Random reading/book thought

[redbird]

For no particular reason, I was simultaneously reading Jo Walton's new novel Farthing and rereading Sue Grafton's A is for Alibi and found myself thinking "Jo is a better writer," followed by "no, what I mean is that Farthing is a better book." It is, but part of that is that Jo tries, and succeeds in, doing more; another part is that if I recall correctly, A is for Alibi is Grafton's first published novel; now that she's somewhere around R in that series, assuming that it's indicative of her writing ability is unreasonable.

The comparison came to mind both because I was reading them simultaneously, and because both could be classified as mystery or detective fiction. But Grafton does only the world-building necessary to drop one more town on the California coast for her detective to operate in without actually having to disclaim that this isn't really $real_city, and Jo's is alternate history and about quite a bit more than figuring out who committed the murder.

[I doubt you're going to get a real review of Farthing out of me. Get it. Read it. But maybe not before bed, if you're one to lie awake worrying about what-ifs.]

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Try putting _Farthing_ down while you go back and compare _The King's Peace_ to _A is for Alibi_. Go on, I dare you.

[redbird]

Too late, I've already finished Farthing.

Jo probably is a better writer; my point was only that the comparison in question didn't prove that.

By the way, please sign your comments.

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

My bookstore just called to tell me that Farthing is in. Whee.

[carbonel]

Grafton's most recent book is S is for Silence.

[calimac.livejournal.com]

What I've heard - not having read any Grafton myself - is that the early books in her alphabet series are the best. Though whether A is considered particularly outstanding I do not know. (First books in a series are sometimes a little slow getting going.)