Comments on: Debut Review: The Birthing House

By: Raven

Raven — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:59:04 +0000

Thanks for the recommendations. I haven’t read any of those, so I’ll have to look for them.

By: Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:43:09 +0000

Thanks Raven. I'll have to look around for Caught in Crystal; that one sounds neat. {SMILE} Patricia C. Wrede has done a few other good family-oriented novels. Most notable is The Mislaid Magician. The young ladies of Sorcery and Cecelia and The Grand Tour have become not particularly sober matrons with several kids apiece. They haven't lost their noses for trouble. In fact, their kids seem to have inherited good noses for trouble from their mothers. The husband/fathers really have their hands full. {SMILE} Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

By: Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:56:21 +0000

That’s a good point about traditional female roles, SuperWench. {Smile} Yes, I’d love to see an older heroine who cae with kids in tow. I wouldn’t mind the princess nearly as much if she came with a few relatives, either. But then, I’m pretty incorrigable when it comes to Family Fantasy. {SMILE, wink}

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

By: Raven

Raven — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:09:08 +0000

This reminds me again of one of the most memorable fantasy novels I read as a teen: Caught in Crystal, by Patricia C. Wrede. The female protagonist (40ish and slightly overweight, which is awesome) is forced to go off on a quest with her two adolescent children in tow, and the kids play important roles in the story from beginning to end.

By: superwench83

superwench83 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:12:58 +0000

Anne Elizabeth, I so know what you mean about the family dynamic of a fantasy novel that disappears halfway through the book. We need more fantasy books that keep that family atmosphere up. And more fantasy books with females in “traditional” female roles. I love a kick-butt warrior heroine as much as the next girl, but what about a magic-wielding mother of four who saves the day? Not every woman can be a warrior princess!

By: Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:46:57 +0000

Non-romantic relationships don’t have to slow the plot. They can be woven into the story as surely as romantic ones can. If they develop over the course of the story, they can even make a nice sub-plot. {smile}

I just wish it was easier to find authors who agree with me on this. {lop-sided smile}

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

By: Raven

Raven — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:23:21 +0000

Anne Elizabeth, I can imagine! I also enjoy seeing relationships, and although of course I want the plot to advance, I don’t want it to advance at the expense of the character relationships.

By: Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:55:27 +0000

Has this happened to you? You’ve been hooked by a concept and disappointed by the execution?

All too regularly. {lop-sided Smile}

My first love is fantasy where family relationship and close friendships are prominent. Science fiction with the same focus is a close second. Sometimes it seems that if anything is going to get dropped part way thru, it’s the friendships, the parents, the children, the siblings, the cousins, the aunts, uncles, nephews, and neices…. Since that’s what I want to see the most, I get frustrated pretty often. {lopsided Smile}

Anne Elizabeth Baldwin

By: Raven

Raven — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:02:34 +0000

Superwench, yes, they can become forgettable. I can’t remember too many books/movies where I had the experience either, although I know it’s happened a number of times. Wedding Crashers does come to mind.

Todd, I can see why that premise would hook you. It sounds interesting. Too bad it didn’t deliver.

By: Tia

Tia — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:41:32 +0000

Superwench, please email me and tell me about your comment problem. I don’t want people having a hard time leaving comments!