubling down on weirdness. That seems like an apt description.

[Travis]

This book has been a lot of "one step forward, two steps back" with what is easily understood. Just as I start to think something is making sense or going in one direction, something totally different happens.

I guess this is also one of the first dark books I've ever read. Without realizing it, I grouped grimdark series like The First Law and ASOIAF into the same category as dark fantasy. This was definitely eye opening. Totally disturbing, but so awesome.

Someone on /r/Fantasy compared this series to American Gods, and I think I can see the similarities. For me, this book avoids the issues I had with American Gods while keeping the same flavor.