We're ghosts in the wires, so set the electrical fires

[sovay]

I am experiencing some fairly major computer error and am not happy about it. Understatement. Profound. I am not looking for troubleshooting, but I may be scarce for a while. In the meantime, as last night I read and enjoyed Christelle Dabos' A Winter's Promise (Les fiancés de l'hiver, 2013/2018), would anyone be able to tell me if the quartet sticks the landing?

Comments

[selkie]

I was warned off the first book for brain reasons, but you're certainly getting in at the right time if it turns out to be good; the English translation of the last volume comes out October 5.

Also, Bertie!!

[landofnowhere]

Not entirely, I would say; there are some unsatisfying aspects to the ending, though I'm glad to have read the whole thing (in French). This is what I said at the time. The second book is probably the best; the great worldbuilding continues, but some of the best characters from the first two books get shortchanged in the second half.

Happy to go into more detail on anything!

[asakiyume]

Repeating the wish I expressed in my own entry: may the appropriate deities and demideities work helpful magic.

[kathmandu]

Best wishes on the computer stuff.

[umadoshi]

I hope the computer woes can be sorted as painlessly as possible. :/

[gwynnega]

I hope your computer will be okay!

[pengwern]

May your computer decide to cooperate!

I still haven’t read that series but I follow someone who posts often about le passe mirroir and it seems fascinating!

[choco_frosh]

:(

[davidgillon]

Sympathy on computer woes :( Currently being there, doing that.

[dhampyresa]

Oh, this reminds me! Have you heard about Laurent Binet's Civilisations? I completely forgot it had come out in English until now -- I read it in French so can't vouch for the translation, but I think you'd like it.

[sovay]

Have you heard about Laurent Binet's Civilisations? I completely forgot it had come out in English until now -- I read it in French so can't vouch for the translation, but I think you'd like it.

I had not heard of it and it sounds neat! I will keep an eye out for a copy. Thank you.

[sovay]

Currently being there, doing that.

Solidarity.

*hugs*

[sovay]

:(

*hugs*

[sovay]

May your computer decide to cooperate!

Thank you!

I still haven’t read that series but I follow someone who posts often about le passe mirroir and it seems fascinating!

Would you consider it rude if I asked to be linked to their posts? I do not have ready access at this time to the other three novels, but am in fact curious.

[sovay]

I hope your computer will be okay!

Thank you!

[sovay]

I hope the computer woes can be sorted as painlessly as possible.

Thank you. It was just horrifically bad timing on top of everything else.

[sovay]

Best wishes on the computer stuff.

Thank you.

[sovay]

Repeating the wish I expressed in my own entry: may the appropriate deities and demideities work helpful magic.

Thank you. The same to you, with healing!

[sovay]

This is what I said at the time.

Thank you for the link!

Happy to go into more detail on anything!

Seeing as it looks even from the first book to be shaping up into theological fantasy: does it stick that part of the landing specifically? I recognize that everyone has different parameters on that front, but to give a sense of where I am coming from, I greatly enjoyed the first book of His Dark Materials and by the third book was extremely unimpressed with Pullman's treatment of Christianity as default multiversal reality, whether he was reacting negatively to it or not.

[sovay]

I was warned off the first book for brain reasons, but you're certainly getting in at the right time if it turns out to be good; the English translation of the last volume comes out October 5.

That is remarkably more convenient than all the series one normally ends up waiting years for!

Also, Bertie!!

*hugs*

[landofnowhere]

At this point my memories of the last book are a bit blurry, but I remember the theological arc being reasonably well resolved and not particularly problematic -- I didn't perceive it as engaging with Christianity at all the way that Pullman is.

[pengwern]

https://elwing.tumblr.com/tagged/la-passe-miroir

It seems to have a great deal good art full of character ( ´▽` )ﾉ

https://elwing.tumblr.com/post/660246635856674816/finally-i-have-found-someone-who-loved-book-4-of

And a post more specific to book four.

[sovay]

but I remember the theological arc being reasonably well resolved and not particularly problematic -- I didn't perceive it as engaging with Christianity at all the way that Pullman is.

Cool!

[sovay]

It seems to have a great deal good art full of character

This is very promising!

(I know it's not the art you mean, but it suggests I will not dislike the direction in which the theological fantasy is heading.)

[pengwern]

I think I need to step up my attempt to find the translation ^^

[skygiants]

DOES IT AT LAST??? This is wonderful news, I'd been holding off looking for fear of learning how long a wait I had ....

[skygiants]

I am so glad you enjoyed the first book!

[sovay]

I am so glad you enjoyed the first book!

I like both of the leads! I am invested in whatever their relationship turns out to be! I wish I knew more about the DNA of French fantasy because otherwise I would say they are both very Diana Wynne Jones people, especially Ophelia! (I can't wait for her to notice she is actually a tank who just happens to have glasses and dyspraxia. And a sentient scarf.)

[skygiants]

It felt SO much like it was in the vein of DWJ and Frances Hardinge and I too really would love to know whether that's a deliberate homage or convergent evolution!

[sovay]

It felt SO much like it was in the vein of DWJ and Frances Hardinge and I too really would love to know whether that's a deliberate homage or convergent evolution!

If you run across any interviews with the author on your way to acquiring the fourth book, let me know?