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Under The Pendulum Sun by Jeanette Ng
Nov. 4th, 2018 03:36 amThe Blurb On The Back:
Catherine Helstone’s missionary brother, Laon, has disappeared while bringing the Gospels to the Dark Continent – not Africa, but Arcadia, legendary land of the magical fae.
Desperate for news of him, she makes the perilous journey to that extraordinary land, but once there, she finds herself alone and isolated in the sinister house of Gethsemane. At last there comes news: her beloved brother is riding to be reunited with her – but the Queen of the Fae and her insane court are hard on his heels.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Jeanette Ng’s debut alternate universe historical fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) is a diligently researched, very literary book that knowingly nods at Charlotte and Emily Brontë and has interesting points to make on colonialism, religion and the role of women and makes innovative use of its fae setting but there is precious little plot here (that only really gets going in the final quarter) and the incest theme may deter some readers.
Desperate for news of him, she makes the perilous journey to that extraordinary land, but once there, she finds herself alone and isolated in the sinister house of Gethsemane. At last there comes news: her beloved brother is riding to be reunited with her – but the Queen of the Fae and her insane court are hard on his heels.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Jeanette Ng’s debut alternate universe historical fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) is a diligently researched, very literary book that knowingly nods at Charlotte and Emily Brontë and has interesting points to make on colonialism, religion and the role of women and makes innovative use of its fae setting but there is precious little plot here (that only really gets going in the final quarter) and the incest theme may deter some readers.
