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The Stone Moon Trilogy #1
The Worth of a Shell
Born to a harsh world, we Jokka have evolved three sexes to survive: neuter, male and female. Twice in our lives we may change from one to another. A change we accept with grace... or resignation. It was our way. ...until one female defied all tradition: Dlane Ashoi-anadi, revolutionary, intentionally childless, runaway. This is not her story. This is mine. I am Thenet Reña-eperu, female-guardian, voice of orthodoxy... and Dlane's first and dearest companion. This is the tale of how we changed each other... and how that changed everything.
386 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
M.C.A. Hogarth
145 books386 followersDaughter of two Cuban political exiles, M.C.A. Hogarth was born a foreigner in the American melting pot and has had a fascination for the gaps in cultures and the bridges that span them ever since. She has been many things—-web database architect, product manager, technical writer and massage therapist—-but is currently a full-time parent, artist, writer and anthropologist to aliens, both human and otherwise.
Her fiction has variously been recommended for a Nebula, a finalist for the Spectrum, placed on the secondary Tiptree reading list and chosen for two best-of anthologies; her art has appeared in RPGs, magazines and on book covers.
Her fiction has variously been recommended for a Nebula, a finalist for the Spectrum, placed on the secondary Tiptree reading list and chosen for two best-of anthologies; her art has appeared in RPGs, magazines and on book covers.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 3, 2015
I'd never heard of Hogarth's work until I came across this book in a bundle, and found the plot description interesting enough to purchase on its own. I'm glad I did, as this turned out to be a stand-out novel as a piece of fantasy, and as a sort of exploration of gender politics, similar to stories like the Left Hand of Darkness in that respect.
The whole story is engagingly written from the first-person perspective of our protagonist, a neuter in this tri-gendered society. The majority of the book flows very well, skilfully blending emotional involvement and character development with some truly striking plot twists. Hogarth does not pull her punches.
It's actually difficult to talk about this story without mentioning Le Guin at all, but I mean that in a good way. There are quite a few thematic similarities, but this book betters itself in a few ways. The biggest difference is that this book has a much greater emotional hook. I found myself much more invested in the characters and their fates here. I also really enjoyed the genuine alienness of the Jokka. The various mechanics that this entails and the way that it affects their society and behavior is directly relevant to the plot, none of it is wasted on flavor.
I really can't give the first book in a series higher praise than to say I want to keep reading, and this book does it for me. The characters, pacing, writing, world-building, and emotional resonance have all done that for me.
The whole story is engagingly written from the first-person perspective of our protagonist, a neuter in this tri-gendered society. The majority of the book flows very well, skilfully blending emotional involvement and character development with some truly striking plot twists. Hogarth does not pull her punches.
It's actually difficult to talk about this story without mentioning Le Guin at all, but I mean that in a good way. There are quite a few thematic similarities, but this book betters itself in a few ways. The biggest difference is that this book has a much greater emotional hook. I found myself much more invested in the characters and their fates here. I also really enjoyed the genuine alienness of the Jokka. The various mechanics that this entails and the way that it affects their society and behavior is directly relevant to the plot, none of it is wasted on flavor.
I really can't give the first book in a series higher praise than to say I want to keep reading, and this book does it for me. The characters, pacing, writing, world-building, and emotional resonance have all done that for me.
February 6, 2015
"If I buy you a book, will you promise to read it?"
This was how it began.
And then there was this story. For the first few pages, I fielded more unknown terms than for the beginning of Clockwork Orange. The author presents these words as if you were a native, rather than putting a definition next to them in parentheses. But I managed to grab enough context to get me farther down the road to fill in the pieces I needed. And I would need those pieces. Some books claim they're about a strange far off place when really they're just another fantasy England except dogs fly. This story is one of the few that actually took me somewhere strange and different, from the way the light falls to the way society is put together to smells... and each time, again, the concept is presented as if you were a native, and doesn't make a big deal of how different this is from our world. In fact, I might have missed one or two mentions before I finally realised what this particular thing meant, and by implication what else it meant.
The story is compelling, the characters engaging, and the plot firmly resisted going to the expected places. That is one of the best gifts an author can give a reader--a story you need to actually read but still makes sense at the end of it all.
My one quibble would be the escape/rescue at the end. It seemed as if fortune smiled *especially* hard upon their efforts, despite the price paid.
It's not just a love story dynasty building cross country adventure, it's a well written love story dynasty building cross country adventure
This was how it began.
And then there was this story. For the first few pages, I fielded more unknown terms than for the beginning of Clockwork Orange. The author presents these words as if you were a native, rather than putting a definition next to them in parentheses. But I managed to grab enough context to get me farther down the road to fill in the pieces I needed. And I would need those pieces. Some books claim they're about a strange far off place when really they're just another fantasy England except dogs fly. This story is one of the few that actually took me somewhere strange and different, from the way the light falls to the way society is put together to smells... and each time, again, the concept is presented as if you were a native, and doesn't make a big deal of how different this is from our world. In fact, I might have missed one or two mentions before I finally realised what this particular thing meant, and by implication what else it meant.
The story is compelling, the characters engaging, and the plot firmly resisted going to the expected places. That is one of the best gifts an author can give a reader--a story you need to actually read but still makes sense at the end of it all.
My one quibble would be the escape/rescue at the end. It seemed as if fortune smiled *especially* hard upon their efforts, despite the price paid.
It's not just a love story dynasty building cross country adventure, it's a well written love story dynasty building cross country adventure
May 14, 2015
I loved this very unusual, very imaginative, thoughtful novel. It won’t be for everyone, so let me describe my experience of it and why I liked it, and you can see if it’s for you.
It’s a secondary-world fantasy, with alien protagonists. The people are the jokka, and they come in three sexes: male (emodo), female (anadi), and neuter (eperu). They go through two puberties, during which they can change sex, so a person may start out female but become male, and then at a second puberty turn neuter. Both males and females are less hardy than the neuters, but it’s being stuck as female at your second puberty that’s the short straw, because the stress of childbirth sends one’s mind into the Void, maybe not after the first birth, maybe not after the second, but eventually. The story begins when Thenet, a neuter, is driven from its [pronoun for neuters in this story] house and nearly killed for perceived dereliction of duty, only to be rescued by Dlane, a female, who wants to flee from the fate awaiting her.
If this problem makes you super uncomfortable, if you find yourself saying, “But why hasn’t the society simply [insert solution of choice],” then probably the story isn’t for you. You have to accept that the society has developed as it has and enter into the characters’ dilemmas and moral conflicts as they experience them. I had no problem doing so; I found the society intriguing and well-realized, and the twists and turns of Thenet’s and Dlane’s anxieties, musings, and hopes absorbed me. They talk about ideas together; they talk about the individual and the society, about biological exegency and personal desire or choice, about sexuality and religion, and it’s fascinating. These conversations are the heart of book. Yes, there is an antagonist, and yes, external plot happens, but it’s what’s going on internally, with Thenet and Dlane, that’s most important.
As they’re conversing, they’re moving through their world, meeting up with memorable other characters, trying different lifestyles. They teach each other things, and they learn from strangers, too. If you want to lose yourself in another world, if you want to just be there for a while, this is a great story for you. I loved the rhythm of life in a caravan, and later, life in a house (in the sense of clan), when they settle down to establish one.
And the writing is a pleasure. I loved these descriptions of rain:
A little later:
A few words about the resolution of the story. The Worth of a Shell is the first book in a trilogy, and I look forward to the resolution of the overarching issues in the two books that follow.
I definitely urge everyone who’s intrigued by what I’ve described to give this unique story a try.
It’s a secondary-world fantasy, with alien protagonists. The people are the jokka, and they come in three sexes: male (emodo), female (anadi), and neuter (eperu). They go through two puberties, during which they can change sex, so a person may start out female but become male, and then at a second puberty turn neuter. Both males and females are less hardy than the neuters, but it’s being stuck as female at your second puberty that’s the short straw, because the stress of childbirth sends one’s mind into the Void, maybe not after the first birth, maybe not after the second, but eventually. The story begins when Thenet, a neuter, is driven from its [pronoun for neuters in this story] house and nearly killed for perceived dereliction of duty, only to be rescued by Dlane, a female, who wants to flee from the fate awaiting her.
If this problem makes you super uncomfortable, if you find yourself saying, “But why hasn’t the society simply [insert solution of choice],” then probably the story isn’t for you. You have to accept that the society has developed as it has and enter into the characters’ dilemmas and moral conflicts as they experience them. I had no problem doing so; I found the society intriguing and well-realized, and the twists and turns of Thenet’s and Dlane’s anxieties, musings, and hopes absorbed me. They talk about ideas together; they talk about the individual and the society, about biological exegency and personal desire or choice, about sexuality and religion, and it’s fascinating. These conversations are the heart of book. Yes, there is an antagonist, and yes, external plot happens, but it’s what’s going on internally, with Thenet and Dlane, that’s most important.
As they’re conversing, they’re moving through their world, meeting up with memorable other characters, trying different lifestyles. They teach each other things, and they learn from strangers, too. If you want to lose yourself in another world, if you want to just be there for a while, this is a great story for you. I loved the rhythm of life in a caravan, and later, life in a house (in the sense of clan), when they settle down to establish one.
And the writing is a pleasure. I loved these descriptions of rain:
“Rain,” Ilushet said. “Another day or so, perhaps, and we will have a storm. You can smell the water a week away. Comes stealthy and thin at first, but when it’s about to pour on you it’ll be as subtle as a blow.”
A little later:
No sooner had I finished than the rain dropped. It did not simply fall: a solid wall of it came washing our way, so thick I could barely see past it. In amazement I stood frozen on the edge of the wagon’s platform, and so took the brunt of the first fall on my chest and face … The sleeting water seemed to connect me to the earth, and we were all one thing: sky to back to foot to ground.
A few words about the resolution of the story. The Worth of a Shell is the first book in a trilogy, and I look forward to the resolution of the overarching issues in the two books that follow.
I definitely urge everyone who’s intrigued by what I’ve described to give this unique story a try.
June 5, 2014
I picked this up because the Kindle version was on sale. I had started following Ms. Hogarth's blog and was interested to see what her work was like, though as ever, I was slightly afraid that this intelligent, articulate person whose work I would like to support would turn out to be a mediocre writer.
I shouldn't have worried.
This is a rare jewel of a book, the sort of worldbuilding so unusual and storytelling so cerebral that one can instantly see why it had to be self-published. A completely alien species - not "cat aliens", not "space elves", but a strange mixture of humanoid, feline, and equine that even now I have a little trouble visualizing - born in three genders and occasionally crossing from one to the other at first or second puberty. A culture based around the buying and selling of contracts between clans - breeding contracts, service contracts - and one's prestige is inextricably tied up with one's contracted clan. A biology where females are the only gender to bear children - and eventually lose their sentience due to the stress of it.
Where do our cherished human values fit in to this world? Is there any way for self-determination and equality and freedom to coexist with the harsh realities of environment and biology? Can the social structures change to accommodate such ideals - and is it just possible that a freer environment might mitigate some of the biological problems? Or is that merely the wishful thinking of an iconoclast and the hapless exile who has come to love her?
The story, such as it is, exists mostly to ponder these questions. However, unlike certain philosophical-treatises-posing-as-novels (Life of Pi comes to mind), the characters are fully-developed even as they serve as advocates for their respective positions. And if the plot is a bit thin at times, I was fascinated enough by the worldbuilding and the philosophical discussions to be interested throughout, nonetheless. (I was also thoroughly entertained at seeing many romantic tropes subverted through a trigendered lens.)
I'm especially impressed by the bravery of the ending. It's not necessarily the direction I would have gone with the story, but it works within the narrative and it finishes on a note of moral ambiguity mixed with hopefulness that is very in keeping with the rest of the tale.
Definitely not a book for everyone, but for those interested in gender and social issues, or those who bemoan the same-y nature of the fantasy rack at the bookstore, I recommend it highly.
I shouldn't have worried.
This is a rare jewel of a book, the sort of worldbuilding so unusual and storytelling so cerebral that one can instantly see why it had to be self-published. A completely alien species - not "cat aliens", not "space elves", but a strange mixture of humanoid, feline, and equine that even now I have a little trouble visualizing - born in three genders and occasionally crossing from one to the other at first or second puberty. A culture based around the buying and selling of contracts between clans - breeding contracts, service contracts - and one's prestige is inextricably tied up with one's contracted clan. A biology where females are the only gender to bear children - and eventually lose their sentience due to the stress of it.
Where do our cherished human values fit in to this world? Is there any way for self-determination and equality and freedom to coexist with the harsh realities of environment and biology? Can the social structures change to accommodate such ideals - and is it just possible that a freer environment might mitigate some of the biological problems? Or is that merely the wishful thinking of an iconoclast and the hapless exile who has come to love her?
The story, such as it is, exists mostly to ponder these questions. However, unlike certain philosophical-treatises-posing-as-novels (Life of Pi comes to mind), the characters are fully-developed even as they serve as advocates for their respective positions. And if the plot is a bit thin at times, I was fascinated enough by the worldbuilding and the philosophical discussions to be interested throughout, nonetheless. (I was also thoroughly entertained at seeing many romantic tropes subverted through a trigendered lens.)
I'm especially impressed by the bravery of the ending. It's not necessarily the direction I would have gone with the story, but it works within the narrative and it finishes on a note of moral ambiguity mixed with hopefulness that is very in keeping with the rest of the tale.
Definitely not a book for everyone, but for those interested in gender and social issues, or those who bemoan the same-y nature of the fantasy rack at the bookstore, I recommend it highly.
June 4, 2015
So this book started off a bit dull, then got interesting and potentially very cool, then suddenly turned down a horrible path and became a screaming train wreck.
Cool things:
Sort of almost transgender characters. This species has puberty twice and can change from one sex to another during each one. Like transition! And there are three sexes. I like the neuter characters, which use the pronoun "it" and are really essential to their society.
Complaints and warnings (full of spoilers from here on):
First there was a sort of "I will sneakily force sex on my unsuspecting asexual lover and they will learn how great it is" rape which is not acknowledged as rape in the story, then there was a violent rape that resulted in the survivor being sexually attracted to the rapist, then a bunch of females who had "lost their minds" were murdered to "save" them rather than actually, you know, do the work to rescue them and take care of them. Yeah that's good, kill the mentally ill so they don't suffer anymore.
I'm feeling so gross right now. But I'm giving two stars because at least the middle of the book was pretty cool and the gender stuff was interesting. The rest, negative stars.
Cool things:
Sort of almost transgender characters. This species has puberty twice and can change from one sex to another during each one. Like transition! And there are three sexes. I like the neuter characters, which use the pronoun "it" and are really essential to their society.
Complaints and warnings (full of spoilers from here on):
First there was a sort of "I will sneakily force sex on my unsuspecting asexual lover and they will learn how great it is" rape which is not acknowledged as rape in the story, then there was a violent rape that resulted in the survivor being sexually attracted to the rapist, then a bunch of females who had "lost their minds" were murdered to "save" them rather than actually, you know, do the work to rescue them and take care of them. Yeah that's good, kill the mentally ill so they don't suffer anymore.
I'm feeling so gross right now. But I'm giving two stars because at least the middle of the book was pretty cool and the gender stuff was interesting. The rest, negative stars.
October 25, 2011
A wonderful story in which the author has created a unique world and culture. As Jordan and Martin can go into great detail regarding clothing and food respectively, the authors detailed description of the clothes adds to the reader learning more about the culture.
A story where the implications of what takes place when individuals go outside their prescribed roles. The end of the story seemed a bit rushed but not sentimental in the least; resulting in an ending you will not forget.
A story where the implications of what takes place when individuals go outside their prescribed roles. The end of the story seemed a bit rushed but not sentimental in the least; resulting in an ending you will not forget.
May 2, 2013
An early offering from MCA Hogarth, this novel is rich, evocative, and harsh. The world is well-built, the characters are deeply drawn, and the plot draws to a logical close. I highly recommend it.
ETA: I reread this book in preparation for the 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy, and it was even better the second time. It is harsh but beautiful, and I loved it.
ETA: I reread this book in preparation for the 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy, and it was even better the second time. It is harsh but beautiful, and I loved it.
June 30, 2016
I read this book in one sitting. It's one of the most unusual, yet mesmerising stories I've ever read. I'm devastated that I have to wait until Monday (payday) to read the next instalment. Exquisitely written.
November 30, 2018
I read a sample of this on my Kindle. I normally love this authors work, but I couldn’t get into this book at all. I really struggled with the whole concept. I’m not really sure why. I’ve gone back to the Eldritch and Chatcaava world where I’m happier.
February 2, 2017
This was absolutely the right book at the right time. At a point in history when reproductive and LGBTQI rights are unfortunately up in the air, and at a moment when I personally needed a space to think about cultural norms and relationships, I'm very glad I was reading this book. To be honest, it may not warrant the full five stars if I come back to it in a year, or read it a year ago, but it was what I needed right now.
Plot: Thenet is the neuter gender member of the Jokka, a hairy lizard-like people with three sexes (neuter, male, female). Breeding is a particularly dangerous proposition--while it's not uncommon for males to eventually have their minds decay over time, it's commonplace for the females to lose their ability to reason during birth. When Thenet makes a judgement call that ultimately results in the loss of a young female's mind, it is thrown out of its clan and soon falls in with Dlane, a young female who refuses to accept the role society has given her and runs away.
To be honest, I was initially a bit disappointed when Dlane and Thenet's paths joined. It felt like the story was shifting from an immersive cultural story to a more narratively simple rebellion. But that was an unfair oversimplification in itself, as the rebellion doesn't happen in this story; or rather, it does happen, but the form their rebellion takes is less armed resistance and more the resistance by existing publicly and displaying the change they want in the world, a clan where a female's agency isn't subsumed by her reproduction. (Put that way, the real world parallels are pretty stark.) Revolution through domesticity is a really powerful statement--though because of the nature of the society, it requires the violent type of revolution as well.
The story isn't just a reproductive rights allegory either, though it does an usually good job on that front. Essentially, the core notion of this book is that cultural norms don't have to be biological imperatives, and shouldn't be thought of as such. That encompasses reproductive rights, but encompasses a lot else as well. For example, one of the underlying tenets of Thenet's culture is that neuters' existence is largely functional. While physical intimacy inside a sex is common (a noticeable deviation in itself from Western culture), sensual pleasure is thought to be outside of any experience it could have; similarly, Thenet is entirely convinced that it is impossible for it, as a neuter, to be attractive in any way. One of the most satisfying arcs of the book is watching how Dlane pushes Thenet into new considerations and openness beyond what it thinks is its natural lot in life.
The book isn't perfect. There's an antagonist who doesn't quite get enough on page presence to entirely justify his (spoiler) relevance. And the final act feels a bit overkill in terms of the sheer misery and pain it inflicts. But it did what really great speculative fiction is supposed to do--it pushed me to consider what futures are possible, for myself and the world I belong to.
Plot: Thenet is the neuter gender member of the Jokka, a hairy lizard-like people with three sexes (neuter, male, female). Breeding is a particularly dangerous proposition--while it's not uncommon for males to eventually have their minds decay over time, it's commonplace for the females to lose their ability to reason during birth. When Thenet makes a judgement call that ultimately results in the loss of a young female's mind, it is thrown out of its clan and soon falls in with Dlane, a young female who refuses to accept the role society has given her and runs away.
To be honest, I was initially a bit disappointed when Dlane and Thenet's paths joined. It felt like the story was shifting from an immersive cultural story to a more narratively simple rebellion. But that was an unfair oversimplification in itself, as the rebellion doesn't happen in this story; or rather, it does happen, but the form their rebellion takes is less armed resistance and more the resistance by existing publicly and displaying the change they want in the world, a clan where a female's agency isn't subsumed by her reproduction. (Put that way, the real world parallels are pretty stark.) Revolution through domesticity is a really powerful statement--though because of the nature of the society, it requires the violent type of revolution as well.
The story isn't just a reproductive rights allegory either, though it does an usually good job on that front. Essentially, the core notion of this book is that cultural norms don't have to be biological imperatives, and shouldn't be thought of as such. That encompasses reproductive rights, but encompasses a lot else as well. For example, one of the underlying tenets of Thenet's culture is that neuters' existence is largely functional. While physical intimacy inside a sex is common (a noticeable deviation in itself from Western culture), sensual pleasure is thought to be outside of any experience it could have; similarly, Thenet is entirely convinced that it is impossible for it, as a neuter, to be attractive in any way. One of the most satisfying arcs of the book is watching how Dlane pushes Thenet into new considerations and openness beyond what it thinks is its natural lot in life.
The book isn't perfect. There's an antagonist who doesn't quite get enough on page presence to entirely justify his (spoiler) relevance. And the final act feels a bit overkill in terms of the sheer misery and pain it inflicts. But it did what really great speculative fiction is supposed to do--it pushed me to consider what futures are possible, for myself and the world I belong to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2025
It's been a long time since I gobbled up an entire series as quickly as I read through the entirety of the Stone Moon Trilogy (of which this book is the first) & it's two anthologies. I'm an eager consumer of fantasy stories that combine tragedy, beauty, and hope, so I don't think I could have found a better match for myself than this one (endless thanks to the author's book matching quiz on her website lol!)
Taking place on the alien world of Ke Bakil, where its people (the feline/equine-like Jokka) have three sexes that can change throughout their life, The Worth of a Shell is the story of Thenet, a neuter who is driven from its House after being (falsely) accused of killing the woman and child it was sworn to protect. During its exile, it meets Dlane, a female who wishes to flee from the forced pregnancy (and thus, forced mind-death) waiting for her if she stays at her current House. Compelled at first by its natural desire to protect females, Thenet chooses to travel with Dlane through the forest of Neked Pamari until they eventually settle in Het Narel, where they create their own House, fall in love, and set in motion the events that will change their world forever...
There is plenty of intrigue in the later half of the book (which serves as the foundation for the political and spiritual conflicts in the next volumes) but it was the characters themselves that really kept me hooked. Though their society is quiet alien, I felt a deep connection with both Dlane's and Thenet's struggles and musings about society and their places within it. I loved them, their romance, and the deep philosophical thoughts about my own society (ie: duty to society vs duty to the self, the nature of societal decline, how sex impacts both the behaviors of individuals and society as a whole, and how we should deal with the problems that arise from these things) that the book left me with long after I reached its breathtaking conclusion.
If you enjoy beautiful prose, a character-driven narrative, and non-human characters who are VERY non-human, this book and its sequels are not to be missed.
Taking place on the alien world of Ke Bakil, where its people (the feline/equine-like Jokka) have three sexes that can change throughout their life, The Worth of a Shell is the story of Thenet, a neuter who is driven from its House after being (falsely) accused of killing the woman and child it was sworn to protect. During its exile, it meets Dlane, a female who wishes to flee from the forced pregnancy (and thus, forced mind-death) waiting for her if she stays at her current House. Compelled at first by its natural desire to protect females, Thenet chooses to travel with Dlane through the forest of Neked Pamari until they eventually settle in Het Narel, where they create their own House, fall in love, and set in motion the events that will change their world forever...
There is plenty of intrigue in the later half of the book (which serves as the foundation for the political and spiritual conflicts in the next volumes) but it was the characters themselves that really kept me hooked. Though their society is quiet alien, I felt a deep connection with both Dlane's and Thenet's struggles and musings about society and their places within it. I loved them, their romance, and the deep philosophical thoughts about my own society (ie: duty to society vs duty to the self, the nature of societal decline, how sex impacts both the behaviors of individuals and society as a whole, and how we should deal with the problems that arise from these things) that the book left me with long after I reached its breathtaking conclusion.
If you enjoy beautiful prose, a character-driven narrative, and non-human characters who are VERY non-human, this book and its sequels are not to be missed.
January 17, 2016
The Stone Moon trilogy is a bit of an odd beast, since the first book (The Worth of a Shell) was written so much earlier than the rest -- and it definitely reads like an early back-catalog work, lacking much of the heart and polish that make Hogarth's more recent writing such a joy to read. In this one, the pacing is very uneven, lurching between extremely slow (the 'traveling duo' sections) and bewilderingly fast (the last parts of the final act!), and the tell-don't-show narration is often infuriating (though, to Hogarth's credit, ).
But, with that said, there's still some good things going for this book. The concept of itself is interesting, and thoughtfully explored: the Jokka are a tri-gendered race of creatures (male, female, and neuter), and each gender plays certain structured roles in society according to their very literal physical constraints... all of which is made a little more nuanced by the fact that individuals may unexpectedly shift between genders up to two times in their lives, so a Jokka's birth-gender may not actually be their final "settled" gender. It might sound complicated at first, but here Hogarth's world-building stands out: it doesn't take long to grasp how it all works, nor why Dlane's denial of her gender-defined role would be considered so unnatural -- and dangerous to Jokka society as a whole.
These themes come back again and again throughout Shell: where does one individual's needs end and society's begin? If your actions inspire others to rebel as well, can you still make them in good faith? All excellent questions, albeit explored a little too heavy-handedly in this novel. Still, however rough this particular story might be, Hogarth has come a long way since her early writing days, and I'm curious what a few extra years of maturity -- and practice! -- will have added to the newer books in this trilogy.
But, with that said, there's still some good things going for this book. The concept of itself is interesting, and thoughtfully explored: the Jokka are a tri-gendered race of creatures (male, female, and neuter), and each gender plays certain structured roles in society according to their very literal physical constraints... all of which is made a little more nuanced by the fact that individuals may unexpectedly shift between genders up to two times in their lives, so a Jokka's birth-gender may not actually be their final "settled" gender. It might sound complicated at first, but here Hogarth's world-building stands out: it doesn't take long to grasp how it all works, nor why Dlane's denial of her gender-defined role would be considered so unnatural -- and dangerous to Jokka society as a whole.
These themes come back again and again throughout Shell: where does one individual's needs end and society's begin? If your actions inspire others to rebel as well, can you still make them in good faith? All excellent questions, albeit explored a little too heavy-handedly in this novel. Still, however rough this particular story might be, Hogarth has come a long way since her early writing days, and I'm curious what a few extra years of maturity -- and practice! -- will have added to the newer books in this trilogy.
February 11, 2011
_The Worth of a Shell_ is, at its core, a book about orthodoxy and heterodoxy, about what happens when the good of the many comes at the expense of the few--or of the far more than few. I really enjoyed the relationship that is at the core of this book, between the heretic female Dlane and the reluctant rebel Thenet. Their partnership is a wonderful thing to watch unfold, and by the time I got to the end I really felt for the two of them. I also really liked the world and the Jokka themselves. As the book goes on and we learn more about this people and the world they live in, the more we understand the pressures that may have brought them to where they are.
The tension rises as Thenet and Dlane begin to have much more than their own lives to lose. I loved the slices of life in the middle of the book, though another reader might find that the tension sags a bit. I, personally, think that the view of "normal" life was necessary, and quite pleasurable to read. The prose in this is tight throughout--Hogarth has a gift for a turn of phrase and for conveying information without ever getting wordy or boring.
The ending is both shocking and thought-provoking. I have to admit that on the last few pages, as I realized just what Thenet was about to do, I was going, "no, please..." My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed, and was preceded by an event that seemed to be somewhat unprecedented in the rest of the book. It was an act of spectacular transgression, and it paints the one who did it in villainy. (I had actually gotten to rather like that character, the Thenet certainly had mixed feelings about him.) But overall, the ending left me reeling as a work hasn't done in some time, which is an accomplishment in itself.
The tension rises as Thenet and Dlane begin to have much more than their own lives to lose. I loved the slices of life in the middle of the book, though another reader might find that the tension sags a bit. I, personally, think that the view of "normal" life was necessary, and quite pleasurable to read. The prose in this is tight throughout--Hogarth has a gift for a turn of phrase and for conveying information without ever getting wordy or boring.
The ending is both shocking and thought-provoking. I have to admit that on the last few pages, as I realized just what Thenet was about to do, I was going, "no, please..." My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed, and was preceded by an event that seemed to be somewhat unprecedented in the rest of the book. It was an act of spectacular transgression, and it paints the one who did it in villainy. (I had actually gotten to rather like that character, the Thenet certainly had mixed feelings about him.) But overall, the ending left me reeling as a work hasn't done in some time, which is an accomplishment in itself.
February 9, 2013
In this novel about gender... It's not human genders, and the characters are *characters*, not Icons For Their Gender. It's not saying what you might expect about the human condition -- but it does have a lot to say about choice, both individual and for one's race; about beauty; about self-worth and where to find it.
Personally, I think that there needs to be a sequel; the end of the book is still torn between the choice of granting *sanity* to an entire third of the population, and dying out as a species. There are several places where this story could go. By the end -- which holds, yes, tragedy -- the the story has changed from being a very unconventional sort of romance/adventure to being a story of a species. Unfortunately for my tastes, that's where it ends, but I hold out hope that the author will wend her way back to What Happens Next. Though... the slightly "unfinished" feel, to me, mitigates much of the sadness; this is not The End. The torch has been passed, not extinguished.
If you're a reader who is looking for a HEA, this book is not really that. If you're a reader who enjoys seeing a different race, a different mindset, a world with no humans at all? Pick up this book. There's adventure, love, witty banter, pieces of a lost civilization, and in the end... There's a new Idea in that universe, that may yet change it.
((And I now know that there are *two* book-length sequels planned, aside from Silk Scarves, Stone Knives, hopefully to be released in 2013. YES!))
Personally, I think that there needs to be a sequel; the end of the book is still torn between the choice of granting *sanity* to an entire third of the population, and dying out as a species. There are several places where this story could go. By the end -- which holds, yes, tragedy -- the the story has changed from being a very unconventional sort of romance/adventure to being a story of a species. Unfortunately for my tastes, that's where it ends, but I hold out hope that the author will wend her way back to What Happens Next. Though... the slightly "unfinished" feel, to me, mitigates much of the sadness; this is not The End. The torch has been passed, not extinguished.
If you're a reader who is looking for a HEA, this book is not really that. If you're a reader who enjoys seeing a different race, a different mindset, a world with no humans at all? Pick up this book. There's adventure, love, witty banter, pieces of a lost civilization, and in the end... There's a new Idea in that universe, that may yet change it.
((And I now know that there are *two* book-length sequels planned, aside from Silk Scarves, Stone Knives, hopefully to be released in 2013. YES!))
July 29, 2013
While a good storyteller, their style of writing didn't particularly thrill me. However, I understand that I am an odd bird and there are other things to focus on. Namely how this is an intriguing portrayal of the role of gender as depicted through the culture of a fictional species. The fact that the Jokka have the potential to *change gender* through puberty *twice over* gives an interesting perspective... and yet they don't take advantage of it because of their self-made culture blinds them. It was the ending that truly gutted me because such horrifying practices are a logical leap for very practical reasons, and that hits awfully close to home because humans too can be so callous in their practicality.
April 11, 2015
I don't know how to begin reviewing this book. I picked it up as part of a story bundle and was swept away by the depth of it.
If you want a deep discussion on gender issues and sexism without defaulting to the common stereotypes, this is one good place to get it. Hogarth has created a culture - with inherent sexism, both through practice and through physical make up - and broken through it to show the bare bones of what it really is.
*TBC*
If you want a deep discussion on gender issues and sexism without defaulting to the common stereotypes, this is one good place to get it. Hogarth has created a culture - with inherent sexism, both through practice and through physical make up - and broken through it to show the bare bones of what it really is.
*TBC*
August 8, 2015
This was a really great book! The most impressive part was its incredible world-building. The Jokkad society is fascinating and quite believable. I look forward to reading the rest of the books!
June 24, 2016
Well-written indie fantasy should be its own sub-genre.
Also, prepare yourself for this ending. Read the book, yes, but be prepared for the end. Wow.
Also, prepare yourself for this ending. Read the book, yes, but be prepared for the end. Wow.
March 19, 2019
It started out fairly promising, but it got very dark. It ends in a very uncertain place. A lot of sadness, some justice, and a smidgen of hope.
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