Have you ever been reading a book, moving along quite nicely, and then-- bam --a character whips out a particular term of endearment that just yanks you right out of the story? It happened to me recently, and I'm sad to say I couldn't recover. I did try. But she just kept using that term and I . . . I had to get the hell out of Dodge. Buh-bye, story. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. I'm not saying this is the norm (thank goodness). I can put up with a certain amount of treacly back and forth when it comes to the exchange of terms of endearment, especially if they fit the characters, their background, culture, the tenor of their relationship, etc. And the history of these terms at home and from around the world is often fascinating (at times hilarious). But there comes a point where I can't see past the cheese and/or weird anymore and I do not want to be with these people any longer . Shallow? Perhaps. But it's a very individual thing, isn't it?...
I love Patricia Briggs!
ReplyDeleteYay for Briggs! She is my very favorite UF writer. Period.
ReplyDeleteI agree with several of those - and you have to try some of Briggs trad fantasy. It's even better than her UF.
ReplyDeleteTotally seeing Grimspace and Wicked Game on multiple lists. This pleases me because they made my list too! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd - I really *have* to read Lisa Shearin, because I see her rec'ed a lot, but I've never read her books.
The Host was wonderful. Not sure how I'm gonna feel when she puts out the sequal.
ReplyDeleteLiviana, I actually read Dragon Bones before discovering the Mercy books. I need to find a copy of Dragon Blood now and finish that set.
ReplyDeleteJanicu, I'm glad to hear someone else loved Wicked Game. I thought it was wicked good. ;)
Princess Allie, I feel exactly the same way. I liked how The Host ended just fine. It doesn't need more and it seems like I'm not as big a fan of her sequels as I am her first volumes. Hm...
"The Host" is still sitting in my TBR pile. I think "Breaking Dawn" put me off more Meyer for a while - though it was a bit like car-crash telly (or reading), I just had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next.
ReplyDeleteThere's quite a few in your Best of list that I definitely have to pick up in 2009!
Li, I know what you mean. I'm actually really glad I read The Host before Breaking Dawn because I'm not sure I'd have been able to read it post-BD. I do recommend it, though, when you feel recovered. ;-)
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