Patricia A. McKillip (1948–2022)

Even though this is my first Patricia A. McKillip book, I have known her reputation as a writer and I have had her on my to-read list for a long time. This book is one of her best-known ones, and the critical reception was very positive. According to the Wikipedia:

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld has been reviewed by Locus as "a mythical kingdom fantasy with a marvelous heroine, satisfying strange beasts and chilling sorcery". Publishers Weekly wrote "this magical moonlight fantasy has dignity and romance, heartstopping suspense, adventure, richness of concept and language." Lester del Rey praised the novel as "a true fairy tale in its telling and its development," citing the "marvelous subtlety" of McKillip's storytelling and her "inevitable but unexpected" resolution of the story.

Before reading it, my expectation was that it would be well-written, lyrical and fairy-tale-like. And, to tell you the truth, I respect and I can enjoy that kind of books, but I prefer a more straightforward, epic narration. Above all, I enjoy it when I get to care deeply about the characters, and that usually does not happen with lyrical/poetical books.

The book was better than I had expected, and I ended up loving it unreservedly. Yes, it's lyrical and well-written, but it also tells a rich, very human story, beautiful and terrible, and I cared a lot about the main characters. I highly recommend the novel and it certainly will not be the last one I read by this author.… (mere)

un Principe Contadino diventa un Prescelto riluttante e intraprende un lungo viaggio di formazione alla ricerca del suo Destino

niente di nuovo, un libro figlio dei suoi tempi ('70) il più classico dei classici fantasy
eppure è sui classici che si costruisce rendendoli fondamenta.

L'ho adorato! è un libro ingenuo e davvero davvero figlio degli anni 70 ma è anche un libro dolce, confortevole, lirico, evocativo ed elegante e poetico con più strati di lettura.

se lo avessi letto da giovane chissà quanto mi avrebbe scosso e quanto avrebbe segnato i miei gusti e forse è così che va letto, con attitudine giovanile, accantonando la scorza da lettore incallito.

Non capisco perchè sia così poco citato, perchè non sia un "must": se il becerismo de "la ruota del tempo" può esserlo, allora la delicatezza di questa trilogia lo merita molto di più… (mere)

A very typical McKillip fantasy novel. In a vast palace by the sea, there is a library under the palace. The librarians take in foundlings, including one young girl, Nepenthe. In a short span of days she is given two unusual pieces to translate - a document on strange 'paper' with a text of fishes and a small book, with an alphabet of thorns/briars. Add to the cast a young wizard, an old wizardess, a young male librarian desperately in love with Nepenthe and an equally young queen totally out of her element. There are big magical things going on, as well as small ones and it all takes place fairly quickly in this short novel. Great characters and great atmosphere, as always.… (mere)