Capn’s Reviews > The Stones Are Hatching > Status Update

You have to admit that she's very good at grim.

Oh yes! And I like it! But you know those cloying desserts (like Trifle) that are just too much all at once? Four scoops in and you have to tap out because it's a relentless onslaught of sugar and fat and your taste buds and whole mouth get coated and you're suffocating under it?

It's a bit like that. Needs some acidity to cut it or something. I find that my enjoyment peaked about 3 chapters in and I can't revel in the grimness any more.

There must be a term for it - not pacing, but atmospheric homogeneity or something? Oppressive.

I'll have to re-read The Dark Is Rising some time soon. That had a lovely cadence to it of grim foreboding and then .... it's not levity or comic relief, just... breathing space? Landscapes. The Walker. Sounds, textures. Something to relax in for a moment, before the dread returns.

I also want to re-read Moonwise. I've been wanting to. I can see why you re-read it.

That is the same - balanced, somehow. Not unwieldy.

That's it - McCaughrean is like a badly balanced sledgehammer. I LIKE the heft, I like the hammer, but it tires you out quickly!

Capn wrote: "Oh yes! And I like it! But you know those cloying desserts (like Trifle) that are just too much all at once? Four scoops in and you have to tap out because it's a relentless onslaught of sugar and ..."

I can't say that I've ever reached my limit on trifle and I don't even have a sweet tooth. XD

Sem wrote: "Capn wrote: "Oh yes! And I like it! But you know those cloying desserts (like Trifle) that are just too much all at once? Four scoops in and you have to tap out because it's a relentless onslaught ..."

Clearly you were not traumatised by substandard trifle! :)

Not until after years and years of the real thing. I know the trifle whereof you speak. My university's dining halls were fond of it although an even worse abomination was Queen of Puddings. I don't know what those things are supposed to taste like but the dining hall's almost killed me with sugar (but not until after the Scotch-egg-induced E. coli had laid waste to my system). XD

:O

First of all, thank you - if I see Queen of Puddings, I'll turn on my heel and head for the exit. I have a low tolerance for such things (I'm not a custard lover. Can't handle cloying fatty sweetness without a big bite of tart to offset it!).

And now I'm slightly scared of Scotch eggs. I'm fond of Scotch eggs. I'll have to be choosy about them! That must have been a doozy! :( I hope your system was no worse for wear long-term!

Capn wrote: ":O

First of all, thank you - if I see Queen of Puddings, I'll turn on my heel and head for the exit. I have a low tolerance for such things (I'm not a custard lover. Can't handle cloying fatty swe..."

Queen of Puddings should be okay with a lightly sweetened meringue. Over-sweetening the meringue is where bought lemon meringue pie comes a cropper.

Unfortunately, GI infections are a spur to IBS and I had two bad ones when I was a 20 something. Doctors used to - sorry - poo-poo this but they don't now. Post-infection IBS can settle in. It happened to my brother as well but in his case it was C. diff. TMI for a public comment. Heh. It might not have been the Scotch egg but it was the most obvious possible culprit.

Ouch. :( It's alright - I can imagine. Those aren't insignificant actors...