Robins, Madeleine E. - The Stone War

[oyceter]

A fantasy (despite the future setting, I think it's fantasy) of post-apocalyptic New York. Starts out good and atmospheric, ends with some plot points that make me want to spork things, most notably those having to do with the two women of color and the one older woman.

Points given for having more than one woman of color, and even more points for having a woman over 50, but still.

Also, I was rather unsatisfied with the conclusion; I think I wanted more of an explanation than there was.

Comments

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

>Starts out good and atmospheric, ends with some plot points that make me want to spork things

Details, details, details!

[oyceter]

Spoilers for book!

Both of the women of color end up dying because of their association with the (white male) main character, and then the older woman, who has consistently been shown as being capable, ends up being kidnapped and then rescued by the main character. I was very annoyed.

I mean, it's not the worst plot ever, but I am just so sick of coming across stuff like this.

[cofax7]

oh, crap.

[oyceter]

Yeah... again, I can see all the plot reasons behind it, but, well, it's still there, and it still annoys me.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

That's a shame--I really liked the Sarah Tolerance novels.

[oyceter]

Me too! This one starts out really good, atmospheric and creepy and believable, and then it sort of goes off the rails at the 3/4 point. I'm still hoping to get my hands on some of Robins' old Regencies though.

[littlebutfierce]

The main thing I remember about reading this book was that it was good, but as a slightly wimpy New Yorker who was around for 9/11 (even if I was terribly lucky, all things considered), I & my anxiety probably should never read it again. Heh. I do love the Sarah Tolerance books, though.

[oyceter]

It is mostly good -- I just started having problems with the end. And I liked the feel of the city throughout and the feel of rebuilding a community. But not enough to like the end...

[cofax7]

Huh. I got 3/4 of the way through this last month (up to the point where the kid decides he hates Tinjien and starts tormenting him), and then put it down. Not sure why, actually. I have been a bit cranky about the relationship stuff with the older woman (Margaret?), although I rather liked the tough young black woman and her no-nonsense attitudes.

... why have I forgotten everyone's names?

Also, I thought it likely that this novel could not have been published after September 2001.

[oyceter]

Oh good! You put it down just when it started to get sporky!

I thought the kid suddenly hating Tietjen felt like authorial plot-moving instead of something natural, and then everything sort of went downhill from there. I liked the young black woman a lot too, which is why I am irritated at what happened to her.

[cofax7]

So perhaps I don't need to finish it? Because Alan Furst is calling me...

[oyceter]

Yeah, I don't think you really need to -- you got to all the good parts, and I suspect the ending will just annoy you. There's a lot of accidents and death, and then a very quick resolution that feels tacked on.