In an Absent Dream

[cornerofmadness]

In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I've read only half the series (and it looks like I somehow forgot to review the ones I did read) but I have to say this one didn't wow me as much as the others and I think it was because of the narrative distance and novella length. In trying to keep it fairy tale like, we're held at arms length and much of what would have been interesting was merely told to us after the fact maybe to keep it as a novella.

Lundy's journey through the fairy door to the Goblin Market begins when she's eight years old. Until then she is rather embodying the middle child trope coupled with the fact she's the principle's daughter, leaving her feeling friendless. Her older wilder brother gets the bulk of their parents' attention as does her infant sister so she disappears through the door.

Once in the Goblin Market she meets Moth, a girl with owl like qualities, the Archivist (the adult with answers) and the idea of fair value that everything must be given fair value or there will be consequences. (You will turn into a bird as it turns out).

Lundy bounces back between the Goblin Market and her parents' home. She maintains that Moth is her friend and the Market her true home but she keeps getting lured back to her human family as well until the fateful end.

While I didn't predict the twist at the end, I have to say a lot of this didn't quite work for me. I never felt like the Market was home. I couldn't see what Lundy did in it. Moth is her first and only friend? We never see it. We're only told this. They have adventures (some that leave scars, some that left others dead) but we never see them. I didn't buy Moth as a friend. The Archivist yes, but Moth? She was more like a stone around the neck. Maybe if we had seen the adventures and not just the paying off of their fair value debt. Ah well. Honestly rather forgettable as in I nearly forgot Moth's name in the few days that past between finishing the novella and finding this time to review it.



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