Wednesday, March 02, 2016

2016 book 38

Patricia McKillip's Kingfisher
This book starts out simply--and interestingly--enough, with a young man, the son of a sorceress (who now runs a restaurant), going off on a quest to find his heretofore unknown father and brother. He soon runs across a small town with TWO magical restaurants and a girl who is desperate to flee. And just when you're like, oh, /that's/ what sort of book this is, we suddenly head to the capitol, where lots of political (and religious!) things are brewing. So the world-building here is kind of complicated--it's a world of magic, shapeshifters, cell phones, and Geo Metros--and there is a LOT going on. Being me, I was very interested in the various gods/goddesses and their worshipers, the way McKillip plays with mythology, and the hint of a matriarchal society coming into play, but I definitely wished things had been a little more straightforward. She seems to really enjoy being convoluted! Anyway, eventually all these crazy plotlines come together for some magic and mayhem and a generally satisfying end.  B+.

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