Terrific series full of wonder, weirdness, and beauty. I love it.
It is never easy growing up as a shape-shifter, learning to control the wild Talent for changing into any shape at alla winged dragon, a pillar of stone, another human being, a creature from a nightmare. But for Mavin Manyshapedone of only two shape-shifters in her tribe, and recklessly headstrong by naturecoming of age is both exhilarating and terrifying. Little does she know she is destined to become the most notorious shape-shifter in all the lands of the True Game.
Song of Mavin brings smile after smile to readers throughout this novel. Like others, I discovered that I love the light hearted writing and the whimsical characters. This, I thought, is what a fantasy should be. It's true fantasy and so much fun.
So, who is Mavin Manyshaped? She's a shape shifter, one of only two females who lives in a shape shifter community. When she can change the shape of her toes she practices in secret because she wants to impress others with what she can do. She experiments for hours to become various objects - trees, animals, even people which she is not supposed do. She tells only her older sister urging secrecy. Mavin begins to observe her sister, finding sadness surrounding her. Learning the cause she urges her sister to change into the bird she dreamed of becoming. Fly somewhere to find a piece of herself and follow her dream. Mavin, too, wants to fly where she can follow her dreams and travel the world. When her sister leaves, Mavin takes her form to disguise the leaving. Then she take her young brother and leaves, too.
What's special about this read? Mavin herself, of course, who becomes a true individual as she develops her talent like simply by practicing endless hours. She realizes that her sister was held from her dreams because the community expected only more shape shifters. This discovery stimulates Mavin to reach for her own and the adventures begin, not the least of which leads to a magician whose attraction frightens her while it stirs her heart and a ghoul who spreads plague.
So, who is Mavin Manyshaped? She's a shape shifter, one of only two females who lives in a shape shifter community. When she can change the shape of her toes she practices in secret because she wants to impress others with what she can do. She experiments for hours to become various objects - trees, animals, even people which she is not supposed do. She tells only her older sister urging secrecy. Mavin begins to observe her sister, finding sadness surrounding her. Learning the cause she urges her sister to change into the bird she dreamed of becoming. Fly somewhere to find a piece of herself and follow her dream. Mavin, too, wants to fly where she can follow her dreams and travel the world. When her sister leaves, Mavin takes her form to disguise the leaving. Then she take her young brother and leaves, too.
What's special about this read? Mavin herself, of course, who becomes a true individual as she develops her talent like simply by practicing endless hours. She realizes that her sister was held from her dreams because the community expected only more shape shifters. This discovery stimulates Mavin to reach for her own and the adventures begin, not the least of which leads to a magician whose attraction frightens her while it stirs her heart and a ghoul who spreads plague.
This was written after the trilogy with Peter, but set before. I find Mavin a more interesting character than Peter was, but more difficult for me to follow all the imagery. Despite the descriptions I can't imagine what many of the creatures are supposed to look like. Anyway, interesting fantasy/SF from very early in Tepper's career, and showing some of the major themes she will incorporate in all later works.
