Among Others

‘I can handle anything, as long as there are books.' Among Others is a definite love letter to sci, fantasy and especially to reading and books and how they are places of solace and comfort when the real world is difficult. Mori the main character has been through a tragedy and is uprooted from her home to live with her estranged father and aunts who send her off to a boarding school of wealthy, often snobbish girls. She finds books, libraries and a book club of fellow science fiction lovers to help her navigate this strange new place and situation she finds herself in. Jo Walton deftly blends this straight forward story with a fantastical and mythic edge. Mori has a secret - she can see and speak with fairies and do a bit of magic. But don't expect Harry Potter magic, this magic has difficult and a morally grey way of affecting events and people. Mori struggles with her decisions to use magic and how it will affect those around her, which makes it a delightfully interesting take on magic. Written in the form of journal entries, the reader gets a very personal viewpoint and the endless sci fi and fantasy references will delight readers of those genres. A joy for any bibliophile whose ever dealt with life's hardships through reading and books.