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The Girl and the Stars
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May 2020 First in a Series BOTM - The Girl and the Stars, by Mark Lawrence
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I think that's what drew me to read this book was the defiance in the girl's eyes on the cover, and the use of light and shadow. It speaks to what becomes a major theme of the book: the contrast between light and dark. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but honestly this cover is beautiful and it did have an impact.
If anyone else reads this, I'll be interested to see what you think of the writing. For me, I found it strong overall, but there were some sections which seemed unfinished or at least unpolished. Ideas occasionally weren't fully developed. But perhaps that was intentional, as we experience the events through Yaz and the narrator's omniscience is limited.
The setting is quite fascinating. Perhaps one of my favourite parts of the book, actually. Many fantasy stories are set primarily in mountains and forests, with vaguely (or overtly) medieval tones. This book was quite refreshing, placing the story in a vast and unforgiving icy wasteland. It added unique challenges for the characters and exciting twists to the story. Reading it did often make me feel rather cold though! Just the thought of that much ice... brr!
Probably my only regret about reading this book is that I'll have to wait for the others! I can only hope that Lawrence is well into the sequel.I do hope more of you lovely people will read it so we can chat about it and unpack it a bit. It was a very enjoyable and engaging read!
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On Abeth the vastness of the ice holds no room for individuals. Survival together is barely possible. No one survives alone.
To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same.
Yaz is torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger.
Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength. And she learns to challenge the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people.
Only when it’s darkest you can see the stars.