Comments on: Radiant Days?

By: Jess

Jess — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:01:59 +0000

I loved a lot of the pieces of this book, but it never quite came together into a coherent whole for me. Part of my issue with it (nothing to do with criteria) was that I didn’t like Merle at all. But it seems like other people had specific issues with her, and I find myself nodding agreement to a lot of those (wasted opportunity, lack of details about the rest of her life). I kept being distracted by having a fictionalized version of a real person. The time travel stuff didn’t bother me, but I can see the arguments against it. I liked the bits where they were interacting (but not necessarily with each others’ worlds) more than the parts where they were in public with other people. I thought Ted was a fascinating character – he grew into something I didn’t expect. But still, the whole book doesn’t hold together as well as some of my other favorites this year.

By: Liz B

Liz B — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:44:49 +0000

thanks, sdn! I thought it was that but wasn’t sure.

karyn, I guess my basic position is viewing this as a “being/becoming an artist” story, which is why the time travel stuff isn’t as big a concern to my reading — I’m not seeing it as a SF time travel story. I’m going to mull about this, and why, a little more.

By: sdn

sdn — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 03:46:10 +0000

Obviously, I love this very ambitious book (I am Liz’s editor). But I am not here to defend it; I am here to answer your ILLYRIA question. it was originally published as a limited edition in the UK in 2007 by PS Publishing, which was why it wasn’t eligible for the Printz. (It won a World Fantasy Award in 2008, for the record.) The Viking edition came out on 2010.

By: Karyn Silverman

Karyn Silverman — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:10:47 +0000

@Liz, my vague recollection was a limited edition US pub. And I LOVE your idea of Arthur as a figment of Merle’s emotional need/breakdown but I think the text makes it pretty clear that he is just as real as she is; his perspective is employed, Merle doesn’t know who he is, etc. This is a time travel story, although it might be more interesting as an insanity story, and I’m with Maureen in feeling like the time travel was pretty deeply flawed. I do absolutely agree with you about the frustration with Merle’s behavior, especially when she throws a fit about her work being sold, but I also agree that I’m responding emotionally. Which I can acknowledge, but need to remind myself is not relevant here!

By: Liz B

Liz B — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:29:34 +0000

Was the issue with ILLYRIA whether it was published YA? And done in an earlier limited edition in the US? (there was a UK one).

RADIANT DAYS; I’d imagine its on the commitees radar and wouldn’t be suprised to see it get a nod, but it’s not in my top 3. I did love it, but had issues and am not sure if they were my issues or the books. My issues with Merle: you get out of Appalachia and totally blow your chances? Why make art if then you don’t want to sell it? Leaving your tag everywhere isn’t art! Which, may be more me than her. It’s these issues that in a way made it work — I set that aside, and instead read it as an examination of a time in the life of an artist, of someone with no mentor or guidance due to chance, birth, and stubborness. (I’d add the abuse of the teacher/student relationship, also, tho I doubt she’d see that this also negatively impacted her as an artist.) I also saw it as a bit of Merle having a breakdown.

The interaction with AR, whether real or not, gives that guidance / inspiration that allows the child to focus into the adult, who she’ll be.

I just took a peak at my review; I note I call it flawless, and I think it’s because the issues I have with merle are more my issues, not the books; and for me the time travel/AR could be as easily her own mental breakdown as “real” time travel.

More later, running late for dentist.

By: Maureen E

Maureen E — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:30:22 +0000

Oh, gosh, thank you. I thought I had completely missed something because every single review I read looooooooooved this book and I didn’t even finish it. (Like you, I loved Illyria.) I think I just fundamentally didn’t understand why Merle and Rimbaud had this huge connection. It’s been a few months, but I also felt like the time travel aspect was weak, just completely ignoring the classic butterfly wings paradox.

I’d really like to hear from people who did love it, to see if they just didn’t have as many cracks in the windshield, or if they were able to find something deeper that I didn’t see.