Bunch of reviews--one I particularly like, the one in the form of an email colloquy from Addison Recorder. In a few days my radio interview with To the Best of Our Knowledge goes live; I'll link. Next week Hild goes on sale in the UK and Commonwealth; tomorrow I'll post a bunch o' buy-links (pre-order in Australia!).
That's about it, news-wise. But if you're a glutton for punishment go read the gigantic roundup of links roundups.
REVIEWS
Addison Recorder
Shedding Light on an Unfairly Darkened Age, Christopher Walsh and Andrew J. Rostan
[Great email colloquy about Hild. Definitely worth reading.]
"Chris: Fiction about the Middle Ages can be a very mixed bag of idealized medievalisms and anachronistic pageantry. Knights gallivant across countrysides regardless of a historical tradition of chivalry in that country, dressed in armor shining bright despite the technology or preferred protection of the time. Honor and such are paramount. I love the Middle Ages, but reading historical fiction set in the time period can be a considerable chore given how many authors opt to write what feels medieval instead of what is medieval. Such is gloriously not the case with Hild."
Bookish
Hild by Nicola Griffith, by Silvia McIvers
"Hild is the second daughter of a dead king, but her mother dreamed that Hild will be the Light of the World, and is determined to make her dream come true. / Half the book takes place before Hild is old enough to wear a veil band and girdle, which means she's never gotten her period. She is a little, little kid with a big, big brain."
Bisexual Books
Hild by Nicola Griffith, Ellie
"If you like historical epics with a leisurely pace and detailed world building, and your only complaint is that none of those books have queer protagonists, then Hild is for you."
Book Banter
"Griffith doesn’t look to tell your average medieval historical novel of back to back action scenes and historic battles, but a moving story of people interacting and living through this tumultuous time and what they did to make a difference. And then of course, there is the captivating cover to draw any reader in."
Great Book Escapes
"I enjoyed reading this book slowly, getting a real sense of how society worked in the 7th C. At first I struggled to read the strange names and words of a language that is so unfamiliar, but this enhances the experience of imagining the 7th C and the book would be poorer without it. The use of unfamiliar words become part of the world unfolding, so that an understanding of their meaning becomes clearer, and with the glossary at the end of the book all is revealed. I think you absorb this story so that it becomes familiar."
University of St. Francis Library
Book Review—Hild: A Novel, Brigitte Bell
[Scroll down—the PDF has no internal linkage.]
"Hild is the first novel in quite some time I’ve literally been unable to put down. It is a richly diverse, beautifully written novel with a little something for everyone. If you are a historical fiction enthusiast or are simply looking for something new to read, I highly recommend it!"
Camden Public Library
[Sadly, Marie doesn’t think there’s any character development in the novel, but she does compare it—again—to Umberto Eco and MZB. One of these days I need to revisit the comps count.]
MISCELLANEOUS
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| Cassie, who owns Brian Zottoli, ponders Hugo nominations |
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| Oh, and I changed my profile pic--photo by Jennifer Durham |
This blog has moved.
My blog now lives here:
http://nicolagriffith.com/blog/
