Grass by Sheri S. Tepper

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars

In her Pern novels, Anne McCaffrey introduced readers to telepathic dragons who bond psychically with humans. In her Valdemar series, Mercedes Lackey introduced readers to telepathic horses who bond psychically with humans. In Grass Sherri S. Tepper plays on the same theme, introducing telepathic fox . . . things who have . . . psychic sex (I think?) with humans.

Okay, so it’s not quite the same. But Tepper is dabbling with a well-known science fiction and fantasy trope here. The Grassian nobility participate in the hunt, a version of the English fox hunt where all the animals are both alien and slightly horrific. During the hunt, strangely sexual things happen and young girls often disappear. Yet because of their bonds with their mounts the Hippae, the Grassians turn a blind eye until they are forced to pay attention when the daughter of a Terran ambassador disappears.

The development of the details of the hunt is slow and suspenseful. They’re paired with gorgeous prose and strong character development. Majorie Westriding is a wonderful feminist heroine and the supporting characters are just as finely rendered. Several exiled monks who round out the cast stand out in my mind as terrifically, realistically, and subtly written.

Unfortunately, though, Grass is otherwise an uneven experience. The plot moves painfully slowly through the first two hundred pages; it was only the mystery of the hunt that kept me reading. And, even more unfortunately, the truth of the hunt never quite congealed for me into something satisfying or even particularly believable. The relationship between the Hippae and the Foxen or even these species and humans is unclear (okay, so they’re the same species, but what exactly do the Hippae need the humans for?), the evolutionary science dubious, and the connection between this mystery and a plague subplot really poorly done. Too bad. Tepper’s prose is fine enough that I’ll probably pick up the next novel in the series, but I have a limited tolerance for science fiction that isn’t believable even within its own framework, so hopefully I won’t find the same there.

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Yeah, yeah, yeah, bad luck to see the “bride” in her dress before “her” day, yadda yadda yadda. I’m too excited about this not to share.

Now that that’s settled, I can move on to less important things, like . . . uh, vows.

Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides by Ariel Meadow Stallings

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess my review of this book can double as an announcement: Jordan and I have set the date for a tiny, quirky wedding on October 10th! Man, those are some words I never thought I’d say. Initially, I really wanted to elope, bypassing the whole wedding planning fervor completely. But he, fairly, wanted to include some friends and family into the hullabaloo. So instead of focusing on private, whispered vows, I’m turning to places like indiebride and offbeatbrides to provide some guidance into this daunting task: creating a big ol’ party in less than four months but also to still stay true to ourselves.

If you haven’t looked at it, the Offbeat Bride blog is pretty impressive–lots of resources, an active community, creative ideas, and plenty of “wedding porn” (photos). I was pleased to find blogger Ariel Meadow Stalling’s book at the library. In it, she discusses each stage of the wedding planning process in a brief, warmly written chapter. You get real insight into her own relationship and wedding.

Unfortunately, I think the information on the blog itself is presented in a much better, richer way. There are no photos here; the pages are thin and the font huge. It’s clear from her style of writing that these are lifted right off of a blog. What seems fun and engaging in blog format just feels a bit . . . well, childish, when laid out in very thin (2-3 page) chapters with huge margins. And she goes on a bit too much about her own wedding. You’re ravers. Your mom loves humanure. We get the point! It’s not that it’s not funny. Mostly, it just didn’t feel relevant. I want really want solid pointers, not anecdotes! Do I really have to hire someone to brew coffee for thirty people at the end of the wedding, or do I just buy a bunch of urns?! Or rent them? These questions weigh heavy on my mind right now, unfortunately.

My biggest qualm with her writing style, though, is to name drop other “offbeat brides” (friends?) without providing context. I guess these are connections she made through her blog, but that’s never really made clear.

Despite all of this, reading the book itself was reassuring–you can have a wedding that’s not part of the whole wedding industry behemoth. Though a lot of the stuff that Stallings talks about seems fairly self-evident, when you’re in the thick of it (and fielding questions about why you’re not getting a rabbi!), I suppose you can’t really be reassured enough.

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There’s gotta be at least one flattering photo of each of us here.

A terrific group of ladies, and writers, plus one cranky boy-child! Tarah, the other night Charlotte told me some boy at school told her she pretends too much; I think she’s destined to grow up to be one of us.

You guys have really made the last two years for me. Claire, miss you already! Hope your trip is going well.