Seanan McGuire
O.R.S.
A little prophetic “Great Works” mad scientists apocalyptic meets psychic twins meets Gaiman-type gore and magic and mad scientists-in-a-cult set in contemporary times. Told from multiple third person perspectives.
How much did you like it overall?
I liked it! It was a great relief to be in the hands of a strong writer who doesn’t feel like they’re still juggling the art of plot, character, and voice. It’s, like others of Seanan McGuire’s works, not exactly contemporary fantasy, not exactly YA, not exactly paranormal romance, but some strange melange. It isn’t fully baked in its own mythology, but it’s still a joy to read.
What did you like most?
McGuire really knows her way around language and construction. The early scenes portraying Dodger’s loneliness and alienation are sharply described–and even if in a familiar loner-misunderstood-nerd kind of trope–are well written enough that it works. And the plots back and forth, it’s like reading a comic book maybe, but it’s a fun, snappy comic book with main characters you care about. The promise of the time loop redo, which presumably has something to do with the title of the book. There’s also hints dropped of an end time Great Works kind of mission that is just fun–maybe just because I love Angels in America, and the language is evocative of that. You’re also always clear on what’s happening when–what period of time.
What did you not like about it?
Some of the motivations don’t seem to make much sense, in particular Erin, the minder who lost her own twin, who goes from loyally in the bad scientist (Reed) camp to pro-Roger/Dodger without much interiority shift. Also, one never gets that much clarity on the mad scientists’ projects and why they’re doing what they’re doing, or the twin’s powers, which get alluded to more than you see them act. One gets the sense of an underlying logic that McGuire has thought through, but one also gets the sense that maybe McGuire isn’t revealing all of it because it ain’t fully sound yet. Also, the end just gets messy and loopy and the time loop stuff doesn’t really work and feels like one more logic that isn’t fully fleshed out. Not to mention the fake book excerpts that open every section. It’s like truffle oil on top of kimchi on top of melted cheese. Tricky to balance, especially the more you add.
Any favorite moments?
A bunch of them – the early sections featuring Dodger, who feels more fleshed out than Roger–more 3d with good and also not so good traits. The glimpses of the twins discovering their gifts–and limitations and trade-offs given. The brief mentions of the other twins. The inevitable, repeated reuniting of the twins, like some strange Eternal Sunshine kind of loop–what canI say, I’m a sucker for a good meet-cute-cubed.
Where do I put it on The Shelf?
Definitely middleshelf – there’s something a little messy, and the language isn’t quite as cohesive and distinct as, say, an Elizabeth Hand. But it’s well constructed and has a great sense of pacing, and you don’t have the feeling that you’re going to get catfished three quarters of the way through, or that this is an assemblage of tropes before story. McGuire clearly loves this world and the act of imagining. And that’s wonderful to share.
Any closing thoughts?
Just that it’s such a gift to read something fun with a real storyteller after a spate of less than pleasurable books that seem to be the result of high-concept genre mash-up pitch sessions or issue-of-the-day performative writing. It’s such a strange and clear difference between those who are just natural and those who can’t. We readers like to mock the mainstream writers, the Stephen Kings, the Grisham’s, the McGuire’s, but there is something ineffably hard and yet effortless about what they do that is worth highlighting and appreciating.
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