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The Gameshouse #1
The Serpent
In seventeenth century Venice exists a mysterious establishment known only as the Gameshouse.
There, fortunes are made and fortunes are broken over games of chess, backgammon and every other game under the sun.
But those whom fortune favours may be invited to compete in the higher league . . . a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on a scale as big as the British Isles.
Not everyone proves worthy of competing in the higher league. But one woman who is about to play may just exceed everyone's expectations.
Though she must always remember: the higher the stakes, the more deadly the rules . . .
Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2015
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4130 people want to read
About the author
Claire North
28 books4,243 followersClaire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels.
Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.
Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 382 reviews
February 8, 2022
Are games a metaphor for life? Or are they life? The Gamehouse thinks it knows the answer.
"Should you win, you may not wish to jeopardise your new status with reckless questioning. So it is that comfortable people settle into a deceiving life, finding truth somewhat unpleasant."
In 1610 Venice, a woman is trapped in marriage with an older husband, a compulsive gamer and womanizer. When he brings her to the Gamehouse, she discovers she has a skill for games. Eventually she is invited to play for higher stakes.
"She looks at her husband's back, the empty glasses at his side, the coins on the table, and realises that there is anger on her lips, a tempest in her belly and her hands hurt--they burn from not clenching--and with the softness of winter mist in her voice says simply, -Yes."
There's a long history of game motifs in fantasy. In this instance, while the game itself may have some background mystical elements, the actual story has concrete elements of political machinations. There is something beautiful in it, but it is the beauty of contrived artfulness, the creation of something that is both more and less than life. It is, perhaps, the difference between Ansel Adams
and da Vinci.
Whether or not you enjoy this novella will depend on your tolerance for ambiguity, playfulness in narrative form and general love of vivid language. I enjoyed it a great deal, but I happen to enjoy North/Griffin's use of language, her ability to create characters, and evoke settings. Coming from a child's book that was thematically unsubtle, I particularly enjoyed the ambiguity. A re-read in 2021 had me thinking of nothing so much as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Other Poems in cadence and drifting plot.
"Are we perhaps a little sad? Have we, who know the turning of the times and have heard whispers of a future not yet named, developed some semblance of sentimentality that clouds us to the truth of things? Do we wish to be victorious and humane? How foolish we have become in our old age. How unwise."
"Should you win, you may not wish to jeopardise your new status with reckless questioning. So it is that comfortable people settle into a deceiving life, finding truth somewhat unpleasant."
In 1610 Venice, a woman is trapped in marriage with an older husband, a compulsive gamer and womanizer. When he brings her to the Gamehouse, she discovers she has a skill for games. Eventually she is invited to play for higher stakes.
"She looks at her husband's back, the empty glasses at his side, the coins on the table, and realises that there is anger on her lips, a tempest in her belly and her hands hurt--they burn from not clenching--and with the softness of winter mist in her voice says simply, -Yes."
There's a long history of game motifs in fantasy. In this instance, while the game itself may have some background mystical elements, the actual story has concrete elements of political machinations. There is something beautiful in it, but it is the beauty of contrived artfulness, the creation of something that is both more and less than life. It is, perhaps, the difference between Ansel Adams
and da Vinci.
Whether or not you enjoy this novella will depend on your tolerance for ambiguity, playfulness in narrative form and general love of vivid language. I enjoyed it a great deal, but I happen to enjoy North/Griffin's use of language, her ability to create characters, and evoke settings. Coming from a child's book that was thematically unsubtle, I particularly enjoyed the ambiguity. A re-read in 2021 had me thinking of nothing so much as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Other Poems in cadence and drifting plot.
"Are we perhaps a little sad? Have we, who know the turning of the times and have heard whispers of a future not yet named, developed some semblance of sentimentality that clouds us to the truth of things? Do we wish to be victorious and humane? How foolish we have become in our old age. How unwise."
May 20, 2024
Thiene est une jeune fille mariée à un joueur compulsif qui passe son temps à perdre son argent et à boire. Un jour Thiene est abordée pour rentrer dans une partie où elle devra faire preuve de ruse afin que son candidat soit élu tribun de Venise.
Ce roman très court m’a beaucoup déroutée au début. Et puis la magie a opéré et je me suis trouvée moi aussi prise dans cette échiquier.
Comme pour Pénélope, nous avons un narrateur omniscient qui alterne avec le point de vue interne de Thiene. J’avais l’impression que ce narrateur omniscient me faisait entrer dans le jeu moi aussi et s’amuser de moi.
C’est un livre que je ne recommanderai pas à tout le monde sauf à ceux qui comme moi pense que la vie est un grand échiquier et que nous devons tous gagner pour survivre…
Ce roman très court m’a beaucoup déroutée au début. Et puis la magie a opéré et je me suis trouvée moi aussi prise dans cette échiquier.
Comme pour Pénélope, nous avons un narrateur omniscient qui alterne avec le point de vue interne de Thiene. J’avais l’impression que ce narrateur omniscient me faisait entrer dans le jeu moi aussi et s’amuser de moi.
C’est un livre que je ne recommanderai pas à tout le monde sauf à ceux qui comme moi pense que la vie est un grand échiquier et que nous devons tous gagner pour survivre…
July 14, 2018
5*
This book is the most aesthetic thing I've ever read. It's one of those books I wish existed, but never actually believed would be a thing and it's real!!!
So the main character Thene walks into the gamehouse and ends up becoming an amazing game player. She gets invited by the gamemaster to the upper league to compete in a game in which if she wins she gets any wish she wants.
Thene competes against 3 other players. The game she is given is a game of kings. She and the other players are assigned a candidate. To win the game her candidate needs to win the vote to ascend the throne and become a king.
Each of the players are given a silver box with the rules of the game and cards. The cards represent people that own debt to the gamemaster and can be used as pieces by the players for information or action to elevate their own king's position or to cut down another king's position to the voting public.
The reason why I said this book is the most aesthetic thing ever was a mixture of the imagery and the writing. Thene has the silver box, cards, a white mask, the grey gloves, the coin. She was also so clever and I loved her so much. Another thing is that there are so many quotable lines from this story. The whole vibe of this story was just so fun.
The next thing is both a pro and a con. A lot of the lines are very ambiguous. A lot of actions are heavily implied, but aren't explicitly stated. It makes the story a ton of fun to think about and interpret, but if I don't get a few of the lines I'm confused for a good while. At around 60% in I started to understand a lot of things I didn't get the first time so I went back and reread a few things and was like ugh I wish I understood it the first time. Stay sharp when reading!
As I continued reading however I actually started liking that I wasn't so sure of everything. It really made me rack my brain and also really contributed to the quotable lines and game player aesthetic.
"- All things are chance. Nature is chance. Life is chance. It is a human madness to try and find rules where there are none, to invent constraints where none exist. The only thing that matters is the choice. So choose. Choose."
"Are we perhaps a little sad? Have we, who know the turning of the times and have heard whispers of a future not yet named, developed some semblance of sentimentality that clouds us to the truth of things? Do we wish to be victorious and humane? How foolish we have become in our old age. How unwise. We must purge this sentiment from our souls and remember again and again: it is
the victory –it is the win. The rest is only a cage."
"These are you streets, Thene, they are yours, you made them yours, you took them because no one was willing to give, you grabbed at a future and made it yours, you have the courage, you have the strength, do not fear, do not fear, and run!"
"She nearly shrieks with rage, at the vanity of the man. - This is why men need to be played, she wants to scream, - for I do not possess such a great ego as you do; I have not invested my heart and my self-esteem in the flattery of other men, only in victory, in victory which now you threaten to squander!"
"- I know grief, she replied, - and rage. I know them so well that I think they have burnt a part of me to ash, leaving only the shape of what they were inside me, and not the feeling itself."
This book is the most aesthetic thing I've ever read. It's one of those books I wish existed, but never actually believed would be a thing and it's real!!!
So the main character Thene walks into the gamehouse and ends up becoming an amazing game player. She gets invited by the gamemaster to the upper league to compete in a game in which if she wins she gets any wish she wants.
Thene competes against 3 other players. The game she is given is a game of kings. She and the other players are assigned a candidate. To win the game her candidate needs to win the vote to ascend the throne and become a king.
Each of the players are given a silver box with the rules of the game and cards. The cards represent people that own debt to the gamemaster and can be used as pieces by the players for information or action to elevate their own king's position or to cut down another king's position to the voting public.
The reason why I said this book is the most aesthetic thing ever was a mixture of the imagery and the writing. Thene has the silver box, cards, a white mask, the grey gloves, the coin. She was also so clever and I loved her so much. Another thing is that there are so many quotable lines from this story. The whole vibe of this story was just so fun.
The next thing is both a pro and a con. A lot of the lines are very ambiguous. A lot of actions are heavily implied, but aren't explicitly stated. It makes the story a ton of fun to think about and interpret, but if I don't get a few of the lines I'm confused for a good while. At around 60% in I started to understand a lot of things I didn't get the first time so I went back and reread a few things and was like ugh I wish I understood it the first time. Stay sharp when reading!
As I continued reading however I actually started liking that I wasn't so sure of everything. It really made me rack my brain and also really contributed to the quotable lines and game player aesthetic.
"- All things are chance. Nature is chance. Life is chance. It is a human madness to try and find rules where there are none, to invent constraints where none exist. The only thing that matters is the choice. So choose. Choose."
"Are we perhaps a little sad? Have we, who know the turning of the times and have heard whispers of a future not yet named, developed some semblance of sentimentality that clouds us to the truth of things? Do we wish to be victorious and humane? How foolish we have become in our old age. How unwise. We must purge this sentiment from our souls and remember again and again: it is
the victory –it is the win. The rest is only a cage."
"These are you streets, Thene, they are yours, you made them yours, you took them because no one was willing to give, you grabbed at a future and made it yours, you have the courage, you have the strength, do not fear, do not fear, and run!"
"She nearly shrieks with rage, at the vanity of the man. - This is why men need to be played, she wants to scream, - for I do not possess such a great ego as you do; I have not invested my heart and my self-esteem in the flattery of other men, only in victory, in victory which now you threaten to squander!"
"- I know grief, she replied, - and rage. I know them so well that I think they have burnt a part of me to ash, leaving only the shape of what they were inside me, and not the feeling itself."
April 1, 2016
This book is by one of my most favourite authors regardless of which pen name she is writing under (and she has several!) The Serpent is the first of a series of three novellas which tell the story of the Gameshouse and it is as charming as it is mysterious. Claire North spins a fascinating tale with some tantalising images of old Venice and a few extraordinary characters. There is a strong suggestion of much more to come in the sequels. I can't wait to read them.
February 8, 2022
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.”
(Shakespeare, As You Like It)
Although they probably can be read as standalones, each having their own central plot, there is a hidden story that binds them, so they are best to be read in close succession.
The idea is not entirely new, but the execution is simply superbe.
An unknown observer - which makes the style so exquisite, both intimate and conspirative - takes us on a journey across centuries, through the Gameshouse’s establishment and the big league games played here, not for meek wagers of money, but for far higher ones, like decades in one’s life, health, secrets, memories, love, pleasures, knowledge. The rules are almost non-existent, the possibilities going as far as the player's intelligence, slyness and resources.
The characterization is minimal, so the emotional involvement is scarce, making you, as I think North intended, an equidistant observer, a kind of umpire.
After each and every one, you’re left with a sense of something more, of life being merely a game, of people being just pieces in this ancient game, going on and on as the coin turns.
And all the men and women merely players.”
(Shakespeare, As You Like It)
Although they probably can be read as standalones, each having their own central plot, there is a hidden story that binds them, so they are best to be read in close succession.
The idea is not entirely new, but the execution is simply superbe.
An unknown observer - which makes the style so exquisite, both intimate and conspirative - takes us on a journey across centuries, through the Gameshouse’s establishment and the big league games played here, not for meek wagers of money, but for far higher ones, like decades in one’s life, health, secrets, memories, love, pleasures, knowledge. The rules are almost non-existent, the possibilities going as far as the player's intelligence, slyness and resources.
The characterization is minimal, so the emotional involvement is scarce, making you, as I think North intended, an equidistant observer, a kind of umpire.
After each and every one, you’re left with a sense of something more, of life being merely a game, of people being just pieces in this ancient game, going on and on as the coin turns.
November 9, 2015
Just superb. The reader joins an unseen watcher observing a very special game and a young woman playing for a place at a higher game.
Thene is an abused and neglected wife of a drunken gambler in the early 1600s in Venice. Her husbands gambling exposes her to the Gameshouse, which on the surface is a place to play lower, trivial games. More deeply it is an entrance to a higher set of games, played with Kings and countries and lives where even immortality is one more thing to play for. The story follows Thene in the Game that will allow her entry to the higher level of games. We learn how she plays, what her strengths and weaknesses are and what she will give to win.
Thene is fascinating. The Game is engrossing, at once so very minor, a small political maneuvering in a small Italian city 400 years ago, but everything to the players and the pieces being moved. It's make or break for Thene, and how she plays and what the game truly is is the substance of the story.
Looking forward to the next two.
Thene is an abused and neglected wife of a drunken gambler in the early 1600s in Venice. Her husbands gambling exposes her to the Gameshouse, which on the surface is a place to play lower, trivial games. More deeply it is an entrance to a higher set of games, played with Kings and countries and lives where even immortality is one more thing to play for. The story follows Thene in the Game that will allow her entry to the higher level of games. We learn how she plays, what her strengths and weaknesses are and what she will give to win.
Thene is fascinating. The Game is engrossing, at once so very minor, a small political maneuvering in a small Italian city 400 years ago, but everything to the players and the pieces being moved. It's make or break for Thene, and how she plays and what the game truly is is the substance of the story.
Looking forward to the next two.
March 3, 2017
This is a story set in 17th century Venice. Thene (sp??) is married off to an abusive, gambling man several years her senior. When she attends a games house with him, watching him gamble away her money, she is pulled into a much more serious endeavour by the shadowy Gameshouse. She and four other candidates are given the chance at determining the political fortunes of Venice by moving various players of theirs around the city. Thene, though quiet, is ferociously intelligent and adept at political machinations.
This story was such a pleasure to listen to as the author employs lovely language describing Thene's control over her emotions, the city itself, and the various individuals Thene must manipulate to win the contest. The author also uses an omniscient narrator who speaks directly to the reader/listener (like a Greek chorus), which is a little odd at first, but grows on you as the story progresses.
On to the next Gameshouse story.
This story was such a pleasure to listen to as the author employs lovely language describing Thene's control over her emotions, the city itself, and the various individuals Thene must manipulate to win the contest. The author also uses an omniscient narrator who speaks directly to the reader/listener (like a Greek chorus), which is a little odd at first, but grows on you as the story progresses.
On to the next Gameshouse story.
February 10, 2019
4.5/5
I didn’t listen when people told me to read Claire North. Silly me.
The Serpent opens Gameshouse trilogy of novellas. It takes place in 17th century Venice, where a young, lovelessly married woman named Thene discovers the joy of a game. In the Gameshouse you can play the games we all know and enjoy, but the chosen few win their admittance to the higher league, where the currency is life, and kings and empires become pawns.
Thene becomes one of the real players, she has to figure out how to play her cards (real people) to win the game.
I daresay North packed more creativity and fresh ideas in less than 100 pages than many authors do in their bloated epic creations. It has it all - strong intrigue, politics, philosophy, elegant and precise language. Thene is a female lead with brains and agenda, and games within games impressed me a lot.
Excellent.
I didn’t listen when people told me to read Claire North. Silly me.
The Serpent opens Gameshouse trilogy of novellas. It takes place in 17th century Venice, where a young, lovelessly married woman named Thene discovers the joy of a game. In the Gameshouse you can play the games we all know and enjoy, but the chosen few win their admittance to the higher league, where the currency is life, and kings and empires become pawns.
Thene becomes one of the real players, she has to figure out how to play her cards (real people) to win the game.
I daresay North packed more creativity and fresh ideas in less than 100 pages than many authors do in their bloated epic creations. It has it all - strong intrigue, politics, philosophy, elegant and precise language. Thene is a female lead with brains and agenda, and games within games impressed me a lot.
Excellent.
August 2, 2020
Such a great story of intrigue and transcendence, shrouded in the mystery of the Gamehouse, the secretive organization of unknown origins that seemingly transcends space and time as it pulls the puppet strings of history. North draws me in with her magnificent, evocative prose, bursting with insight and wisdom. The story features a kind of odd second person narration, as if told by one invisible observer to another, that lends a mysterious air to a story that gets more mysterious with the telling. Equally enthralling is her depiction of 17th century Venice - the beauty and gentility juxtaposed with the dark and dirty corners and underhanded politics and backstabbing of the money and power hungry. I could not put this one down!
May 31, 2016
Examines the shadows – see her there, so proud, so straight! Thene, Thene, there is no fear now: there is only the player. She watches and defies the dark to do her harm; it is her dark, her night, her city; to her will it shall bend, if it bends to anything at all.
There are many authors where, if one enjoys the genre, it is easy to recommend said author. "Oh, you like mystery? Then you must read Agatha Christie." "Oh, you like humour and can put up with scifi? Go read Douglas Adams." and so on and so forth.
Claire North is not one of those authors.
I believe this to be due to her books all having premises that are slightly strange, and a use of language that is, shall we say, vivid. Not in an extreme way where one is unsure of what they have read after, but in that she simply uses ideas that I don't believe I've ever seen. At least not quite as North does them. Which leaves me with a bunch of works that I love, but am not always sure if I can recommend. At best I can say to read some reviews and compare our read shelves to see if we kind of agree on how we rate things and see how it feels to you. Find a couple of pages of sample text somewhere to get a feel for the language. Definitive answers I cannot provide.
The Serpent does nothing to change any of the above. This first novella in the Gameshouse trilogy of novellas has four players competing for a single opening in the upper levels of the Gameshouse, where people bet more interesting things than simple coin and jewels. Things such as years worth of youth, to be immediately extracted from the loser at the end of the game. How this works and who runs the Gameshouse is not explained, though their motives are routinely questioned.
You would wager your happiness? You would gamble with your self-esteem? Good God, don’t play for joy, not yet; not when there are so many lesser things you could invest in!
We follow one of the four players, each of whom has been given a person they are expected to make the king of Venice, a list of people who are in position to assist them, and some funds to get them started. It's all very political and calculating. Some of you will hate it.
But that's not why I can't recommend this to every Joe Schmoe I come across. No, that is due to how the story is told to the reader. There are two unusual things about the telling of The Serpent. One is our narrator. We don't know who our narrator is (and never learn), only that they are interested in the outcome of the game, or at the least, in its players. We don't know their stake in anything, if they even have one. We don't know if they are reliable or not. We don't know why they are telling us this story.
The second thing is related to the first, and that is the style in which the story is being told. It is very conversational. Like so conversational that I wondered if I was better off buying the audiobook to listen to it. I still wonder if it was written to be audio and made as an ebook as an afterthought. There are no print versions of this book, after all. Like someone telling you a story, it doesn't spend an incredible amount of time describing the lovely hillside, but it will give you opinions about our players as our narrator sees fit. Also like someone just talking, it doesn't stay on one thing for two long. There are 44 chapters in this novella. This is the first chapter in its entirety.
She is gone, she is gone. The coin turns, and she is gone.
Obviously, most aren't that short, but our narrator isn't worried about padding out the story for you. They also don't care about explaining things to you that our protagonist doesn't understand/know yet. They do slip in small paragraphs of backstory about other people from time to time though, which is welcome and pretty interesting.
I'll admit it took me a bit to get into the writing style. There are no quotation marks, though each new speaker is noted with a - before their line. I didn't have any trouble following it, and honestly didn't really note their absence until largely through the story, but the overall tone takes some getting used to.
So all of that is how this struck me as a little odd and why I'm not just pushing this in your face and saying "read this read this read this." But if you enjoyed North's other works, the idea of people treating the entire world as a game sounds intriguing, and perhaps if ambiguity makes you happy instead of annoyed, spend $2 on this.
There is only one reason, only one, why you should embark on this game. Would you like to know it?
- Yes. I would.
The Queen of Cups leans in closer, whispers, her lips brushing the ridges of Thene’s ear. - You play to win, she breathes. - That is all.
June 13, 2019
Combined review of a Superb novella series:
The Serpent
The Thief
The Master
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Once again Claire North provides superb prose, great intellect, astounding knowledge of foreign places and times, and a growing insight into the human heart.
I was astounded at her intimate knowledge of Renaissance Venice and pre-WW-2 Thailand. These are living places and peoples. The rural areas of Thailand are beautifully painted, and the common people are alive and fascinating.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good as her other novels.
--
Once again, Claire North challenges me with a new concept, a new style, a fascinating adventure. She never fails.
This is an interesting novella, nicely plotted with good pacing, but with perhaps a bit too formal a prose style. I will be reading the sequels.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Notes and quotes:
I know grief, she replied, -and rage. I know them so well that I think they have burnt a part of me to ash, leaving only the shape of what they were inside me, and not the feeling itself.
We walk, we walk through streets never changing, where blood is as old as stone, ancient blood of ancient families whose grandparents were fed on the water of the lagoon that shall one day be sprinkled on the brow of the newborn infant that shall carry on the name, in the house, in the street, in this frozen city of Venice.
All things are chance. Nature is chance. Life is chance. It is a human madness to try and find rules where there are none, to invent constraints where none exist. The only thing that matters is the choice. So choose. Choose.
Or maybe here is the most terrible truth of all: that in a city as tide-turned as Venice is, perhaps it is simply too hard to find love, loyalty and truth, and so in other virtues people invest their hearts –passion, beauty, poetry and song –fancying perhaps that these shadows of the former are as great as love itself.
.
The Serpent
The Thief
The Master
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Once again Claire North provides superb prose, great intellect, astounding knowledge of foreign places and times, and a growing insight into the human heart.
I was astounded at her intimate knowledge of Renaissance Venice and pre-WW-2 Thailand. These are living places and peoples. The rural areas of Thailand are beautifully painted, and the common people are alive and fascinating.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good as her other novels.
--
Once again, Claire North challenges me with a new concept, a new style, a fascinating adventure. She never fails.
This is an interesting novella, nicely plotted with good pacing, but with perhaps a bit too formal a prose style. I will be reading the sequels.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Notes and quotes:
I know grief, she replied, -and rage. I know them so well that I think they have burnt a part of me to ash, leaving only the shape of what they were inside me, and not the feeling itself.
We walk, we walk through streets never changing, where blood is as old as stone, ancient blood of ancient families whose grandparents were fed on the water of the lagoon that shall one day be sprinkled on the brow of the newborn infant that shall carry on the name, in the house, in the street, in this frozen city of Venice.
All things are chance. Nature is chance. Life is chance. It is a human madness to try and find rules where there are none, to invent constraints where none exist. The only thing that matters is the choice. So choose. Choose.
Or maybe here is the most terrible truth of all: that in a city as tide-turned as Venice is, perhaps it is simply too hard to find love, loyalty and truth, and so in other virtues people invest their hearts –passion, beauty, poetry and song –fancying perhaps that these shadows of the former are as great as love itself.
.
October 29, 2022
They play chess.
He wins the first.
She wins the second.
They do not speak more than a few words as they play. The wager is information, for there must be a wager.
-Is it not enough to play for joy? she asks.
At this, terror flickers across his face. - You would wager your happiness? You would gamble with your self-esteem? Good God, don't play for joy, not yet; not when there are so many lesser things you could invest in!
I'm branching out in my Claire North - not yet ready to finish the available Matthew Swift or adjacent books, I found myself looking for another series, and here we are. No matter what name she's writing under, this author writes so beautifully! It's intricate, and maybe it'll feel redundant to some readers, but I hope most would be able to find the art in it. This is a novella, and the first I've read of hers in any shorter form, but I loved it. The Gameshouse feels like it just makes sense - and the game we get to see is satisfyingly played. But for me, the way it's written is a huge part of the appeal - I would read this woman's shopping list.
Fantastic novella, and I'm sure I'll continue the series.
He wins the first.
She wins the second.
They do not speak more than a few words as they play. The wager is information, for there must be a wager.
-Is it not enough to play for joy? she asks.
At this, terror flickers across his face. - You would wager your happiness? You would gamble with your self-esteem? Good God, don't play for joy, not yet; not when there are so many lesser things you could invest in!
I'm branching out in my Claire North - not yet ready to finish the available Matthew Swift or adjacent books, I found myself looking for another series, and here we are. No matter what name she's writing under, this author writes so beautifully! It's intricate, and maybe it'll feel redundant to some readers, but I hope most would be able to find the art in it. This is a novella, and the first I've read of hers in any shorter form, but I loved it. The Gameshouse feels like it just makes sense - and the game we get to see is satisfyingly played. But for me, the way it's written is a huge part of the appeal - I would read this woman's shopping list.
Fantastic novella, and I'm sure I'll continue the series.
July 16, 2016
Dice roll.
Cards fall.
Kingdoms topple.
Emperors burn.
The young are born and the old pass away.
And always the Gameshouse, the Gameshouse, it lives, it turns, the Gameshouse waits.
What a fantastic novella! Dramatic and action packed. In 17th century Venice, a woman called Thene who has a talent for playing games is invited to play in the Gameshouse. Now she finds herself playing on a larger stage, full of political intrigue with so much more at stake.
Vivid language and superb characters!
August 31, 2022
Superb concept. A gameshouse appears in select cities around the globe. Within players play all manner of games - cards, chess, backgammon, go, etc. At the lower levels, the players are amateurs competing for personal glory, money, privilege, titles, and entry into the higher league. Only a few are called. In the higher league the players are in some cases immortal and the stakes can be control of cities, states, countries, even the globe, played out by manipulating local/regional/global politics, economics, and war. The very real impacts on the real world are not a concern. All that matters to the players is winning.
The Serpent reminds me a lot of the exquisite The Traitor Baru Cormorant - a strong female lead playing a game of empire, though in this case not for vengeance. Thene only wants to show her capabilities, to be valued.
The story is narrated vs organic, which I am normally not a fan of but it works for this novella. North's imagery is top notch. Post-Renaissance Venice comes alive. I wish North had fleshed out Thene's backstory more. She is interesting, intelligent, but more two dimensional than three, and too opaque to fall in love with. Points to Baru for including this detail.
I see only three other novella's in this series. A shame as the Gameshouse is a concept that could be mined forever. Hoping the next two live up to the promise of The Serpent. Four stars. Highly recommended to readers who love history and intrigue. A steal at the $1.99 Kindle price.
Dice roll.The Serpent takes place in 17th century Venice. Thene, abused and neglected, enters the Gameshouse with her drunken husband. While he gambles away everything they own, She is chosen by the enigmatic Silver to play a higher league game to choose the next leader of Venice. Each player is assigned a candidate and given certain assets - people who may assist the player with money, information or action up to and including murder. Thene, is dealt a supposedly weak hand. But she is perceptive. While the men play with heavy hands, Thene pursues a different strategy that just might win.
Cards fall.
Kingdoms topple.
Emperors burn.
The young are born and the old pass away.
And always the Gameshouse, the Gameshouse, it lives, it turns, the Gameshouse waits.
The Serpent reminds me a lot of the exquisite The Traitor Baru Cormorant - a strong female lead playing a game of empire, though in this case not for vengeance. Thene only wants to show her capabilities, to be valued.
The story is narrated vs organic, which I am normally not a fan of but it works for this novella. North's imagery is top notch. Post-Renaissance Venice comes alive. I wish North had fleshed out Thene's backstory more. She is interesting, intelligent, but more two dimensional than three, and too opaque to fall in love with. Points to Baru for including this detail.
I see only three other novella's in this series. A shame as the Gameshouse is a concept that could be mined forever. Hoping the next two live up to the promise of The Serpent. Four stars. Highly recommended to readers who love history and intrigue. A steal at the $1.99 Kindle price.
October 24, 2019
Every time I see a book by Claire North I notice how enticing the premises are, whether it's The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (about a guy who keeps reincarnating and realizes someone with the same ability is going to destroy the world) or A Sudden Appearance of Hope (about a young woman who is forgotten by anyone who meets her minutes after she leaves). There's a daring to pursuing these kinds of stories because, unlike most genre fiction, there's not a lot out there to use as guideposts to follow.
The Serpent is a novella set in Venice in which a mysterious (and clearly at least somewhat supernatural) organization called the Gameshouse sets up complex competitions between players who wager everything from their wealth to years off their life to their souls. In this first book, we follow Thene, a young woman forced into a marriage with a drunken, violent, and generally despicable gambling addict. It's when he brings her to the Gameshouse to lose what money they have that Thene discovers her own talents and is offered a place in a great game that will change the balance of power in Venice.
There's lots to enjoy in The Serpent, from the mysteries of the Gameshouse itself to the clever ways in which Thene plays the game. There are also a number of narrative choices that, while daring, didn't work as well for me as a reader.
The story is told in a pseudo present tense, first-person-plural voice ("We watch as Thene wanders through the streets"). If you're trying to remember the last time you read a book told in this tense and voice it's mostly likely because few books are ever written this way. While it's not as distracting as it may sound, it does create a great deal of distance between us and Thene.
A second odd choice was the use of dashes for dialogue punctuation, so instead of: "Come here," he said. "I've got something to show you." We get: — Come here, he said. — I've got something to show you. I usually associate this style with French novels, so I'm not sure why North chose it for this book.
Those issues aside, there's a ton of inventive fantastical intrigue in The Serpent, and I can see a lot of readers enjoying this book as a more daring departure from a lot of conventional fantasy and sci-fi.
The Serpent is a novella set in Venice in which a mysterious (and clearly at least somewhat supernatural) organization called the Gameshouse sets up complex competitions between players who wager everything from their wealth to years off their life to their souls. In this first book, we follow Thene, a young woman forced into a marriage with a drunken, violent, and generally despicable gambling addict. It's when he brings her to the Gameshouse to lose what money they have that Thene discovers her own talents and is offered a place in a great game that will change the balance of power in Venice.
There's lots to enjoy in The Serpent, from the mysteries of the Gameshouse itself to the clever ways in which Thene plays the game. There are also a number of narrative choices that, while daring, didn't work as well for me as a reader.
The story is told in a pseudo present tense, first-person-plural voice ("We watch as Thene wanders through the streets"). If you're trying to remember the last time you read a book told in this tense and voice it's mostly likely because few books are ever written this way. While it's not as distracting as it may sound, it does create a great deal of distance between us and Thene.
A second odd choice was the use of dashes for dialogue punctuation, so instead of: "Come here," he said. "I've got something to show you." We get: — Come here, he said. — I've got something to show you. I usually associate this style with French novels, so I'm not sure why North chose it for this book.
Those issues aside, there's a ton of inventive fantastical intrigue in The Serpent, and I can see a lot of readers enjoying this book as a more daring departure from a lot of conventional fantasy and sci-fi.
Read
October 30, 2016I hugely enjoyed this, and the two linked stories. Really it's a novel in three parts but whatever. Beautifully written spec fic with nice linking and a clever concept, intensely readable. Binged all three novellas in a sitting.
December 26, 2021
The Gameshouse is a mysterious establisment in 17th Century Venice, where lots of different games are played.
In fact, it mostly reminded me of the pokerworld, where big players don't only play at the table but also make some very big and strange bets besides.
There's something very strange about Claire North.
In this particular story there were several things that normally don't appeal to me: the Italian setting, political intrigues, a distant writing style, …
And despite all these elements, North totally convinced me.
Even more than that, she mesmerized me.
Actually, 'The Serpent' is the first part in a trilogy centered around The Gameshouse.
The next installments are 'The Thief' and 'The Master'.
Apparently it's best to read them in fairly quick succession to better capture the overall story arc, so that's what I intend to do. And afterwards I'm going to read all the other books of this fascinating author. To be continued ...
November 30, 2015
North packs a great deal into what is simultaneously a small tale and a potentially epic world. I enjoyed the historical details, the game itself, and the narrator's often arch tone as we see Thene learn to play the Game in real life.
September 14, 2017
Romanzo -anzi novella strana, curiosa. Alla fine di pagina uno si capisce che è un oggetto raro e misterioso. Claire North (AKA Catherine Webb) mi piace perché ha ambizioni letterarie e narrative. Non si accontenta di raccontare una storiella intrigante, vuole che il libro abbia un impatto sul lettore. Qui abbiamo un "noi" come narratore, cosa che ha creato una curiosa sensazione, come dire... noi CHI? Chi siete? Mi aspettavo di vedere questi narratori scendere in azione da un momento all'altro. Non è successo, ma questa novella è la prima di una serie di tre.
Abbiamo un presupposto originale: c'è da eleggere il Tribuno della repubblica di Venezia e i candidati sono affidati a dei giocatori (degli spin doctor? delle spie?), che li "muovono" come pedine, con l'obbiettivo di farli vincere. I giocatori hanno a disposizione altre carte, un usuraio (il re di denari), un killer (il fante di spade), una cortigiana (la regina di coppe). C'è qualche lezione che suona machiavellica. Ci sono dei personaggi interessanti. E lo stile. Iniziatico.
Non so se lo suggerirei a cuor leggero, sto ancora domandandomi che diavolo ho letto, del resto.
Abbiamo un presupposto originale: c'è da eleggere il Tribuno della repubblica di Venezia e i candidati sono affidati a dei giocatori (degli spin doctor? delle spie?), che li "muovono" come pedine, con l'obbiettivo di farli vincere. I giocatori hanno a disposizione altre carte, un usuraio (il re di denari), un killer (il fante di spade), una cortigiana (la regina di coppe). C'è qualche lezione che suona machiavellica. Ci sono dei personaggi interessanti. E lo stile. Iniziatico.
Non so se lo suggerirei a cuor leggero, sto ancora domandandomi che diavolo ho letto, del resto.
July 21, 2021
This a total beauty!
I adore Claire North's prose.
I adore Claire North's prose.
May 10, 2019
An elusive and highly enjoyable fantasy! Told from a sort of omnipresent pov, an umpire of sorts, we follow a lady by the name of Thene whose husband discovers The Gameshouse, proceeds to lose copious amounts of money, and in doing so opens the door for his wife to become a player. Not just any player though..or any game. This is a bigger game for kings and queens, where members of the public, creditors and others who have lost there way lie waiting to be used like a pawn on a chess board. However this is not chess. This is a game that has been played across continents and over centuries, where access to the higher levels grants one a longer life to play a longer game. There is a magic to it as well as the harsh underlying realities of political control. An excellent novella I would not hesitate to recommend.
January 5, 2018
4.5 stars rounded up because there is no cliffhanger.
This story is very interesting and carefully paced. I love subtle games and those are the focus of this novella, I surely liked the original plot and the characters, but what makes them really stand out are the storytelling and the viewpoints.
On to the end!
You’re a player, he says at last. -You must know something of grief, if you would use the grief of my enemy to make him my friend. Tell me then, my queen of stone, do you know something of anger? Of rage and jealousy? Or are they merely tools, as the chisel is, which you use to carve your victory like a mathematician, all lines and no heart?
This story is very interesting and carefully paced. I love subtle games and those are the focus of this novella, I surely liked the original plot and the characters, but what makes them really stand out are the storytelling and the viewpoints.
On to the end!
You’re a player, he says at last. -You must know something of grief, if you would use the grief of my enemy to make him my friend. Tell me then, my queen of stone, do you know something of anger? Of rage and jealousy? Or are they merely tools, as the chisel is, which you use to carve your victory like a mathematician, all lines and no heart?
October 11, 2016
Now that I've finished the trilogy, I think a more complete review is in order. The concept behind North's series of novellas is a quite clever one. There exists the Gameshouse, where the Players play games with human lives, where chess involves armies and presidencies, Monopoly is a game of South American rubber and Middle Eastern oil, and where you can bet your mind, your memories, your very life.
All three books are beautifully written. Prose-poetry, really, elegant, enchanting. It can be a bit hard to get into, but once you've gotten past the first few chapters, it flows very smoothly. The settings are well done, and the characters by and large quite interesting.
The Serpent is, of the three, the strongest book. It has the smallest scale, and this helps it. A theme of the trilogy is to never forget that your pieces are human, but this is the book which really lives it. You get to know not just Thene, but also her rivals, her pieces, the scope of her game. It's a very intelligent book, and I absolutely adore books which are about smart people outsmarting each other. What can I say, we all have tastes.
The latter two books, I feel, are both a bit weaker. There are two reasons for this. First, they are larger scale -- if the first book is a single Renaissance city, the second takes place across a nation and the third, the whole world. In the first book we meet characters, we get to know them, they become individuals. The latter two books have side-characters walk on and off, but they get lost in the shuffle.
Secondly, the latter two books are not as directly games of intrigue. In the Serpent, much of the joy for me was watching Thene maneuver her pieces, develop strategies, and so forth. But in the second book, Remy is very much without resources. It becomes more of a thriller/evasion type of book. Meanwhile, in the third, the Game takes place on such a vast scope that we never have a sense of the strategy. Both players have resources that appear limitless, and move and countermove aren't really explored. If in the first book, I was deeply invested in how Thene would maneuver her way past Faliere, there's no such intellectual puzzle in the latter two books.
Now, to be fair, the Thief manages to recover some sense of this at the end, but I don't feel as if the Master quite manages. Two other minor strikes against the Master. First, it's a very philosophical book, deeply invested in questions of order, chaos, and freedom. I feel a bit as if the reader is expected to be more sympathetic to Silver's philosophical angle, but for my own part, I leaned towards the Gamesmaster's perspective. But then, I'm a historian with a rather skewed perspective. Secondly, the book ends with certain key points unresolved, which is *highly annoying* to me, for all that it makes thematic sense.
So, overall opinion? Absolutely read the Serpent, it's amazing. Overall, I'd say that the other two novellas are worth reading at least once, though I doubt I'll be rereading them as I expect to reread the Serpent.
All three books are beautifully written. Prose-poetry, really, elegant, enchanting. It can be a bit hard to get into, but once you've gotten past the first few chapters, it flows very smoothly. The settings are well done, and the characters by and large quite interesting.
The Serpent is, of the three, the strongest book. It has the smallest scale, and this helps it. A theme of the trilogy is to never forget that your pieces are human, but this is the book which really lives it. You get to know not just Thene, but also her rivals, her pieces, the scope of her game. It's a very intelligent book, and I absolutely adore books which are about smart people outsmarting each other. What can I say, we all have tastes.
The latter two books, I feel, are both a bit weaker. There are two reasons for this. First, they are larger scale -- if the first book is a single Renaissance city, the second takes place across a nation and the third, the whole world. In the first book we meet characters, we get to know them, they become individuals. The latter two books have side-characters walk on and off, but they get lost in the shuffle.
Secondly, the latter two books are not as directly games of intrigue. In the Serpent, much of the joy for me was watching Thene maneuver her pieces, develop strategies, and so forth. But in the second book, Remy is very much without resources. It becomes more of a thriller/evasion type of book. Meanwhile, in the third, the Game takes place on such a vast scope that we never have a sense of the strategy. Both players have resources that appear limitless, and move and countermove aren't really explored. If in the first book, I was deeply invested in how Thene would maneuver her way past Faliere, there's no such intellectual puzzle in the latter two books.
Now, to be fair, the Thief manages to recover some sense of this at the end, but I don't feel as if the Master quite manages. Two other minor strikes against the Master. First, it's a very philosophical book, deeply invested in questions of order, chaos, and freedom. I feel a bit as if the reader is expected to be more sympathetic to Silver's philosophical angle, but for my own part, I leaned towards the Gamesmaster's perspective. But then, I'm a historian with a rather skewed perspective. Secondly, the book ends with certain key points unresolved, which is *highly annoying* to me, for all that it makes thematic sense.
So, overall opinion? Absolutely read the Serpent, it's amazing. Overall, I'd say that the other two novellas are worth reading at least once, though I doubt I'll be rereading them as I expect to reread the Serpent.
September 4, 2021
The Gameshouse - ein Ort für Glücksspiele, in der nicht nur Würfel rollen, sondern auf den höheren Ebenen auch um die Geschichte der Welt gespielt wird. Eine Teilnehmerin ist Thene, und die junge Frau muss ihren Kandidaten zur vielleicht wichtigsten Position im Venedig des frühen 17ten Jahrhunderts verhelfen, um Zugang zu diesen höheren Ebenen zu erhalten.
Neben Intrigen bietet das Buch auch noch eine zweite Spieleebene - denn auch Thene wird beobachtet und scheint nur ein Spielstein zu sein. Dies erklärt dann auch die Erzählperspektive. Beobachter 1 redet mit Beobachter 2 (you). Gewöhnungsbedürftig, funktioniert aber in dem Buch sehr gut.
Was ich sehr mag, ist wenn ein*e Autor*in es schafft, mit einem Satz ganze Geschichten entstehen zu lassen - und das gelingt Claire North in diesem Buch sehr oft.
Neben Intrigen bietet das Buch auch noch eine zweite Spieleebene - denn auch Thene wird beobachtet und scheint nur ein Spielstein zu sein. Dies erklärt dann auch die Erzählperspektive. Beobachter 1 redet mit Beobachter 2 (you). Gewöhnungsbedürftig, funktioniert aber in dem Buch sehr gut.
Was ich sehr mag, ist wenn ein*e Autor*in es schafft, mit einem Satz ganze Geschichten entstehen zu lassen - und das gelingt Claire North in diesem Buch sehr oft.
June 25, 2016
This novella is the best original fantasy that I’ve read in a very long time. It’s a blend of fantasy and historical fiction. Although I like the two genres on their own, I don’t like them mixed, so I was sceptic of the book many high ratings on GR, but this combo worked for me too.
The characters are intriguing, the secrets and conspiracy games work perfectly well in a city as mysterious as 17th century Venice. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the trilogy.
The characters are intriguing, the secrets and conspiracy games work perfectly well in a city as mysterious as 17th century Venice. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the trilogy.
January 16, 2023
Romans reçus à Noël et lus et dévorés dans la foulée !
Ces petits bijoux, à la plume addictive et à l’ambiance à la fois historique et mystérieuse recèlent des intrigues aussi courtes qu’efficaces !
Amateur.ices de stratégies en tout genre ? Cette saga est faite pour vous !
Amoureux.ses des voyages ? Idem, car on visite la Venise du 17ème siècle dans le tome 1 et le Bangkok des années 1930 dans le tome 2 !
Les personnages principaux, les enjeux, et le type d’intrigue sont très différents d’un tome à l’autre et pourtant, tout est peut être lié 🤔
Je ne vous dirais rien quant à la nature elle même de la Maison des jeux, car ça a été un réel plaisir pour moi de découvrir l’étendue de sa nature…
D’ailleurs, on a beau découvrir cette nature rapidement dans le tome 1, les buts à long terme de cette Maison semble encore nébuleux, autant pour les personnages joueurs que pour les lecteurs 🤩
Le tome 3 apportera-t-il toutes les réponses concernant cet établissement énigmatique ? Réponse le 19 janvier 2923 lors de sa sortie ! :)
Ami.e lecteurice attention si vous pénétrez dans cette Maison, vous pourriez y jouer plus gros que prévu 🤫 !
Ces petits bijoux, à la plume addictive et à l’ambiance à la fois historique et mystérieuse recèlent des intrigues aussi courtes qu’efficaces !
Amateur.ices de stratégies en tout genre ? Cette saga est faite pour vous !
Amoureux.ses des voyages ? Idem, car on visite la Venise du 17ème siècle dans le tome 1 et le Bangkok des années 1930 dans le tome 2 !
Les personnages principaux, les enjeux, et le type d’intrigue sont très différents d’un tome à l’autre et pourtant, tout est peut être lié 🤔
Je ne vous dirais rien quant à la nature elle même de la Maison des jeux, car ça a été un réel plaisir pour moi de découvrir l’étendue de sa nature…
D’ailleurs, on a beau découvrir cette nature rapidement dans le tome 1, les buts à long terme de cette Maison semble encore nébuleux, autant pour les personnages joueurs que pour les lecteurs 🤩
Le tome 3 apportera-t-il toutes les réponses concernant cet établissement énigmatique ? Réponse le 19 janvier 2923 lors de sa sortie ! :)
Ami.e lecteurice attention si vous pénétrez dans cette Maison, vous pourriez y jouer plus gros que prévu 🤫 !
July 9, 2016
Mini-Review(1.2m): https://youtu.be/aiyK9AWB_Ts
Long Review(8.3m): https://youtu.be/R8qeG7YkEhs
Highlights:
I absolutely loved this novella. It is my favorite read of 2016 so far(July) because it is just an amazing premise that connects with a lot of my interests. It is during a time in Italy that is my favorite when studying history(early 1600's), in the town of Venice, and individuals are playing a high stakes game of political intrigue by controlling "pieces" that are individuals indebted to this Gamehouse, in order for their political leader to be elected mayor. The novella is told by this omnipotent narrator that we don't really know anything about until later. It is a well written, superbly crafted political intrigue story that got me physically excited.
5/5
23/25 Possible Score
Plot - 5(Excellent)
Characters - 4(Strong)
World Building/Setting - 5(Excellent)
Writing Style - 5(Excellent)
Heart & Mind Aspect - 4(Strong)
Long Review(8.3m): https://youtu.be/R8qeG7YkEhs
Highlights:
I absolutely loved this novella. It is my favorite read of 2016 so far(July) because it is just an amazing premise that connects with a lot of my interests. It is during a time in Italy that is my favorite when studying history(early 1600's), in the town of Venice, and individuals are playing a high stakes game of political intrigue by controlling "pieces" that are individuals indebted to this Gamehouse, in order for their political leader to be elected mayor. The novella is told by this omnipotent narrator that we don't really know anything about until later. It is a well written, superbly crafted political intrigue story that got me physically excited.
5/5
23/25 Possible Score
Plot - 5(Excellent)
Characters - 4(Strong)
World Building/Setting - 5(Excellent)
Writing Style - 5(Excellent)
Heart & Mind Aspect - 4(Strong)
January 1, 2016
Claire North has been on my reading radar for a while now and this novella seemed like the perfect introduction. All I can say is ‘wow’!
An unknown observer leads the reader around Venice, shadowing a woman and witnessing her experience with the Gameshouse. The style of narration was a little disconcerting at first, with its continuous calling on the reader’s attention, pulling us out of the text every so often, as if highlighting the artificiality of the account, or making voyeurs of us all - “We are bold, you and I, to be here at all, watching unseen”. Very quickly though, you cannot but be engrossed in the main character, her resolve and intelligence.
The story starts slowly, establishing the different characters and surroundings, setting the pieces as it is, emulating the game. Thene is forced to follow her squanderer of a husband to this establishment but she is the one who excels, even winning an opportunity to enter the higher league. However in order to gain access, she will need to compete in a totally different kind of contest where stratagems and stakes are made with people’s lives.
I’m not into gambling and even less interested in politics, and yet this story totally drew me in. The concept of the Gameshouse is a great one, and although not new, it is expertly handled. And then there is Venice, in all its glory and horror, the perfect vessel for such tale. “The city is a jewel of contradictions. We stand by the waters of the lagoon, you and I, and watch the moonlight ripple beneath a star-pricked sky. We hear the creaking of the ships, smell fish sizzling in the pan, hear the distant laughter and feel the warmth through an open door, and know that this is surely paradise, the beautiful city, and marvel ... Yet turn away, and what is there now in this place that is not a threat? The alleys too dark, the walls too close, the water lapping at your feet hungry, hungry for blood".
Although this is a novella, it didn't feel rushed. Far from it. The author takes us on a journey, and it is this journey, not the goal, that is spellbinding. Another fascinating element is of course the writing. I often found myself re-reading sentences for their beauty and evocative power.
Pretty great read to start the year. I’ll definitely get the next two in the series, and try North's novels too.
An unknown observer leads the reader around Venice, shadowing a woman and witnessing her experience with the Gameshouse. The style of narration was a little disconcerting at first, with its continuous calling on the reader’s attention, pulling us out of the text every so often, as if highlighting the artificiality of the account, or making voyeurs of us all - “We are bold, you and I, to be here at all, watching unseen”. Very quickly though, you cannot but be engrossed in the main character, her resolve and intelligence.
The story starts slowly, establishing the different characters and surroundings, setting the pieces as it is, emulating the game. Thene is forced to follow her squanderer of a husband to this establishment but she is the one who excels, even winning an opportunity to enter the higher league. However in order to gain access, she will need to compete in a totally different kind of contest where stratagems and stakes are made with people’s lives.
I’m not into gambling and even less interested in politics, and yet this story totally drew me in. The concept of the Gameshouse is a great one, and although not new, it is expertly handled. And then there is Venice, in all its glory and horror, the perfect vessel for such tale. “The city is a jewel of contradictions. We stand by the waters of the lagoon, you and I, and watch the moonlight ripple beneath a star-pricked sky. We hear the creaking of the ships, smell fish sizzling in the pan, hear the distant laughter and feel the warmth through an open door, and know that this is surely paradise, the beautiful city, and marvel ... Yet turn away, and what is there now in this place that is not a threat? The alleys too dark, the walls too close, the water lapping at your feet hungry, hungry for blood".
Although this is a novella, it didn't feel rushed. Far from it. The author takes us on a journey, and it is this journey, not the goal, that is spellbinding. Another fascinating element is of course the writing. I often found myself re-reading sentences for their beauty and evocative power.
Pretty great read to start the year. I’ll definitely get the next two in the series, and try North's novels too.
November 24, 2015
Another excellent book by Claire North. As in her previous novels, you'll fall in love with her characters and you'll be amazed by what the writer is doing with the main theme.
October 18, 2025
4,25 / 5
Leída la primera (de tres) novella de «The Gameshouse» y no puedo ENTENDER que no se haya publicado en español. Un curioso narrador poco confiable en 1ª persona del plural, un tablero de juego como una ciudad donde las fichas son personas reales, y la Venecia del S. XVII.
Intensa, escrita de una forma muy interesante, se aleja del trabajo más conocido de North como Las primeras quince vidas de Harry August. Una Venecia renacentista, en una pelea política, donde las caras reconocidas son títeres de unos jugadores "especiales" que utilizan cartas del tarot (personas) para sus jugadas maestras.
Hay en North una estética visual, lirica y poética, que embadurna toda la novela. Hay mucho misterio (¿qué es la Casa de juegos? ¿Quien es la líder? ¿Por qué escogieron a Thene?) que se deja en el aire, pero no importa, por que la trama de la novela de por si queda cerrada. Para el recuerdo queda la ambigüedad de la narración, y la reflexión sobre lo que realmente es el juego.
A por la siguiente :)
Leída la primera (de tres) novella de «The Gameshouse» y no puedo ENTENDER que no se haya publicado en español. Un curioso narrador poco confiable en 1ª persona del plural, un tablero de juego como una ciudad donde las fichas son personas reales, y la Venecia del S. XVII.
Intensa, escrita de una forma muy interesante, se aleja del trabajo más conocido de North como Las primeras quince vidas de Harry August. Una Venecia renacentista, en una pelea política, donde las caras reconocidas son títeres de unos jugadores "especiales" que utilizan cartas del tarot (personas) para sus jugadas maestras.
Hay en North una estética visual, lirica y poética, que embadurna toda la novela. Hay mucho misterio (¿qué es la Casa de juegos? ¿Quien es la líder? ¿Por qué escogieron a Thene?) que se deja en el aire, pero no importa, por que la trama de la novela de por si queda cerrada. Para el recuerdo queda la ambigüedad de la narración, y la reflexión sobre lo que realmente es el juego.
A por la siguiente :)
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