My wife just got really into Victoria Goddard’s ‘Hands if the Emperor’ and ‘Feet if the Sun’. The cosy vibe, the fantasy setting and the loveliness of the core relationship really did something special for her; she started rereading it right away.
This is a kind of perfect fit for her that I don’t think I have fully seen since the fanfiction ‘Down to Agincourt’ helped her get over how terrible the back half of the TV show ‘Supernatural’ was turning out to be.
Last time I tried to get her something to fit into this vibe I got her ‘Legends and Lattes’ by Travis Baldree, but it wasn’t quite right for her. She felt that the core plot undercut the relationships and potential for character development rather than supported it. So I am looking for suggestions!
From what I have gathered the book needs to:
– Have a focus on relationships and character building especially a strong core relationship. This does not have to be romantic, but it needs to be detailed and resonate emotionally, i.e. Temeraire the dragon’s relationship with his rider is just as good as any of the romances below.
– Insight I to people. Understandkng how they work, what they are dealing with, etc. she loves Terry Pratchett because he just *gets it*
– Ideally fantasy, though other genres can still work (see below), overall she prefers books with what she calls ‘dragon potential’
Other books that have come close and hold a special place in her heart:
– A Gentlemen in Moscow by Amor Towles
– The Curse of Chalking by Lois McMaster Build
– The Time Traveller’s Wife
– Almost anything by Naomi Novik, but especially Uprooted
– Ammonite by Nicola Griffith
– Josiah Bancroft’s ‘Books kf Babel’ series
– Almost anything by Eva Ibbotson
Sorry for the long list, but as you can see, the sweet spot is achievable but specific. I would love any help you can give to help me find her next favourite book!
by Par2ivally