Monette, Sarah - Melusine

[oyceter]

It is entirely within the realm of possibility that I sat in the bathtub while the rats slept on top of my feet for a good few hours reading this instead of doing math like I should have.

But I will never admit to that.

Anyhow, I'm glad I finally stuck it out and finished this. This is the third time I've checked it out of the library: the first, I just didn't find the time to start it; the second, I started it and then nearly threw it against a wall; the third, I will refer you back to the start of this post.

Melusine is a book about Felix Harrowgate, magician, aristocrat, and pawn, and about Mildmay the Fox, thief. It's also about the city of Melusine and the breaking of the Virtu, the magical protective shield of the city. Felix is forced to break it by his sadistic former mentor; in the process, he goes mad.

I nearly threw the book against a wall because I was so frustrated by the first half. Mildmay's introduction hooked me from the start, and then it was Felix and Felix worrying about some past that really didn't seem to be quite as shameful as he made it out to be and Felix being an ass and Felix going back to aforementioned sadistic mentor for absolutely no good reason that I could tell. It makes more sense after the rest of the book, when you realize that Felix is much more broken than he seems, but in the beginning, it's extremely confusing because Felix starts his descent into social ruin and madness before I even knew what he was like normally.

Also, Felix's narrative half gets boring very quickly, as he descends into madness and, unsurprisingly, stops making any sense whatsoever. The prose is lovely, but there's only so much description that I can take, particularly if it's very similar to all the previous descriptive, mad passages.

On the other hand, there was Mildmay, who has the best narrative voice ever, and I love him to pieces. I returned the book to the library the second time when Mildmay falls on some depressing times, as I didn't want to see angst and woe befall him as well as Felix, but lucky for me, I read a few more chapters in a cafe before returning it. And so, when I visited a few days later, there it was, back on the shelf, beckoning.

Anyhow, things get much, much more interesting when Felix and Mildmay finally meet up; Felix's madness becomes much less frustrating when he's seen through Mildmay's eyes. I actually felt really bad for the guy, since he basically acts like a whipped puppy most of the time. And it doesn't hurt that Mildmay takes care of Felix throughout the second book; I am now hooked and want to read more about their relationship, particularly after the very last chapters, which really put Mildmay through the wringer.

As most of you probably know, this is the first book in a four-book series; as such, it doesn't really come to much of a conclusion in terms of plot, though I found the ending extremely satisfying on an emotional level. I'm still not sure if I have a good grasp of the world outside of lower-life Melusine, which is wonderfully portrayed. A large part of that is because the knowledge of outside countries and influences and Melusine's aristocracy would have come from Felix, who is unfortunately too insane to do a good "As you know, Bob..."

And some spoilers: They are half-brothers!!!! You have no idea how much I squealed when I learned that and that may have been the beginning of the very long spate in the bathtub with rats. I am a total sucker for sibling relationships, and I love Mildmay the little brother taking care of Felix despite the many frustrations and near-death encounters, and so it nearly killed me when they were separated around the end. But yes, I'm very curious to see how the dynamic changes in book 2, since I'm not actually sure I like sane!Felix.

I'm very glad my library has got The Virtu, and now all I have to do is wait for whoever's got it to return it.

Links:
- coffeeandink's review
- rilina's review
- rachelmanija's review (also contains a not-too-spoilery review of The Virtu)
- mistful's review
- truepenny's tagged collection (truepenny = Monette)
- seajules' review
- gwyneira's review

Anyone else have links? I know a lot of people around LJ have read this, but I joined the party so late that I'm not quite sure where to look (*ahem*jinian*ahem*gwyneira*ahem*)

Comments

[littlebutfierce]

I love Mildmay too, & yes, I squeed re: your spoilers too!!

The worst part was that when I read this book I didn't know (& iirc the damn cover copy didn't mention it) that it wasn't a stand-alone book. Arrrgh. I hate that.

Also I never managed to wrap my head around the weird system of times & dates. I'm not a math person, but I'm not the only person I know who stumbles on that, & that's part of the reason I had a hard time getting started when I picked this one up.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I was thankfully warned by posts on LJ that it was a series; otherwise, I never would have known from the cover.

Sarah Monette has a mapping out of the time and date system on her site, which I briefly looked at and then quickly backed out again as my mind started to boggle. I just sort of handwave, though I like that there are different systems for the lower city and for the aristocracy.

[oracne.livejournal.com]

My comments on it were pretty much incoherent. I loved both Mildmay and Felix.

[oyceter]

Hee! That is excellent. I sadly mostly just want to shake Felix, but Mildmay's attachment to him is what really anchors me to him emotionally.

[keelieinblack.livejournal.com]

The only review I can think of off the top of my head is mistful's, here (http://mistful.livejournal.com/91426.html), which has spoilers for both Melusine and The Virtu. But Sarah Monette (truepenny) keeps track of reviews of her works under the reviews tag (http://truepenny.livejournal.com/tag/reviews) on her lj. She doesn't usually mention which ones are spoilery, though.

I like the books in a fun, self-indulgent way--I don't care much for Felix, and The Virtu didn't really do anything to change my opinion, but I have nothing but love for Mildmay.

[oyceter]

Oh rock, thank you! I'll put up links to those.

I love some parts of the book and I really don't like some others, which made it a very interesting read. But in general, Mildmay and the Kalliphorne (that was so cool) and the city itself make up for a whole lot of Felix.

[heresluck]

Yeah, Felix is not a nice guy when he's sane; I don't much like him either, but I find the not-liking interesting rather than offputting, because I see him as a revision of the Tragically Broken Hero trope: Felix is broken like whoa, and yet? STILL AN ASSHOLE. He does not magically become a nice guy just because he's been through a traumatic experience, and from a meta point of view I *love* that choice. I do not want to give Felix cookies; I want to smack him upside the head and say "Snap out of it, dickwad. You may be charming everyone else on earth, but we the readers know that your behavior is appalling."

Also, Mildmay is AWESOME.

[oyceter]

I very much like that he's a total take on the typical romance novel alpha bastard with a Traumatic Past who is Tragically Broken, as you mention. I think what annoys me is when he charms other people within the novel. It makes sense, and he doesn't charm everyone, but I just want to shake them.

Mildmay rocks so much!

[seajules]

I reviewed it. Mildly spoilery, I suppose. Also, I'm surprised that I'm one of the few people who seems to like Felix's mad POV, but then, I like it for very idiosyncratic reasons.

[oyceter]

Ooo, thank you for the link! I'll post it soon.

I'm glad you liked it! What were the reasons, if you don't mind? I can see how lovely the prose and the images are, but I think the lack of a narrative structure (obviously an inherent problem in madness) ended up boring me.

[seajules]

I mention in my review that I read a whole lot of books growing up that featured a character used to break a Magic Thingy who consequently went mad. Usually, that character died, and we never got their viewpoint. It was always a thing that got to me and smacked of the disposability of damaged people. So getting Felix's viewpoint while he was mad was fascinating in a meta way for that reason.

Then there's my whole lack of linear thought thing that happens. Sometimes I like just interacting with pure imagery, with dream logic, so I didn't find those passages boring at all. Like I said, idiosyncratic reasons. *G*

[oyceter]

Oh that's really cool! I didn't get that take on the Magic Thingy breaking, but I like that Felix is a twist on quite a few different tropes (the one I got was the alpha bastard trope).

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

I've been popping in to read your reviews for a while because they're fabulous, and I was going to leave a link to my review of the first two Monette books, but I see someone's already done it. *beams in flattered fashion*

I agree with you completely about the first book - Mildmay never stops rocking my stockings, and then the Felix bits I mostly hung around for the nice description. Do get hold of the Virtu as soon as you can: I think it's even better. Sane Felix inspires me with the mad desire to slap him in the face with a salmon, but at least he's able to tell a coherent narrative, and there is one subject that I could hear him talk about all day.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Labyrinths?

Word on everything else. Despite my qualms (Felix is so awful; Mildmay needs to have something good happen to him once in a while), I am really looking forward to the next book. I love Mildmay and his voice, and a lot of scenes are just so good and magical and evocative.

[oyceter]

I am hoping there is much more on labyrinths.

I adore Mildmay and have this dreadful fannish urge to pet him and call him woobie when he is hurt, even though he would glare at me.

Also, the scene with the Kalliphorne sold me on the book.

[oyceter]

Your icon! It rocks!

Also, thank you, and hi!

I'm eagerly looking forward to the second; I'm not sure how I'll react to Felix. But... Mildmay!

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I show off another version of same. ;)

Oh, Mildmay. Even looking at the cover of the Virtu is a treat, because the cover is Mildmay. I shall look out for what you think of it!

[fiveandfour.livejournal.com]

I had such mixed feelings when I finished Melusine that I've never read The Virtu. I can't recall any other book that had me so freaking frustrated and yet fascinated at the same time. I might wait until the entire series is over and grab a couple of spoilers about how it progresses before I decide to pick up any more, I was so conflicted. I hate being spoiled, but if Felix continues to be such a bastard and if Mildmay continues to get so beaten up by life and circumstances I don't think I can take it.

Which I suppose says a lot about Monette's ability to make you feel for her characters, but it's hard to sympathize with a character who's a bastard for a prolonged time whatever the reason and it's hard to want to read about a character you like getting kicked in the teeth by life.

[oyceter]

I suspect you may not like The Virtu, just from other people's comments! It sounds like Felix is even more of a right bastard and Mildmay continues to be beaten up by fate, according to rachelmanija's write-up.

The moment I gave up on the book to return to the library was when Dreadful Depressing Thing first happens to Mildmay, because I liked him and didn't want him dragged through muck and horror.

I didn't mind the latter bits as much, despite the trauma to Mildmay, but I think at that point, I'd reconciled myself to Mildmay!pain. Also, I have the past inspiration of Fitz from Robin Hobb's books, and so far, Mildmay's situation hasn't gotten quite that bad.... *fingers crossed*

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Mildmay certainly whines much less than Fitz! (Or Vanyel.) I too want to cuddle him and pet him.

I love the Kalliphorne too. That was probably my favorite bit in the whole book. There's a scene in The Virtu, involving a labyrinth, that's just as cool.

[oyceter]

Mildmay is so much cooler than Fitz! (and Vanyel, but I think that is a given)

Oooooo, labyrinth.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

The thing about Sane!Felix (and Nutso!Felix, really, though less so) is that, from the outside, he's a coldhearted manipulative asshole.

From the inside, which we get to SEE, he's this horribly broken guarded self-protective woobie guy.

The dramatic irony gave me vertigo sometimes.

But I'm with you on one thing, all the way -- I would happily read Mildmay giving 500 pages of commentary on the Melusine phone book, if they had such a thing. I'd even pay hardcover prices for it.

[gwyneira.livejournal.com]

I logged it here. Now I want to go reread both of them, but I will be strong and wait until the third book comes out this summer!

[oyceter]

Oh thank you! Will link shortly.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

it took me a while before the two voices started to gel for me. i liked each of them; it just bugged me that i had to switch back and forth. also, i found both voices recognizable. "okay, now it's a felix who sounds like he belongs in a kushiel book, okay, now it's mildmay, who sounds like he belongs in some shared world series that i can't recall the name of". but once felix and mildmay met, it got better and sucked me in.

[oyceter]

I definitely didn't have any trouble separating out the voices, thankfully. But yeah, the book got much more interesting for me when the two met and started to interact.