Wren

The only thing I could think of while reading this was how much Thompson has grown since his work on Blankets. His art is ten times better and the story a hundred times as ambitious. A lot of themes are covered including the connection of Christianity and Islam and the difference between love and lust. This book is really great, and absolutely gorgeous. With that being said, Thompson set some tremendous goals for himself, and I'm not sure he hit every mark. Even when it's fiction, it's hard for me to accept things being told about religious people of color in the Middle East when it is coming from the mouth of a young, white, agnostic American. I know it's not entirely fair of me to dismiss an entire book because of the author's nationality, but the book is sometimes unclear on what is being glorified, what is being condemned, and what is being included for the sake of being sensational. This was written immediately after closing the book, so my thoughts are not fully formed. I'm having my doubts but overall the impression on me was very positive.

It's always fascinating to look at the early years of science fiction and see what the author was using the genre for. The War of the Worlds seemed to be a warning about the evils of imperialism, but I had a more difficult time deciphering this novel. It was a bit more humorous and equally implausible. The Invisible Man is tempted by the freedom of existing outside of the social contract, but almost immediately regrets his decision, and descends into madness trying to find a cure for his condition. This is the more enjoyable of the two Wells novels I've read.

I'm a sucker for anything that fits neatly between the art world and the pop world, and this book was everything for me. A great literary author decided that his next story needed to take place shortly after the fall of Camelot, and that it needed a dragon in it. The best way to instantly get me on your side for something is to have genre fiction a requirement to get your themes across. This book focuses on the importance of both personal and cultural memory, and is a love story about the later years of a relationship. I really don't want to spoil anything because this book is incredible. If you've ever wanted to see the fantasy genre take itself seriously, pick this one up.