Ronlyn DomingueBesprekingen

In The Mercy of Thin Air, Ronlyn Domingue vividly imagines an afterlife for ghosts and shows us Razi‘s tragic history as she haunts a couple marked by tragedy. The intermingling of Razi‘s memories of her romance with Andrew in the 1920s with the present is deft. Unfortunately I cracked the twist earlier than expected and at times it seemed like overdone prose got in the way of the momentum of story.½

The narration of this book made it hard to follow at times.

It took me a little bit to adjust to the rhythm of her writing but this book gripped and held and spoke to truth. This is the kind of book that, although written about other worlds/times/places, cannot help but move us deeply in our own.

This is the final book in the Keeper of the Tales trilogy. I have read these three books as they have come out starting in 2013 and if you have not read them yet you are so very lucky to be able to read them back to back to back. If, like me you have been awaiting this book – well, your long wait is over. I so want to start from the beginning now and read them ALL over again. Can you tell I love these books? And I am not usually a fan of this genre of book.

In The Plague Diaries Secret Riven learns of her destiny. She has free will and can choose not to follow the path laid before her. She has known all her life that she is different but her mother treated her poorly and her father saw her as a means to an end. As she gets older she longs to go to the Higher Academy but girls don’t usually attend. She does not get accepted on her first try so she accepts a job with the wealthy magnate in town, Fewmany. He is a man who knows what he wants and what he wants is everything. He welcomes Secret and slowly seduces her to a life of having everything you could want before he reveals himself.

This is a hard book for me to describe and to write about as it is a book that takes place on many levels. I’ve long written of my difficulties with books that present like this. The brilliance of Ms. Domingue is her ability to create her worlds with such brilliantly written sentences that even someone as literal as me can get lost in a a realm of fantasy and magic and believe.

That is not to say I grasped all that was going on. I know I did not. I do know that in this last book I understood more than in the first two. Perhaps because of the world we currently live in – much of what is written seems to relate to the turmoil of today.

I will note that I found my emotions all over the place in reading The Plague Diaries, even to the point of crying at points. It is a powerful book with characters that will stay with you. It will make you think. About yourself, about your life and about the people around you. It can be read on its own but it is a far richer experience to read the whole trilogy. All three books are outstanding. If you don’t read fantasy take a chance with these books – you will not be disappointed. If you do, you will be doubly rewarded.

This is the final book in this trilogy. I am a little sad to see it end. Yet, excited to see what the author comes out with next. When I first read, The Mapmaker's War, I could not read the book fast enough. The main character was great; yet, it was the world that I enjoyed the most. That did not change in the second book, The Chronicle of Secret Riven, and it did not stop in this final book. A location can help bring a story together and transport a reader.

The second book kind of sets the stage for this final book in the trilogy. It is where readers were introduced to Secret, Fewmany, and the mysterious manuscript. In the prior novel, Secret's ability to "speak" with animals was introduced. I was happy to see Secret's abilities featured again in this book. What added to the aire of mystery were the diary entries from Secret's mother. They slowly revealed the past as well as what the Plague of Silences was about. There is a bit of a slow build up to the story. However, be patient as it is worth it. The story can't really be rushed as that is the beauty in the book. A nice ending to this trilogy. The Plague Diaries will have readers spellbound by this wondrous book and conclusion to this trilogy.

I love this book.

From Amazon: "New Orleans, 1920s. Raziela Nolan is in the throes of a magnificent love affair when she dies in a tragic accident. In an instant, she leaves behind her one true love and her dream of becoming a doctor -- but somehow, she still remains. Immediately after her death, Razi chooses to stay between -- a realm that exists after life and before whatever lies beyond it.

From this remarkable vantage point, Razi narrates the stories of her lost love, Andrew, and the relationship of Amy and Scott, a couple whose house she haunts almost seventy-five years later. The Mercy of Thin Air entwines these two fateful and redemptive love stories that echo across three generations. From ambitious, forward-thinking Razi, who illegally slips birth control guides into library books; to hip Web designer Amy, who begins to fall off the edge of grief; to Eugenia, caught between since the Civil War, the characters in this wondrous novel sing with life. Evoking the power of love, memory, and time, The Mercy of Thin Air culminates in a startling finish that will leave readers breathless."

This sums it up better than I am able.....

It was a lovely book, haunting, mysterious told in the first person of Raziela (the ghost), who is still searching for he long lost love whom she left behind when she died.

It was not a difficult read pe se, but one that I found to be lyrical and floating in such a manner that I had a difficult time keeping a grip between worlds.....

This book isn't for everyone, especially those who dislike "other-worldly" literature.... nor is this a "favorite" and there was something missing for me, but I enjoyed the story.

From the book jacket New Orleans, 1920s. Raziela Nolan is in the throes of a magnificent love affair when she dies in a tragic accident. In an instant, she leaves behind her one true love and her dream of becoming a doctor – but somehow, she still remains. Immediately after her death, Razi chooses to stay between - a realm that exists after life and before what lies beyond it. From this remarkable vantage point, Razi narrates the stories of her lost love, Andrew, and the relationship of Amy and Scott, a couple whose house she haunts almost seventy-five years later.

My Reactions
This is an ethereal novel that moves back and forth in time as Razi’s spirit watches over Amy and Scott, but then takes time to recall her youth in 1920’s New Orleans. Through the flashbacks we learn that she was a well-loved and nurtured child, with parents who applauded her successes and encouraged her dreams. She was a free spirit and liked being a little naughty as well (sometimes going about “without any dainties” under her clothing. Her awakening feminism fueled her desire to be a doctor, and also resulted in conflict between her and her beau, Andrew. But their love was stronger than the expectations of society and they were looking forward to a long and loving relationship when she died.

Amy and Scott happen on an estate sale and buy an old bookcase for their home, and that is how Razi comes to haunt them. For the bookcase was Andrew’s and still carries his scent. Razi has always wondered what happened to Andrew and now she cannot let that puzzle go. As she watches them, Razi realizes something is wrong in their marriage and she begins to play pranks (moving things about, pulling photos out of albums, dropping marbles) to bring them closer together. It’s not working, though. Amy has own tragic past she is struggling to overcome. And then Amy goes to visit her great aunt Twolly, and Razi begins to finally put together the puzzle of what happened to Andrew.

I liked Razi as a young feminist struggling to find her place in a world that had very clearly defined, and somewhat narrow, expectations for a young woman of her social class. I enjoyed her spirit, tenacity, intelligence, and courage. I thought her behavior as a ghost was somewhat out of keeping with the vibrant young woman she had been in life. Amy was a complete puzzle to me. I didn’t understand her long-standing grief or why she completely shut her husband (and anyone else) out of her turmoil. I felt the way in which her story line was concluded was abrupt. I think the dual plot lines got away from Domingue. Still, this is her debut novel and she shows promise.

I started out listening to the audio version, capably performed by Rebecca Gayheart. Her voices for Razi, Twolly, Andrew, Amy and Scott were believable and easy to differentiate. However, somewhere in the middle of disc two I was feeling lost in the plot and somewhat disconnected from the characters. Going to the text version to look up a certain passage I realized that the audio was abridged! Something that is not announced on the jacket, nor in the introduction to the novel. I hate when that happens! I finished the book reading the trade paperback.

Excellent If I could have more books on a desert island, this would be in my top five.½

This book is the sequel to The Mapmaker's War but unlike most sequels it takes place 1,000 years in the future from the end of the first book of the trilogy. Our heroine, Secret Riven is born to a social climbing father who feels he belongs to a higher class and lost this prestige through time and a mother with very unique talents who lives in fear of some great unknown. Secret is silent for the first seven years of her life but she is by no means dumb. She also seems to have an affinity for understanding what animals and plants have to say.

This is another book that pulls me out of my reading comfort zone but I so adored The Mapmaker's War and Ms. Domingue's writing that I knew I wanted to continue along with her fantasy tale. She has a way of creating a world and mythology in which you find yourself fully immersed and completely believing in all that is occurring. When a squirrel talks to Secret it doesn't seem odd at all. I fell in love with this little girl and wanted so much for her even when I knew that there was something in her future that might not be good.

The whole book had a sense of foreboding that somehow managed to almost be a character. It would hide in the background or come to the forefront at different points and yet never full reveal what was waiting for Secret. I am now anxiously awaiting the third book in the series so I can find out what the future holds for this young woman. There is magic in this book - dark magic at times, but magic nonetheless. I will note that I did prefer The Mapmaker's War but the story is not over yet. Who knows what is yet to come and the middle of any tale is often the part that leaves us wanting. And I am definitely wanting more of this fantasy world. I rarely enjoy the fantasy genre - I am very, very picky in my reading of these types of books but I find that I love the world that has been created by Ronlyn Domingue.½

I can remember reading The Mapmaker's War and falling in love with the book and the author. I thought that Ronlyn brought something new and refreshing that I had not read in a long time. While The Chronicle of Secret Riven is the second book in this trilogy, it is completely different from the first book. So if you have not read The Mapmaker's War then you would be fine reading this book. Although, I have to tell you that you should go back and read the first book. You will be hooked.

In this second book, readers are introduced to Secret Riven. Right from the beginning I liked Secret Riven. She had a quite gift. I almost liked her better when she did not talk. She spoke bigger volumes when she was silent. However as much as I liked Secret Riven. I did not feel like the story really took off until half way. Then it was nothing but smooth sailing from this point until the ending. I can not wait to get my hands on the third book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was painfully beautiful.

A New Orleans romantic ghost story flickering between the 1920s and the present. I like books that shift from time to time -- sometimes I felt that the time shifts weren't clearly presented, so I had remain alert to when the story was taking place. I read this while I was in New Orleans, so maybe being in the town colors my impressions, but I felt the author did a great job of evoking the atmosphere of the city.

MY THOUGHTS:
THE MAPMAKER’S WAR:A LEGEND BY Ronlyn Domingue is an interesting Fantasy/Myths/Folk Tales set in an Ancient time,in a land far away. This was a difficult book for me to read, but with that said it also was an interesting read once you got started. It is an autobiography of a mapmaker named Aoife from a faraway land. An adventure of love,loss,the human spirit,a mythic treasure,and one woman’s courage to do the unexpected. An interesting tale of the human spirit,love,Asian legends, hope and human’s redemptive spirit. If you enjoy Asian legends,mystic treasure,adventure,fantasy,faraway lands,and the magic of legends,then “The Mapmaker’s War” is a title for you to read. An interesting read. Received for an honest review from the publisher.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING:Mild

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction Reviews

The Mapmaker's War is a book like no other book I have ever read. It creates a world far removed from the one in which we all exist, taking the reader on a journey of confusion, discovery, magic and love. I am not sure I completely understood it. I know I need to read it again - maybe another time after that - to fully grasp the author's intent. I know like most literary novels a lot of it happened somewhere over my head but I do know that I was enthralled for my time within its pages.

The book is written in the second person which did take a bit of getting used to - it does tend to keep the reader at a bit of a remove. There are also no quotation marks; this being a new conceit in books. Why? Don't ask me but it was easy enough to sort out when characters were speaking. It didn't distract from the reading - at least not for me.

This is not going to be a book for everyone. I suspect that a few years ago it would not have been a book for me but having stretched my reading choices over the last couple of years I have opened my mind to less literal books and have been rewarded with gems like this. I'm finding it hard to articulate exactly was I was so enthralled; the writing was engaging. I loved the main character of Aoife even though she was, at times, not likable at all. She was, if nothing else very, very human.

I find myself thinking about Aoife and her worlds. She lived in two but really only felt at home in one of them. She is like many of us in that way. In trying to protect where she felt safe and protected she opened it up to a horror it never should have known.

I am so happy I read this book and it will remain in my library for a second read. I know it's the kind of book that will be even better after additional study. I know I missed bits here and there as I turned the pages to follow Aoife through her loves and losses. There is a sequel due next year and I do hope I am lucky enough to read it.

Ronlyn Domingue's latest novel, The Mapmaker's War: A Legend is an ambitious literary novel that more easily slides into the canon of magic realism than it does commercial fantasy. Generally an epic tale of a woman who defies convention and national obligation, the story explores issues of equality not only of the sexes, but of cultures, of governments founded on imperialism at the expense of all integrity, versus the cost of pacifism.

Brilliantly told from second person, present tense, Domingue's handling of this difficult voice is immediate, brilliant and compelling. At no point is dialogue written, rather it's told, and again demonstrates the author's skill in being able to take what could have been an extremely narrator-intrusive, action-stopping technique, and instead has rendered a story of imperatives.

The story itself is, as all timeless stories, driven by relationships and the characters behind those relationships, and in this case both are three dimensional and believable.

In tone I was very much minded of some of Ursula K. LeGuin and Candas Jane Dorsey's works, in particular Always Coming Home and Black Wine respectively.

Both an emotional and contemplative read, I highly recommend The Mapmaker's War to any lover of novels with depth and insight.

When my copy of The Mapmaker's War A Legend arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was the beauty of the book itself. The cover has a textured feel to it and the art is lovely, the pages have a torn look to the edges. The book is written as if it was translated from an ancient language of a different time and place, hence the choppy, fragmented prose. I found myself having to become acclimated with this style of writing in order to enjoy the storyline. There are small drawings sparsely placed throughout the book, which added to the story's effect.

The book is told in the first person narrative by a woman named Aoife who becomes her kingdom's mapmaker. The novel revolves around her life's journey, both physical and emotional. This is a coming of age story for Aoife as she goes from being a young girl, to a wife and a mother. She is an old woman as she looks back on life and narrates her tale.

This is definitely the kind of writing that can draw you in and envelop you or bore you to pieces. I found the start of a the book to be a bit slow, but the middle gained its momentum and after about page ninety, I could not put the book down. I am very glad I stuck with it because the end, I loved this book.

Aoife is a dynamic character, she is complex in many ways and I found myself immersed in her story. As a young girl she goes on to travel her kingdom's domain with others and jots down the territories. She has a wanderlust and she loves traveling and mapmaking and the freedom that comes with that line of work. When Aoife returns home, she finds herself pregnant by a Prince and winds up hastily marrying him. Marriage and motherhood are things she never wanted, yet here Aoife finds herself with a chance to be Queen someday.

On one of her trips, Aoife discovers a group of people who hide a mythical creature, a dragon. These people live by a code of peace. When her own community tries to make her give the exact location of the group so they can wage war against them, she refuses. Aoife is exiled for treason. Without giving too much away, Aoife soon finds herself in between two worlds, the life she once knew and the new one she is just coming into.

Author Ronlyn Domingue presents this story and its characters in a unique way. There's a magical realism to the story and as I read, I never quite knew what to expect. I also enjoyed that there is love within the storyline. It is a deep and unexpected love where the two people really understand each other.

I recommend The Mapmaker's War A Legend for readers who enjoy prose that is expressive and artistic and if you enjoy reading books that require your full attention. Despite the slow start, I enjoyed this richly told novel and am glad I discovered it. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Chronicle of Secret Riven which is due for release in 2014.

Disclaimer:
This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any type of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers and authors, such as this one, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I received a free copy of this book for possible review from FSB Associates.½

such a beautiful sad story. a heartbreaker. very touching. very poignant. I love Razi. I mourn for and with her. the moment she found Andrew was startling. I've been guessing that he's somewhat connected with Amy or Scott but it's still a shocker when the connection was revealed. I also admired Twolly. a dear friend. and I loved that Razi was there with her in her last moments. at first, I kept on asking so many what-ifs but the tragedy itself was what makes the story so beautiful. I felt Andrew's pain, it was devastating losing a love like that. and I want to understand his grief, the way he was broken after Razi's death. it was all too much.

I reread this about every two to three years. Life in older N.O.L.A., mystery, relationships, ghosts. This book is exquisitely wonderful. My favorite work of fiction in my collection.

This book was an amazing love story, and I never fail to recommend it to friends that ask.

A very moving and heartbreaking novel told from an unusual perspective by a young woman who drowns and is existing in "the between" where she follows the lives of her loved ones and teaches the newly departed how to do the same.

Thoughtfully written in beautiful prose. I enjoyed this book very much.

a ghost story with a twist. i like books from the ghost's point of view. and two haunting (no pun intended) love stories. not perfect, but a good first novel.

A heartbreaking story of love and lost. I thoroughly enjoyed how the story unfolded with the parallel storyline. Raziela is a terrific character, so modern for her time. Set against the suffragette movement, she was destined to be a pioneer. It is understandable then why she stays in limbo. Amy and Raziela have so much in common and their mates, Scott and Andrew are similar as well. Absolutely wonderful!

Love lost, love given, love found.

Told by a ghost, stories of two great loves unfold. Raziela is young when she leaves the love of her life behind, stuck inbetween she becomes a perfect narrator of the story of Scott and Amy, a young couple who purchases a chest with valuable secrets. Razi was not the typical woman of the 20's,caught between love and the future she always wanted, she reveals the story of her love for Andrew throughout her observations of the couple she resides with.
Amy and Scott's story is not without its own obstacles. Raziela and Amy are so similar in some ways. Both outspoken and with a bit of wildness to them. I don't want to delve to much into the story, because it is like a gift. It surprised me with connections and its wonderful cohesiveness.
The writing was almost melodic. It was both heart-wrenching, but hopeful at the same time. It was one of those stories that would make the most hard-hearted believe in the passion, beauty, and resilience of true love.