Customer Reviews

Among Others

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I kept exclaiming aloud whilst reading this, Mor just sounded exactly like me on so many points - about Welsh/English differences, how tap water tastes completely different outside the Valleys, and the blessing of civilization that is the free interlibrary loan system. I will certainly be using it to track down Mor's reading lists, in the case of any of the more unusual books she devours that might not be on here - I've never read SF before, but this has inspired me to give it a go.
The plot isn't the point of this book, so much as Mor's insights - and I liked that. Sometimes it's nice to get to know the character more, which the diary entries allow you to do. The author has captured the experiences of a childhood in the Welsh Valleys, with all the idiosyncrasies that entails, absolutely perfectly. It's lovely to have read this, and to return to it when I get homesick at uni! Will definitely be reading more of Jo Walton, a new author for me.

Mori is one half of twins. After she loses her sister, she runs away from her home in South Wales and finds herself living with her estranged father. She's running from her mother because she's a witch and responsible for the death of her sister. Mori is packed off to boarding school where she can stay hidden and lose herself in the science fiction books she loves.

It is a book about a book lover. It doesn't really matter if you don't share Mori's taste in reading matter, you will recognise her love of books in yourself. Set in 1979, her reading list is full of classic sci-fi. Whilst I recognise many of the titles, I haven't read them, yet I still understood the way they made her feel. These are the reasons we read books. To both escape the world we live and to find answers. It's told in a diary format and you get a wonderful commentary on the books she is reading as well as her own story.

The magic is subtle. If you are expecting an action-packed fantasy adventure you may be disappointed. In fact, Mori's magic could be put down to an over-active imagination and coincidence. She is escaping a parent who is dangerous, she lost her twin; the magical world could easily be a coping mechanism. It's a book you could read in two different ways; one completely believing her and the other looking for signs that it's all make-believe.

When you mention magic and boarding school, minds are going to inevitably going to want to compare to Harry Potter. It is far too real for that comparison. Her boarding school is completely believable, with its odd customs and bad dinners. She feels alone when surrounded by others who have no chance of understanding her. She isn't a heroine and she isn't the centre of attention.

I want to befriend Mori. I can imagine her being a book blogger if it was set in the present day (and of course she wasn't trying to hide). It's a bitter sweet tale; with moments that made me laugh out loud and others that made my heart bleed for her. There are so many quotable passages, I urge you to read it and find yourself in complete agreement.

Review copy provided by publisher.

A third of the way into Among Others, I was wondering how it could have won Jo Walton both the Nebula and the Hugo. An epistolary YA-novel from the perspective of a 15-year old girl who goes to a posh boarding school she does not like? Not exactly my kind of thing.

Having finished the novel today, I am so glad I did not dispense with it, because it is "brill" as the protagonist Morwena would say.

Why? Among Others is so much more below the surface: A love letter to science fiction (I guess this was one of the reasons it won all the awards), a truly fascinating description of unique and very contemporary magic and finally a convincing coming of age-story.

Highest recommendation to any true SF fan (regardless of age).

I read this with considerable enjoyment despite not having a great liking for magic as a genre. Jo Walton very cleverly allows you to hold off from making a decision about the existence of 'fairies; and magical action throughout the book. They could all be real or merely the overheated imagination of a young girl with many problems in her life. I also like her view that magic, if performable, is so fraught with unintended consequences ranging from one end of the universe to another that it is best avoided except on an entirely personal level. The tale ended well enough but I would have liked a bit more.

A marvelous affirmation of the transformative power of literature in the education of anyone, not merely the adolescent protagonist of this novel, "Among Others" is a beautifully rendered celebration of fantasy and science fiction as literature, worthy of recognition by a readership that should extend far beyond the typical audiences for fantasy and science fiction. If you love books, if you understand how they can inspire you and sustain you, then you have to read "Among Others", since it is not merely a most affectionate love letter for those who admire greatly both fantasy and science fiction. Walton's novel is also an enchanting coming-of-age story, demonstrating how her protagonist, Morwenna Phelps, finds refuge in the power of the written word and in an expanding social network of like-minded fans of fantasy and science fiction; a saga which should resonate strongly with anyone who began loving great literature in their youth. The more magical aspects of "Among Others" should not deter potential mainstream fiction readers, especially those familiar with the more fantastical elements of Jonathan Lethem's "The Fortress of Solitude" or Pete Hamill's "Snow in August". While delving into the make-believe worlds conjured by the likes of Samuel Delany, Ursula Le Guin, Robert Silverberg, and J. R. R. Tolkien, Morwenna also tempts fate by performing magic in her English boarding school, plunging unexpectedly towards an emotionally charged climax in which she must confront both her own destiny and her half-crazed magician mother's. This beautifully written ode to fantasy and science fiction is destined to be remembered as a classic work of fantasy and realism, admired and cherished by readers for generations.

I bought this because Ursula le - one of my favourite authors - recommended it online. And I was delighted to learn that Jo Walton is Welsh. But now I'm going to add her to my must-buy authors!

This is a beautiful book, which revolves around twin girls Morwenna and Morganna. But when one of the sisters dies, the other is bereft. But what excited me more than anything was the way that the myths and legends we live with come to life. Through the stories that she loves, Mor is able to look at the world anew, catching glimpses of our most cherished creations: the creatures of imagination. (although it turns out fairies like to live in industrial ruins).

it did make me cry, and I LOVED it.

I'd never heard of Jo Walton until I read a review of this in a national newspaper, and thought I'd give it a try. And how glad I am that I did! Because (apart from the crucial fact that I didn't do magic or see 'fairies') I could relate so strongly to Mori's love of books, and so many of them were ones I read when I was her age or older. Le Guin, Tolkien, Tey, Renault, Douglas Adams, she describes them all. And I could relate, too, to her childhood world in the woods and valleys and hills around her Welsh home, the names she gave the places that were out of books, the vivid life of the imagination - or was it just imagination? - that she and her twin sister lived.
So, this is a book for people who can remember what it feels like to be a bookish, intense fifteen-year-old, out of step with school friends and adults, retreating into her own world. It is NOT a book for people who want car chases or tentacled aliens waving space guns. It's a book for people who think, and dream, and wonder.
And a note to reviewers who give one-star reviews because a book is 'boring' - do kindly tell us why. 'Boring' is not enough. It's inadequate, lazy, and contemptuous. If that's the only word you can use to describe a two hundred page book, then don't bother at all.

Interesting approach to the fantasy genre: engaging narrator. Unsatisfied by the ending, but then I almost always am. Thorughly recommended; lots of ideas for further reading.

I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of this book - it completely resonated with me and ignited wonderful reading memories. The final third was somewhat disappointing.

Among Others was first published in 2011, and has won two awards - and yet reader reviews are varied. Having been sent a copy for review, I can see why. There's a lot to love about this book, but also some aspects which can be annoying. I started off very unsure, but by the time I put it down, it had worked it's magic on me, and left a smile on my face. It's not the easiest to review, so please bear with me if I ramble around...

On it's surface, Among Others tells the story of Mor, a fifteen year old whose twin sister was killed in the accident which has left Mor with an injured leg. Trying to get away from her mad mother, Mor ends up with her estranged father and her aunts, who send her away to boarding school. There, Mor deals with the grief of losing her sister, whilst accepting who she is, and the limitations she faces from her injuries. She discovers more about her family, and experiences her first relationships. Yes, on it's surface, this is a coming of age novel, but there are some interesting twists.

Mor and her sister grew up seeing and playing with fairies, and her mother is a witch who tried to harm them. This gives a wonderful layer to the story, but is in no means the focus. This isn't your traditional fantasy novel, full of other-worldly creatures and magical spells, and it's quite possible that the fairies exist only in Mor's mind - deciding which gives an interesting aspect, and readers will all have their own views.

The book itself is in a diary format, and runs over 300 pages in hardback and 400 in paperback. It's a slow, mellow tale, just as you would expect from this format. To me, the first half was a little too slow, but then I've recently been reading some snappy YA novels, so this took some getting used to. There's also a final aspect, which is both a positive and negative - Mor spends most of her time reading Science Fiction, and many of these books are mentioned and discussed. For fans of SF, I would imagine it would be fun spotting your own favourites, as well as checking out those new to you. For others, though, it becomes a little tedious, like being on the outside of a cliquey group. However, a book about a love of reading is always a bonus!

This is a book best approached with no expectations, and with plenty of time to give. If you allow it, it has much to give back.