Wrong Train, Right Time (
wrongtrainrighttime) wrote2018-02-04 09:38 pm
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In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan
Brennan, Sarah Rees. In Other Lands. Small Beer Press, 2017. eBook.
Apparently after deciding Wayward Children's take on portal fantasy wasn't my thing, I decided to go for an completely different one. (Also I read Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty in between these and wasn't in the mood for more sci-fi. Review to come.)
In Other Lands is the story of Elliot Schafer, a mouthy, abrasive, bookish loner who winds up being one of a handful of kids who can see the magical Border between our world and the Borderlands. Said kids, along with Borderland natives, are trained to be soldiers guarding the Border and generally keeping the peace. A committed pacifist, Elliot promptly calls this militaristic outlook stupid and instead decides to join the disrespected and much smaller councilor training course. In Other Lands follows Elliot through four years of growth in the Border Guard training camp, as he explores the Borderlands, builds peace through cunning and treaties, discovers girls, discovers boys, makes friends, falls in love, and grows up.
Elliot is a fantastic protagonist. He's often an antagonizing jerk who runs his mouth, but his commentary is both amusing to read and often aimed at prying out the uncomfortable truths. (Like how all the kids in the training camp are being turned into child soldiers, for example.) The narration, which is third person but in his POV, is equally entertaining. Elliot would probably not be great to interact with, but being in his POV is marvelous. And, right from the start, there is a sense that he's paid for being the one determined to say whatever is on his mind no matter what: he's constantly tensed physical violence, and it's easy to see how he might go from being bullied to a stubborn pacifist. He is, admittedly, hard to love at times. Elliot keep his heart wrapped in barbed wire, always ready to (verbally) attack everyone around him as a defense mechanism. He's proud, overconfident, and prone to treating others poorly because he doesn't know how to deal with friends or feelings.
Over the course of the novel, he grows up quite a bit. He figures himself out: his sexuality, his issues, what he needs and wants out of life and the people around him. He doesn't ever stop being a mouthy, abrasive jerk but he learns that there is a difference between lashing out because that's the only way he knows how to deal with a world that has hurt him deeply and being an asshole. Brennan walks a fine line with Elliot in that regard. She writes Elliot is deeply sympathetic, scarred by his absent mother and negligent father and having learned from a young age that he was too weird to be wanted or loved. You understand why he is the way he is and you hurt for him. But Brennan also doesn't let Elliot off the hook when he crosses into asshole territory. And learning that distinction forms a big part of Elliot's growing up.
I still liked Elliot a lot. He is just fun to read, and, more than that, he is a genuinely, admirably good person. I don't mean in the sense that he has a tiny little heart of sentimental gold beneath all those layers of sandpaper defenses. I mean he is a powerful idealist who, even as a kid completely out of his depth, still chooses to go against the grain of the society he's been dumped in. He starts off as a staunch pacifist and he does not waver. He takes immense risks and puts in enormous amounts of work to write the treaties that will bring peace to the Borderlands because he loves their world and he does not want to see war tear it apart over and over. He insists that mermaids and harpies and trolls are people when everyone else tells him they are monsters. He works for the peaceful solutions even when it means not winning, even when it means no recognition. The same stubborn disregard for societal norms that makes him so difficult to his peers is the same thing that lets him stay the course of diplomacy in a world that's set aside his unglamorous profession in favor of honor, glory, and death. It's deeply fascinating to see how he falls in love with the Borderlands while refusing to let it warp him into something other than who he is. He wants the magic and the wonder, but he will not accept it at the point of a sword.
The cast that surrounds Elliot is equally fascinating. He quickly falls in with two friends who feature heavily in the narrative alongside him. Serene (short of Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle) is a beautiful elven warrior maiden from a matriarchal and deeply sexist culture. Imagine every cliche of chivalry and maidenly virtue that exists in our world, except it's the women who are the valorous knights and the men who are the delicate blossoms. Watching Serene try to navigate a world very different from the one she grew up in, meeting men who haven't been reared to play second fiddle to women, is fascinating. She learns much and she grows, though by the end of the novel she's still got a lot of growing to do. (She is, after all, also just a kid.) The over-the-top nature of her sexist remarks is hilarious -- especially in Elliot's POV. The over-the-top nature of Serene's sexism makes an interesting juxtaposition to the more mundane and patriarchal sexism of the humans: one might be funnier to us than the other, but both have serious consequences and both do real harm.
The other close friend is Luke Sunborn, the latest and brightest son of a renowned family of Border warriors. Handsome and athletic, incredibly popular, revered for his family name, and generally treated as a hero. He is kind, noble, honorable, and real good at stabbing people to death. He's also an awkward introvert, leery of people he doesn't know. Also secretly kind of a snarky jerk. His arc is less flashy, more about him trying to navigate his family's legacy and expectations -- and figuring out how to grow beyond their warrior outlook. There's a late book development that really forces to face himself and his friends and it's pulled off very well, for all that Luke's development gets relatively less page space.
But what I like most about the trio of Elliot, Serene, and Luke is how each pairing has a particular bond that is separate from, but does not detract from, their closeness as a group. Luke and Serene are swordsisters, warriors sworn to defend each other in battle, and they share a bond as warriors-in-arms that Elliot can never (and never wants to) understand. Serene and Elliot share an interest in politics and diplomacy. Serene is a warrior, but she shares Elliot's investment in books and papers and making treaties happen. And Luke and Elliot share a friendship based more on how they push each other out of their comfort zones. Elliot forces Luke to look beyond what he's received from the Sunborns, and Luke gives Elliot the acceptance and banter and affection that he's never had. All of their friendships are so good.
I also liked Brennan's portrayal of Elliot's exploration of his sexuality as he grows up. It's clear from the start of the novel that he's bisexual, though he spends the first couple years mostly crushing enormously on Serene. Throughout the four years covered by the novel, Elliot has relationships with girls, he has relationships with boys, he has sex for good reasons and bad reasons and other reasons. He fucks up and hurts people and is hurt by the fuck-ups of others. There's never an "a-ha" moment and no one true love. Just experiences that he learns from and takes with him into the future. And, because of all the twists and turns we've seen Elliot take, when he finally gets together with [SPOILER] at the end of the novel, it's so beautiful and sweet. But also, I like how Brennan portrayed the entire process as an integral part of Elliot's life. Becoming comfortable in his sexuality and figuring out what he wants out of a romantic relationship is as important to Elliot's coming-of-age as putting his past to rest and learning when to apologize.
The world-building in In Other Days is also interesting. Elliot's days in the training camp are treated as analogous to school, so there's a bit of the old boarding school adventure in this book's DNA. Time passes equivalently in both worlds, and his missing months from his original world are explained as him attending a prestigious military academy. The way that our world is viewed as a source of fresh (and very specifically human) soldiers gives the whole "special chosen children" concept a very different flavor. The whole thing has become institutionalized -- and militarized. Because what are they even coming for if not to fight? And there's also the disturbing idea that, by spending all their time training in the Border camp, the kids are effectively being robbed of any chance to back out later, because they've spent their teen years learning warfare without modern technology, so if they decide not to stay, they're kind of fucked. Elliot has to weigh, seriously, whether or not he truly wants to leave the world he was born in, that he knows so little about, behind forever, and because he does that, his decision is filled with both gravity and joy.
All in all, a fantastic read. Interesting take on portal fantasy, fascinating protagonist, excellent supporting characters (Shoutout to Captain Woodsinger!). It's a funny read, a gripping read, at times a deeply sad read, but ultimately joyful. I loved it.
Apparently after deciding Wayward Children's take on portal fantasy wasn't my thing, I decided to go for an completely different one. (Also I read Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty in between these and wasn't in the mood for more sci-fi. Review to come.)
In Other Lands is the story of Elliot Schafer, a mouthy, abrasive, bookish loner who winds up being one of a handful of kids who can see the magical Border between our world and the Borderlands. Said kids, along with Borderland natives, are trained to be soldiers guarding the Border and generally keeping the peace. A committed pacifist, Elliot promptly calls this militaristic outlook stupid and instead decides to join the disrespected and much smaller councilor training course. In Other Lands follows Elliot through four years of growth in the Border Guard training camp, as he explores the Borderlands, builds peace through cunning and treaties, discovers girls, discovers boys, makes friends, falls in love, and grows up.
Elliot is a fantastic protagonist. He's often an antagonizing jerk who runs his mouth, but his commentary is both amusing to read and often aimed at prying out the uncomfortable truths. (Like how all the kids in the training camp are being turned into child soldiers, for example.) The narration, which is third person but in his POV, is equally entertaining. Elliot would probably not be great to interact with, but being in his POV is marvelous. And, right from the start, there is a sense that he's paid for being the one determined to say whatever is on his mind no matter what: he's constantly tensed physical violence, and it's easy to see how he might go from being bullied to a stubborn pacifist. He is, admittedly, hard to love at times. Elliot keep his heart wrapped in barbed wire, always ready to (verbally) attack everyone around him as a defense mechanism. He's proud, overconfident, and prone to treating others poorly because he doesn't know how to deal with friends or feelings.
Over the course of the novel, he grows up quite a bit. He figures himself out: his sexuality, his issues, what he needs and wants out of life and the people around him. He doesn't ever stop being a mouthy, abrasive jerk but he learns that there is a difference between lashing out because that's the only way he knows how to deal with a world that has hurt him deeply and being an asshole. Brennan walks a fine line with Elliot in that regard. She writes Elliot is deeply sympathetic, scarred by his absent mother and negligent father and having learned from a young age that he was too weird to be wanted or loved. You understand why he is the way he is and you hurt for him. But Brennan also doesn't let Elliot off the hook when he crosses into asshole territory. And learning that distinction forms a big part of Elliot's growing up.
I still liked Elliot a lot. He is just fun to read, and, more than that, he is a genuinely, admirably good person. I don't mean in the sense that he has a tiny little heart of sentimental gold beneath all those layers of sandpaper defenses. I mean he is a powerful idealist who, even as a kid completely out of his depth, still chooses to go against the grain of the society he's been dumped in. He starts off as a staunch pacifist and he does not waver. He takes immense risks and puts in enormous amounts of work to write the treaties that will bring peace to the Borderlands because he loves their world and he does not want to see war tear it apart over and over. He insists that mermaids and harpies and trolls are people when everyone else tells him they are monsters. He works for the peaceful solutions even when it means not winning, even when it means no recognition. The same stubborn disregard for societal norms that makes him so difficult to his peers is the same thing that lets him stay the course of diplomacy in a world that's set aside his unglamorous profession in favor of honor, glory, and death. It's deeply fascinating to see how he falls in love with the Borderlands while refusing to let it warp him into something other than who he is. He wants the magic and the wonder, but he will not accept it at the point of a sword.
The cast that surrounds Elliot is equally fascinating. He quickly falls in with two friends who feature heavily in the narrative alongside him. Serene (short of Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle) is a beautiful elven warrior maiden from a matriarchal and deeply sexist culture. Imagine every cliche of chivalry and maidenly virtue that exists in our world, except it's the women who are the valorous knights and the men who are the delicate blossoms. Watching Serene try to navigate a world very different from the one she grew up in, meeting men who haven't been reared to play second fiddle to women, is fascinating. She learns much and she grows, though by the end of the novel she's still got a lot of growing to do. (She is, after all, also just a kid.) The over-the-top nature of her sexist remarks is hilarious -- especially in Elliot's POV. The over-the-top nature of Serene's sexism makes an interesting juxtaposition to the more mundane and patriarchal sexism of the humans: one might be funnier to us than the other, but both have serious consequences and both do real harm.
The other close friend is Luke Sunborn, the latest and brightest son of a renowned family of Border warriors. Handsome and athletic, incredibly popular, revered for his family name, and generally treated as a hero. He is kind, noble, honorable, and real good at stabbing people to death. He's also an awkward introvert, leery of people he doesn't know. Also secretly kind of a snarky jerk. His arc is less flashy, more about him trying to navigate his family's legacy and expectations -- and figuring out how to grow beyond their warrior outlook. There's a late book development that really forces to face himself and his friends and it's pulled off very well, for all that Luke's development gets relatively less page space.
But what I like most about the trio of Elliot, Serene, and Luke is how each pairing has a particular bond that is separate from, but does not detract from, their closeness as a group. Luke and Serene are swordsisters, warriors sworn to defend each other in battle, and they share a bond as warriors-in-arms that Elliot can never (and never wants to) understand. Serene and Elliot share an interest in politics and diplomacy. Serene is a warrior, but she shares Elliot's investment in books and papers and making treaties happen. And Luke and Elliot share a friendship based more on how they push each other out of their comfort zones. Elliot forces Luke to look beyond what he's received from the Sunborns, and Luke gives Elliot the acceptance and banter and affection that he's never had. All of their friendships are so good.
I also liked Brennan's portrayal of Elliot's exploration of his sexuality as he grows up. It's clear from the start of the novel that he's bisexual, though he spends the first couple years mostly crushing enormously on Serene. Throughout the four years covered by the novel, Elliot has relationships with girls, he has relationships with boys, he has sex for good reasons and bad reasons and other reasons. He fucks up and hurts people and is hurt by the fuck-ups of others. There's never an "a-ha" moment and no one true love. Just experiences that he learns from and takes with him into the future. And, because of all the twists and turns we've seen Elliot take, when he finally gets together with [SPOILER] at the end of the novel, it's so beautiful and sweet. But also, I like how Brennan portrayed the entire process as an integral part of Elliot's life. Becoming comfortable in his sexuality and figuring out what he wants out of a romantic relationship is as important to Elliot's coming-of-age as putting his past to rest and learning when to apologize.
The world-building in In Other Days is also interesting. Elliot's days in the training camp are treated as analogous to school, so there's a bit of the old boarding school adventure in this book's DNA. Time passes equivalently in both worlds, and his missing months from his original world are explained as him attending a prestigious military academy. The way that our world is viewed as a source of fresh (and very specifically human) soldiers gives the whole "special chosen children" concept a very different flavor. The whole thing has become institutionalized -- and militarized. Because what are they even coming for if not to fight? And there's also the disturbing idea that, by spending all their time training in the Border camp, the kids are effectively being robbed of any chance to back out later, because they've spent their teen years learning warfare without modern technology, so if they decide not to stay, they're kind of fucked. Elliot has to weigh, seriously, whether or not he truly wants to leave the world he was born in, that he knows so little about, behind forever, and because he does that, his decision is filled with both gravity and joy.
All in all, a fantastic read. Interesting take on portal fantasy, fascinating protagonist, excellent supporting characters (Shoutout to Captain Woodsinger!). It's a funny read, a gripping read, at times a deeply sad read, but ultimately joyful. I loved it.