wraeththu i

I just finished the first book of Wraeththu: The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit. I'm reading the omnibus version which includes all three novels. I'm going to review them separately because together, they're kind of a monster. about 800 pages, including three small appendixes

Wraeththu by Storm Constantine is a sort of post-apocalyptic story, only the apocalypse is not really one of violence, its more of an evolutionary fluke in mankind, that creates the Wraeththu--Think: mankind 2.0. This isn't really a spoiler, because its on the first page, and blabbed all over the covers. What takes a little time to get to is: how it all happened, and what it really means for the world. After finishing the first book, I'm not sure I know that yet, but it may be all I'm going to get. Its hard to tell.

Storm Constantine is an interesting writer. Especially following on the last book I read, written by an artist. Constantine is a self-described writer and publisher, but also a witch, a Reiki, and an artist. What I know about her is limited to the information on the site, and what I've read in book one. As a writer she seems impatient in the face of her own patience. What I mean by that is, she is a big fan of foreshadowing, as if she can't wait to drop all the good stuff on you but then you pound away, chapter after chapter and where are these things she's foreshadowing?

I was 150 pages in, and still couldn't figure this book out, at 200 pages I started to understand that its really character development and an exploration of the relationships the main character has; one in particular. Then it occurred to me: this story reads like a Bronte novel! The tortured longings, the subtle detail and nuance of the various looks and tones, and what they may mean. O heart!

And a couple of typos? Come on! and then this sentence:

"Once I think, he turned toward me for I saw twin stars that were the brightest jewels that were his eyes."

What?! someone needs to listen to grammar girl

But I'm nothing if not a tireless slogger through books. Don't worry, I'll finish it (so that you don't have to.) Maybe that sounds too harsh. This book doesn't stink, I just don't get it.