Grandmother Mælkevejen’s Belly: A Novelette of the Lodhuven by C.S. MacCath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
*This book was supplied to me by Audiobook Reviewer. This review was originally published on ABR’s website.*
Have you ever thought about the universe and its past and future from the perspective of…well…the universe? Grandmother Mælkevejen’s Belly endeavors to do just that by personifying planets, scientific theories, and other intangible things – at least that’s how I interpreted it.
I would classify this as literary science fiction, and it’s not an easy read. In fact, I read it twice and still couldn’t understand everything that was going on. But the fact is, I wanted to, and I’ll probably listen several more times in an attempt to fully grasp the whole story. I’m not a huge science fiction reader, so that could also contribute to my lack of understanding. Though difficult to picture as more than players on a stage (this would make a fantastic play), the personification of Eros and other legends is quite well done. In only 55 minutes, C.S. MacCath is able to bring several storylines together, even getting through a romance subplot, and she does it well. I found myself interested in each character’s relevance and background, and I think a full-length novel version of this book would actually end up being even more successful than this extremely succinct version; there was just so much to cover that I was left wanting a more expansive version of the book to help me deepen – and lengthen – my experience with this audiobook.
The author read this book, and I always find that to be a wonderful experience, even if the author isn’t necessarily an actor. The biggest critique I’ve found about MacCath’s reading of this book is that she read it too fast. While that’s true and you need to pay close attention at all times, it also belies her passion and excitement for what she’s written. I felt excited about the storyline because she was excited, and that’s a bonus in my book.
In conclusion, if you’re into science fiction and especially space-related fiction, this is a book you should check out. If not, there’s a 50/50 chance it won’t be for you. I think the author’s excitement alone makes it worth a listen.
View all my reviews