Title: Ombria in Shadow
Author: Patricia McKillip
Pages: 298
Finished: December 2, 2019
First Sentence: While the ruler of the ancient city of Ombria lay dying, his mistress, frozen out of the room by the black stare of Domina Pearl, drifted like a bird on a wave until she bumped through Kyel Greve's unguarded door to his bed, where he was playing with his puppets.
Summary: Trying to summarize this is difficult. It's a book of political intrigue as a ruler dies and people clamor to figure out who has the crown next. It's a book of fantasy as the regent, an evil woman with possible sorcery spies on everyone and ensorcels. Underneath the city is a whole other city where spirits and shadows live. And through it all is the threat of the city changing. Of the Undercity becoming the Upper City and vice versa.
Thoughts: Reading an McKillip novel is like floating on a river. You have to let the experience take you, otherwise you're going to flounder. Her writing is lyrical and poetic. Often, I really enjoy her novels, but I have to admit once I'm done, I forget them. It's like I got to experience Faery, but then it fades. Does that make sense?
Anyway, this was interesting timing. I read this after finishing a DeLint novel and before starting a collection of DeLint short stories. I feel like I keep mixing the two up. Oh, the styles of the two writers are completely different. But the way the Shadow City interacts with Ombria feels very similar to how Otherworldy Beings interact with Newford. Having just finished DeLints Memory and Dream where paints step out of their painting and then to encounter something similar happening in this book was an odd moment of dejà vu.
That's not to say I didn't like it. I really enjoyed the journey with this one. It's been a while since I really found myself wanting to read. This book pulled me back to reading. I found myself bringing it with me everywhere so I could snatch a paragraph or two whenever there was time.
Read for the TBR challenge.
Anyway, this was interesting timing. I read this after finishing a DeLint novel and before starting a collection of DeLint short stories. I feel like I keep mixing the two up. Oh, the styles of the two writers are completely different. But the way the Shadow City interacts with Ombria feels very similar to how Otherworldy Beings interact with Newford. Having just finished DeLints Memory and Dream where paints step out of their painting and then to encounter something similar happening in this book was an odd moment of dejà vu.
That's not to say I didn't like it. I really enjoyed the journey with this one. It's been a while since I really found myself wanting to read. This book pulled me back to reading. I found myself bringing it with me everywhere so I could snatch a paragraph or two whenever there was time.
Read for the TBR challenge.
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