Reflection's Edge

Book Review: Mélusine, by Sarah Monette

Reviewer: Romie Stott

Mildmay the Fox is a cat burglar in the Lower City, a man who knows how to keep his head down when there's trouble. Felix Harrowgate is a powerful young wizard of the Mirador, but his delicate position in court forces him to seek the protection of other, less savory, men. Felix and Mildmay couldn't come from more different worlds - or so they think - but when the abuses of another wizard drive Felix mad, Mildmay is hired to come to the rescue. As the two men travel across the Empire to find a cure for Felix, they discover they may have a stronger bond than mere happenstance.

Mélusine is an excellent example of a bad book by a good author. The world is beautifully crafted; the use of language remarkable; and the character of Mildmay incredibly engaging. On the other hand, the structure of the book is appalling; the character motivations questionable; the plot uncompelling; and the character of Felix pointless and banal.

Mélusine can be divided into three sections: the first part of Mildmay's story, the first part of Felix's story, and the story after the two meet up. Of these three, one is extremely good. Mildmay's story is a triumph of interesting characters, a fascinating original world, and brilliant street slang. (Example: magic users are referred to as "hocuses.") Mildmay is easy to love; his sense of humor and distinctive speech patterns make for a wonderful narrator. Moreover, he fits into a popular archetype - the bandit king with a heart of gold. Readers will love him for his faults as much as for his cleverness. Had the entire book focused on Mildmay, it would have been the best comic fantasy of the year, with the same loyal following as Good Omens.

Unfortunately, the other narrator, Felix, is irritating and unsympathetic. He's whiny and puny, less a hero than a repeatedly kicked puppy. Although we're assured that he's powerful and brilliant, we're never given a chance to see it; all of his decisions are ridiculously self-destructive, and hurt or kill hundreds of other people along the way. Monette does a terrible job of setting the stakes for Felix's story - she never shows the court while it's functioning well, and Felix begins his descent into rape and madness on his story's sixth page. As a result, most readers will find themselves asking "Why do I care?" when things start to fall apart; they will not have seen anything worth preserving. Moreover, Felix's insane delusions have no depth to them - they're just swirls of color and people with animal heads - and they get old fast.

The first half of the book alternates between Felix's and Mildmay's stories, seemingly randomly. The reader is not told or shown the connection between them; although the two live in the same large city, they do not seem likely to ever meet, nor are they affected by the same events. Their sections are not evenly presented, nor do they seem to be tied to plot events - sometimes, there will be ten pages of Mildmay, then a paragraph of Felix, then a paragraph of Mildmay in which no time has elapsed, and then five pages of Felix. There isn't even a pretext of thematic similarity. Moreover, little of the plot seems to be driven by Felix or Mildmay's decisions; instead the two are swept along by...something. Something which is never discussed or resolved. Any relationships which might seem to elucidate this question turn out to be pointless.

As for the second half of the book, it could be called "All Felix All the Time." After rescuing Felix, Mildmay inexplicably becomes completely codependent, terrified that Felix will get angry with him for doing things like saving Felix's life. Meanwhile, the two spend a lot of time walking through fields and down dusty roads. We're told they pass by a lot of interesting stuff, but since they're careful to avoid landmarks and population centers, we don't get to see them - except far on the horizon.

The book never resolves or concludes; it just ends. Felix gets cured, but he doesn't use his recovered powers to do anything. Mildmay continues to act out of character and seems to forget all the self sufficiency that let him take care of himself almost since birth. The bad guys don't get punished; the good guys' problems don't get solved. No explanations are given, no themes clarified - there's just a summary of the story the reader has already laboriously slogged through.

Sarah Monette has a lot of potential; the things she does well, she does better than anyone. If you get a chance to snag a friend's copy of Mélusine and read all the Mildmay sections in Part One, do it. But Mélusine will only leave the reader frustrated, and wishing for what it could have been. It may find a fan base among teenage girls desperate for another Interview with the Vampire, but it will leave most fantasy fans cold.

Editor's Note: RE was not aware at the time of review that Mélusine has a forthcoming sequel. The review, particularly regarding the ending, should thus be taken with a few grains of salt.

To buy a copy of Mélusine, click here.

If you liked this book, you may also enjoy:

Interview with the Vampire, by Anne Rice

Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

The Spirit Ring, by Lois McMaster Bujold

The Cup of Morning Shadows, by Rosemary Edghill



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