- The Good: Beautiful, atmospheric prose
- The Bad: A plot that’s unfulfilling compared to previous installments
- The Literary: Taiwanese-Chinese based fantasy
Instead of collecting stories, Cleric Chih finds herself in one when she accompanies a young bride to her wedding to an aging ruler. The elaborate welcome and extravagant parties don’t hide the crumbling estate, frightened servants, or the raving prince.
I enjoy these little novellas that follow Cleric Chih, a member is of the Singing Hills abbey, an organization dedicated collecting stories. Chih wanders the world, recording and sharing her finds. I really like the idea of these books, which are often stories within stories, where legends in turn shape the events of the novel itself.
However, the most recent novellas in the series are more action-heavy, with Chih at the center of events and part of the story itself. These new novellas are still good, but they don’t bring me the same level of joy as the first few in the series. Let me also note that I’ve only read the installments of the Single Hills Cycle that are nominated for the Hugo Awards, and it’s important to note that they’re linked by Cleric Chih but can be read in any order.
Chih and her new friend the bride-to-be explore the empty rooms of the estate, wondering about what came before, including the Lord’s previous wives. The wedding is supposed to be a happy occasion, a new life that opens up possibilities for the bride. But the new circumstances feel wrong, and the mystery is at times gothic.
Like much popular fantasy right now, this is quiet and cute, with low stakes, with emotionally distant characters. I’d recommend starting with an earlier novella in the series to see if Cleric Chih is strong enough to carry you through these later stories.