| Author/Title: | Vinge, John. The Snow Queen. NY: Dial Press, 1980. | |
| Call #: | ASU IMC/FIC V784sn | |
| Recommended by: | Phaedra Scarborough, Environmental Studies | |
| Rating: (5 "books" max) |
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| Comments: | I have yet to be disappointed with a Hugo
book, and I'm glad to report that the standards I have come to associate
with that award have been admirably upheld in this title. First written in
1980, its central themes of eco-feminism and goddess religions, and the
idea of and morality associated with cloning are still relevant to
contemporary readers. Beyond the plot, which is strong, the characters are
what really connect the reader to this book. At times they do threaten to
become stereotypes: the heroine Moon is at times so saccharine she has
been compared by at least one reviewer to a Disney princess, complete with
adoring animals charmed by her inherent "goodness." But she is
rescued from such superficiality by her own self-doubt and unrelenting
determination. The Snow Queen Arienrhod is in so many ways the
stereotypical evil, manipulative Queen, but at the heart of her
manipulations lies a true desire to keep her world autonomous under the
equally manipulative and oppressive hand of the larger Hegemony. Unlike
some sci-fi, The Snow Queen does not rely on complex descriptions and
explanations of the minutiae of a carefully constructed technology, and
instead is propelled forward by Vinge's unobtrusive writing and a
compelling cast of characters.
Highly recommended for sci fi fans, and even for those who typically eschew that genre for its tendency toward specialized and sometimes tedious language. |
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