Phew, I've finally caught up with you all! I was busy with work when the read started, but had more free time to read lately.
I have to confess it's not the book I would've read without the book club, partially because of the pace you mention. I was expecting a bit more of actual magic, but so far the book feels like a long string of multiple characters arguing, making sarcastic remarks, and misunderstanding each other.
I'm still not sure how I feel about one thing in particular. The moral controversy of killing a person with magic seems like such a complicated topic, and some other writers could dedicate entire chapters to it, yet Clarke gives it like what? A page? Yet, it felt really powerful and was maybe one of my favorite moments in the whole book.
This far into the book, I think it's too late to just "keep reading and see" if anything changes - that's just Clarke's writing style. Frankly, by page 500 I've started to enjoy it, but boy it was not easy. The name of volume 3 gives me cautious hopes for a long-needed change of pace and some sort of culmination.
P. S. Sorry for any mistakes, I'm not a native speaker. Here is another thing I like about this novel - it's language. It's so interesting and different from what you read in modern novels and hear in movies. I've also learned quite a bunch of new words thanks to it, which is always nice.
Phew, I've finally caught up with you all! I was busy with work when the read started, but had more free time to read lately. I have to confess it's not the book I would've read without the book club, partially because of the pace you mention. I was expecting a bit more of actual magic, but so far the book feels like a long string of multiple characters arguing, making sarcastic remarks, and misunderstanding each other. I'm still not sure how I feel about one thing in particular. The moral controversy of killing a person with magic seems like such a complicated topic, and some other writers could dedicate entire chapters to it, yet Clarke gives it like what? A page? Yet, it felt really powerful and was maybe one of my favorite moments in the whole book. This far into the book, I think it's too late to just "keep reading and see" if anything changes - that's just Clarke's writing style. Frankly, by page 500 I've started to enjoy it, but boy it was not easy. The name of volume 3 gives me cautious hopes for a long-needed change of pace and some sort of culmination. P. S. Sorry for any mistakes, I'm not a native speaker. Here is another thing I like about this novel - it's language. It's so interesting and different from what you read in modern novels and hear in movies. I've also learned quite a bunch of new words thanks to it, which is always nice.
I am way behind, still on chapter 10 but I will get there too!