Drowned Wednesday by Garth Nix
Sep. 11th, 2009 01:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreThe third book of Nix’s The Keys to the Kingdom picks up almost immediately after the second. This time, Arthur, along with his friend Leaf, is whisked off to a sea-covered realm, but the two are waylaid and separated along the way to meet their host. When the world was covered in water, most of the buildings were converted into ships, and Arthur finds himself picked up by what was once a counting house.
I liked the sea-covered world, and the setup of the characters. There was also a lot more with the Piper’s Children, and his Rats, and Wednesday’s Dawn is the first of the Morrows’ representatives to actually feel like a real character. In addition, more is done with the Judeo-Christian symbolism the books are largely based around than in previous books, and there are some sendups to Arthurian legend, too.
Unfortunately, I have a major problem with this book.
Specifically, with Drowned Wednesday. Unlike Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday isn’t evil. Which is not the problem. The problem is how she is Tragic. First of all, she ate until she turned into a 126 mile long whale that ate all of her people that were nearby. About the time I finished getting over my “WHAT THE HELL??” over that, we learned that she was cursed by the other Morrows and robbed of all power. Because…uhm…I guess women can’t be evil, and men can, so instead, women must be Tragic? And that’s all she is. Walking tragedy. Mind you, the first two, though more developed as characters, weren’t incredibly developed, but they had autonomy and free will in their roles. As opposed to being victims. And, of course, she gets her beauty back and dies.
Leaf the Cabin Boy and Suzy The Proper Lady can only go so far.
Not enough to make me swear off Nix or anything (though if it had been my first of Nix’s books, that may be different) but a serious irritation.
I mean, seriously. Eats so much she turns into a 126 mile long whale and eats her retainers.
I liked the sea-covered world, and the setup of the characters. There was also a lot more with the Piper’s Children, and his Rats, and Wednesday’s Dawn is the first of the Morrows’ representatives to actually feel like a real character. In addition, more is done with the Judeo-Christian symbolism the books are largely based around than in previous books, and there are some sendups to Arthurian legend, too.
Unfortunately, I have a major problem with this book.
Specifically, with Drowned Wednesday. Unlike Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday isn’t evil. Which is not the problem. The problem is how she is Tragic. First of all, she ate until she turned into a 126 mile long whale that ate all of her people that were nearby. About the time I finished getting over my “WHAT THE HELL??” over that, we learned that she was cursed by the other Morrows and robbed of all power. Because…uhm…I guess women can’t be evil, and men can, so instead, women must be Tragic? And that’s all she is. Walking tragedy. Mind you, the first two, though more developed as characters, weren’t incredibly developed, but they had autonomy and free will in their roles. As opposed to being victims. And, of course, she gets her beauty back and dies.
Leaf the Cabin Boy and Suzy The Proper Lady can only go so far.
Not enough to make me swear off Nix or anything (though if it had been my first of Nix’s books, that may be different) but a serious irritation.
I mean, seriously. Eats so much she turns into a 126 mile long whale and eats her retainers.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 10:55 am (UTC)This is one of my problems with the series: there are too many characters in there who don't feel real enough/aren't developed enough. Now, granted, this may be because they are Denizens, but the writing in his Abhorsen books feels much better. I can't figure out if it's just that he's trying to cram too much in, it's the style, or if it's because he's aiming it at a lower age group.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 01:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 09:24 pm (UTC)