BOOK REVIEW

I was intrigued by the cover of Colin Harvey's book, especially the back copy that promised semi-sentient jewels and gods mixing with mortals. And the hints of political intrigue and romance in the early pages of the book raised my hopes as well. Unfortunately, The Silk Palace never lived up to its promise, and in the end I found myself more frustrated than satisfied by the story.

The Silk Palace is the story of Bluestocking, who has come to the silk palace to translate ancient texts at the behest of its king. Unbeknownst to others, Bluestocking is actually Blue, an escaped slave. And if anyone should learn this truth, she would be sentenced to an ignominious death. While trying to serve the king, Bluestocking becomes involved in romantic and political intrigue, mysterious deaths, and the rise of an old and greedy demigod.

Harvey creates some strong female characters in his book, who are willing to take action despite their fears and doubts. By showing these women, from much different classes and circumstances, acting together, he makes a poignant point about power and gender politics. However, at times the characters' behavior and choices seem inconsistent - conflicts that appear earlier in the story (especially between Blue and the queen, or Blue and her lover, Kyr) are glossed over later when it suits the plot.

In a story where gods walk the earth, there's always the danger of plot resolutions seeming like deus ex machina. While Harvey doesn't fall into that trap, he does so by arbitrarily limiting the gods' powers sometimes, while allowing them to do miraculous things at other times. It would have been nice to see the exact rules of the world a little more clearly illustrated.

The Silk Palace has an unusual setting, and there are many small moments in the story that capture its beauty and strangeness. I really liked the idea of a palace made of spider silk. Other aspects, such as the hot air balloons used for traveling to and from the city, also struck me as fun ideas. I wished some of those ideas had been explored more fully; the semi-sentient gems, for example, only rated a few brief mentions as the source of characters' names. That was unfortunate, considering how big a role name and class played in the story.

In the end, The Silk Palace didn't quite reach the heights it promised. I kept wishing I could have read a more focused, polished version, where Harvey's clever ideas might be allowed the chance to shine.

-- Jennifer Crow