posted
Susan Palwick has written only four books. I've read two and a half, and am working my way through to the other. I bought the first, The Necessary Beggar based on a recommendation, and when I read it, it blew me away. I've mentioned it here before, briefly, but I recently got the rest of her books and I'm prompted to write more.
The Necessary Beggar was one of those life-changing, perception-altering, never-be-the-same books.
It was tragic and beautiful and joyful. I cried both in grief and in happiness. The prose was wonderful, and I longed to be a part of the world. It's a book that deals head-on with issues of family, guilt, exile, love, and faith. But it is a rare book: it doesn't force conclusions on you, it leaves you to make your own. This is especially apparent on the topic of faith and religion. Evangelical Christianity is put in a very human light. Sometimes a force for good, sometimes blindly destructive. But not bad, evil, or stupid. And not Divinely Ordained Truth, either (I intensely dislike "altar call" books). It has become one of my very favourite books, one I will read when I'm depressed, lonely, despairing, and hopeless.
Based on the strength of the one book, I went and bought her other three. I finished Shelter last night, and it was as much of an emotional wringer as The Necessary Beggar. Like it, Shelter deals with faith, although in this case it's a Gaia-centred nature religion of sorts. Shelter also deals with themes of shelter (no wai!), forgiveness, loss, death, guilt. And also free will, compassion, mental illness, and family. I was drawn so deeply into the book that I had trouble remembering that this world is not that world, and I was mildly confused as to why my house wasn't talking to me (there is a talking House in the book). I didn't love it quite as much as I loved The Necessary Beggar, but it was still a magnificent read.
I'm now reading The Fate of Mice, which is a collection of short stories. I've read a couple, and enjoyed them both very much. I haven't gotten to deeply emotionally involved in the short stories, but that is probably because they are short.
Flying in Place is the last (although first-published) of her books, but I am waiting to read it until my boyfriend gets back from vacation. Given how involved I've been in her other books, I want someone on hand to hug if I get too caught up. Especially because this book involves child abuse and that is an emotional thing to read.
I've had dismal luck at forcing other people to read these books, for some reason. Go read them. They may not touch you as deeply as they did me, but you will at least get an interesting read. (Some sexual content, but nothing above the PG level.)
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
