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I discovered Patricia McKillip fairly recently, and quite by happy accident. I bought the book 'A Winter Rose' (though I have the feeling that may not be [though it may be] exactly the correct title, it's close enough that one can't mistake it for any other of her books) because the blurb sounded good, and because the covers of McKillip's books mostly feature the artwork of Kinuko Craft, whom I revere (to a point ;)). Haven't you ever bought a book because you liked its cover? I'm betting that you have. The book I mentioned above ^ was so good (and there's a kind-of-sequel to it, too!) that I decided to buy many more of McKillip's works, which I did, on eBay of course. From older paperbacks to trade paperbacks to first edition hard bounds, these fabulous books poured into my house for a couple of weeks, and I read them as fast as I could; one might say I 'gobbled' them. They turned out to be uniformly beautifully (though never 'preciously') written and plotted fantasy tales, each as different from the other as Sun from Moon, except for one series and the aforementioned kind-of-sequel of course, with fresh, creative situations and characters so lovingly treated that they seem as real as characters can be. Those of us who 'gobble' books will know what I mean, I am pretty sure. I believe the term for it is 'Possible Magic', but could have imagined that. So it is with a twinge of trepidation that I award this book, (Alphabet of Thorn), a 'Good' rather than the 'Excellent' I would award the dozen other of her novels which I have now read. The thing about this is that it may just be a personal taste (or slight distaste), but isn't that why we are asked to write these reviews? Some of you who have read this book and later read my review may think, 'Aw, she's nuts!', and that is fine, too :) However, to me, the book's plot was so much more contrived, even clumsy, than anything else of McKillip's I have read, that I never could settle in and 'live' in that world comfortably. This book I could pick up and not pick back up for days, and actually considered not finishing it. The premise is wonderful, if complicated. You like the 'story people', but don't quite love them. The Library is a place I think any bibliophile would want to at least visit. I'm not giving away any more plot hints, and you can't make me ;) I have to recommend the book anyway, though, because Patricia McKillip's writing is so far and away finer than many and many other fantasy writers in every way. Perhaps, if I had read this one before so many of her other books I wouldn't see the book this way. But I doubt it. Thanks for reading my review, and please understand that I'm not being pedantic on purpose, lol. Just 'trying to keep the conversation lively' :) mildred/agathaxRead full review
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