Abby

https://www.goodreads.com/abbygrout

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Abby is Currently Reading

Abby is currently reading

Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)

by Steven Erikson (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: fantasy, complete-series, highly-recommend, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in May 2020

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Abby said: " As many people forewarn, this story starts in medias res, or in other words, in the middle of things. While other works might then go back to explain or introduce characters, this story just keeps going and expects you to just do your best to keep up As many people forewarn, this story starts in medias res, or in other words, in the middle of things. While other works might then go back to explain or introduce characters, this story just keeps going and expects you to just do your best to keep up.

Because of all that, you have to be willing to be a very patient reader: double check the glossary and list of characters, reread passages, and push steadily onward. Many readers will find this annoying and off putting, but because so many people warn of this style of writing it can be easier since you have an inkling of what your getting into.

I thought I would dislike this style more than I did. It helped that the story is very interesting and well paced, I definitely felt a draw to the story when I didn’t quite have a draw to the characters yet. The second half of the book, I definitely felt that I had a more firm footing and understanding of the characters and relationships.

The hardest things about this type of story where twofold for me. One, it’s hard to pin down the relationships between characters, which makes it hard to judge what their actions mean. Two, it takes much longer to care for the characters, and often I would read and things would easily slip out of my memory. Because there was less establishment and less understanding for me as a reader, it was harder to keep a solid memory like learning a new language and everything slips away more easily.

Definitely, definitely intrigued enough to keep reading. But was absolutely a different experience from most fiction I read.

Thoughts on characters:
Ganoes Paran - probably the first character I felt attached to since we got more of his backstory, relationships with his family, etc. His struggle around free agency vs being controlled by a god was very interesting.
Whiskeyjack- he’s got the cool guy feel, with a team who implicitly trusts him. Strong character, and I’m interested to see how he develops.
Quick Ben - He had some very exciting moments, hints at backstory, and I’m definitely left wanting to know more.
Tattersail - I very much like her. She shows strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes survives on chance. She has to figure out who to trust in a cruel cruel world. And even with her past experiences, I’d call her a good person. She was ripped out of the story a bit, so I’ll be excited to see her return.
Kruppe - I very much enjoyed the change of voice. What a funny character. I also like that his dreams pushed the story forward, very interesting. I had a guess that he was the spymaster, but a fun lay of events for sure.
Rallick and Murillo - they’re fine. They didn’t leave a super distinct impression besides one being an assassin and the other basically a dandy. Good enough distinction for side characters. And their plot to help Coll was cool. (I had to be careful to not mix up Rallick and Kalam since they felt a bit similar.)
Crokus Younghand - I liked this character, and loved that he was pretty oblivious to the coin in his possession. His awkwardness with Sorry seemed pretty realistic. Also he had to find out the hard way that rich girls are pretty full of themselves. Though a little thief, I think he sees himself as a hero in the making.
Anomander Rake - Great name, and a deeply fascinating character. I want to know so much more about him, his people, Moon Spawn. I have so many questions. His dialogue with Baruk was very interesting. Cool to see how he strategizes a bit, and that he is willing to work with humans and develop those relationships. Also interesting that they don’t have to get involved but choose to.
Dujek - Classic loyal general. Very clever and down to earth. I like him.
Tayschreen - Something very off about him. I don’t currently understand his motivations.
Sorry - Wow what a life to live. This character is probably closer to having dissociative identity disorder than any other character I’ve read. What a traumatic childhood. And now she has to deal with whatever memories are left from when she was possessed.
Toc the Younger - I think I will need to reread to track him fully. Also interested to see if he comes back into the story or not.
Caladan Brood - don’t know much about him. Interested to see more. ...more "

progress:

(page 555 of 666)
— May 07, 2020 09:15PM

Mar 21, 2023 03:18PM · see review

Abby’s Quotes

“Then, turning to his sister: "Sister, never a precaution on the part of the priest, against his fellow-man. That which his fellow does, God permits. Let us confine ourselves to prayer, when we think that a danger is approaching us. Let us pray, not for ourselves, but that our brother may not fall into sin on our account.”
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

9 likes

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.”
― Rebecca West

tags: feminism, qotd

3086 likes

“She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by-
And never knew.”
― Shel Silverstein, Every Thing on It

tags: fear, masks

1955 likes

“Talking about abstract things is important. Having big, wild conversations about concepts like art, music, time travel, and dreams makes it much easier when you’ll eventually need to talk about things like anger, sadness, pain, and love.”
― Tom Burns

tags: conversation, emotion, family, kids, quality-time, talking

12 likes

“I beg you, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

tags: growth, living, patience, questioning, truth

798 likes

More of Abby’s quotes…