A Book About Floods, Mardi Gras, Galveston, and Magic

[intensityxx]

This is a pretty darn timely book, one I think I might read next. I'm hoping to interest others in reading this next and discussing it. For those not living in North America, it's particularly timely in light of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (heading for Galveston). Historically, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Historians estimate that between 6,000 and 12,000 people died after the Category 4 hurricane hit Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900.

Galveston, by Sean Stewart won the World Fantasy Award. "Galveston had been baptized twice. Once by water in the fall of 1900. Again by magic during Mardi Gras, 2004. Creatures were born of survivors' joy and sufferers' pain: scorpions the size of dogs, the Crying Clown, the Widow who ate her victims. And the Island of Galveston would forever be divided -- between the real city and a city locked in a constant Carnival, an endless Mardi Gras."

Anyone else interested?

 

[Hereford Eye]

It is a damned fine book. Willing to discuss whenever you'r ready. Makes a really good impression/case for fantasy in a modern setting.

 

[Rob B]

I read this book earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really think Stewart did just about everything right with this one and I also could not help reflecting on the book when Katrina hit.

 

[intensityxx]

@ Rob: darn, your link is broken

@ Hereford Eye: glad to hear it. You can sell me on anything.

Have either of you read the other books written about the same universe (written earlier)?

 

[Jay_T]

Have either of you read the other books written about the same universe (written earlier)?

Stewart's The Night Watch and Resurrection Man take place in the same setting, albeit different times.

 

[Erfael]

Anyone else interested?

I'll move it to the top of my pile and get started as soon as I finish my current book (which is going slowly....damn you, network TV new season!!!)

 

[Rob B]

Fixed the link!

 

[intensityxx]

I'll move it to the top of my pile and get started as soon as I finish my current book (which is going slowly....damn you, network TV new season!!!)

Yay! Hmm, I never imagined you as a vidiot. (Betcha didn't know I even imagined you at all).

 

[KatG]

It's been awhile since I read it, but I'm happy to talk about it. I've been meaning to read more of his work, but there's just too many of these dratted fantasy authors running around. Rob and I talked about it some time back and I think there's at least one thread? (I don't know how to do the link thing.)

 

[intensityxx]

Just an update: I am still reading this, and enjoying it immensely. I need to spend less time in other forums and more time with my nose in a book.

 

[intensityxx]

All finished; what a wonderful book. You were all right. And as I'd hoped, so very timely. I'll wait for Erfael to read it before commenting more.

 

[Erfael]

Go ahead. I've been waiting on you. And I've been a little lazy.

 

[AuntiePam]

There might be spoilers here!

I finished this yesterday.

The part Rob didn't like (Ham pointing out Josh's character flaws) was a highlight for me. It was a smack upside the head, but Josh needed it.

My favorite part of the book was Ham and Josh's exile. My least favorite part was Sloane's ventures into the Mardi Gras.

One part that made me go "Huh?" was Sloane worrying about paying Denton for the stuff she was using in his house. For one thing, what's he gonna do about it? Take her to court and garnish her wages? Why didn't she just move everyone to Ashton Villa?

I loved the survival stuff -- the information about what to eat and how to eat it, the herbal remedies, Josh's pharmacy, the homemade cosmetics.

I think the book ended perfectly, even though we were sorta hit over the head with the civil rights for revellers analogy.

I wouldn't mind a sequel, showing us how Galveston absorbed the revellers, how things changed, whether anyone tried to leave the island.

What are we supposed to think happened with the rest of the world? There was a short statement about the rest of the continent being asleep.

 

[intensityxx]

Thanks for breaking the ice, Auntie Pam.

Off the top of my head:

I still find myself thinking about this book, which I liked much more than I had thought I would. And I think I keep liking it more as it percolates in my mind over time. The part that really hooked me first was the description of Sloane making the Sly mask. It was just amazing, told slowly and vividly, just the way a description of remaking one's self should be. This part especially resonated with me.

I enjoyed the parallels with poker, even though I don't know the game well.

I'm glad the mother died off early because Sloane's meek routine was hard for me to stomach much longer. I loved the mystical aunt, the strange revellers, getting lost in Mardi Gras time, the rich relationship between Josh and Ham, Josh's humiliation in court.

The references to floods and the flood scene itself were at the same time realistic and metaphorical, and added depth to story.

Anyone else? I may remember more as you remind me.

 

[AuntiePam]

The part that really hooked me first was the description of Sloane making the Sly mask. It was just amazing, told slowly and vividly, just the way a description of remaking one's self should be. This part especially resonated with me.

That was good, wasn't it?

I confess to skipping the card game scenes. I can't relate. When I'm shooting the moon in Hearts, my hands shake and I break out in a sweat. Everybody says "Pam's gonna try to take 'em all -- keep something back!" No poker player here.

I wouldn't have minded another point of view, besides Sloane and Josh. Maybe something from Ace/Sam, or one of the other revellers.

I agree that it's good that Jane didn't linger.

What's the moral here? Don't fight your true nature?

 

[KatG]

My problem was that I didn't like Sloane that much, so her parts of the story weren't as involving for me, even though some interesting things were happening there. The symbolism in those parts was a bit heavy handed for me. She was sort of frustrating at first, and then a little too saint-like toward the end. The remaking stuff was interesting, but then it was sort of annoying. Whoo-hoo, you get to be a party girl, fine. But then to be fair to her, she was in the princess role, and princesses do go through the annoying self-realizations.

I was, though, much more into Josh's story, as someone who floated in a lot of different worlds without really being part of any of them, and because he wanted things so much. And I loved Ham, but then I love big, smart, straight talker characters like that. I liked how Stewart mixed the family dynamics of Southern literary novels with Mardi Gras fantasy.