Book Review: Among Others by Jo Walton

Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and science fiction, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.
Raised by a half-mad mother who dabbled in magic, Morwenna Phelps found refuge in two worlds. As a child growing up in Wales, she and her twin sister played among the spirits who made their homes in industrial ruins, but her mind found freedom and promise in the science fiction novels that were her closest companions. When her mother tries to bend the spirits to dark ends with deadly results, Mori is sent away and must try to come to terms with what has happened without falling prey to the darkness.

This was just a wonderful book! Among Others is a love letter to classic science fiction and fantasy. It was recommended by a friend in my book club, and from the friends who read it, we all loved it.

Among Others is written as diary entries by Mor, a Welsh teenager who escaped a dire situation at home and sought refuge with his estranged father, who interned her in an English boarding school. Walton perfectly transmitted the feelings of loneliness and otherness that Mor experiences on a daily basis, being injured, far from home, and without much to share with other students. Put like this, it sounds like a sad story, and there are many sad aspects to Mor’s life, but there’s also hope in the happiness books bring to Mor and in how they open a new world to her and help her connect with like-minded souls.

There’s a great deal of magical realism in this story. While magical realism is usually not my cup of tea, it felt justified and essential to the story.

Among Others mentions about one hundred and seventy something books, most of them classic sci-fi and fantasy novels. I’ve read many of them, but there are still others on my TBR pile, and many more that weren’t yet but are now.

This was a book that I devoured and couldn’t put down. Mor was a character who felt very dear to me, and I couldn’t help but want to comfort and hug her before sitting together to read all the books mentioned in the novel.

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lomeraniel

My name is Elena. Since I was a little child I loved science fiction and fantasy, and I can’t resist a good novel. In 2015, while wait I started to listen to audiobooks and I discovered the pleasure in being able to read while doing my daily tasks, so there’s always an audiobook playing on my phone. If you see me with my Bluetooth headphones on, please be gentle, I get easily startled.

I live with my boyfriend, which I met during my six-year stay in Belgium, four cockatiels, eight lovebirds, and a hamster in Madrid, Spain; and I like to spend my free time knitting and sewing while listening to audiobooks.