Slow River by Nicola Griffith

[alias_sqbr]

This is a 90s cyberpunk novel about a lesbian water engineer, it's well written if a bit dry and I enjoyed it, but there is a lot of rape-y stuff that happens on and off screen and some related unfortunate implications (see below)

It is definitely the best example I can think of of a genre novel with a protagonist who is believably mogai/lgbt but whose story has nothing to do with their sexuality. It has some nice, not too heavy handed commentary on corporations and copyright, too, and the non linear structure gives us layered picture of life at the top, bottom, and near bottom of society. I have no idea if the water treatment science is right but it felt realistic. It's a bit grungy but has a basic compassion and optimism at it's core.

My main problems were (a)all the really squicky sex (b)I could see some of the cracks in the plotting (c) I guessed some twists so early I didn't realise they were twists, and so felt a bit deflated when I realised THAT was what we'd been building towards all book.

Finally, there was a subtext I hate in fiction which will probably hit some people with rape triggers super hard. Under a cut for spoilers.

SPOILERS
So a theme is that we all get beat up by life, some so much it's almost impossibe to get back up again, but it's our responsibility where we go from there. Which isn't so bad in principle, but LITERALLY everyone who is shown giving up on life and/or passing on their pain to others is shown or implied to have had something ~break them~ as a child, generally sexual abuse. And vice versa. Just...ew.

Comments

[lizbee]

Oooh, that was on my list. I'm glad you posted this! (I finished Hild a few weeks ago, and I guess between that and this, Nicola Griffith is just Not For Me?)

[alias_sqbr]

Plausibly not. I remember deciding Hild wasn't for me based on someone's review, possibly yours. I'm willing to give her another go since I did like a lot about Slow River, but will vet the book carefully!

[lizbee]

Oh, I haven't reviewed it, except as a series of rants at yiduiqie. It was an interesting book, and I couldn't put it down in places, but it left an odd feeling in my mouth. Especially the ending, which I think was intended to be happy. (Spoilers on request.)

[alias_sqbr]

Ooh, yes, all the spoilers please! "Was intended to be happy" sounds like the kind of thing I'd prefer to be forewarned about.

[lizbee]

Okay, well, it's made quite clear that Hild is bisexual, but her primary emotional relationship is with her BFF, who is also her unacknowledged half-brother. (She eventually works this out, he never does.) So she has relationships with women, but they're mostly about the brother -- she even seeks out one of his former lovers for sex -- and at the end of the book, they're married. Which is politically dangerous (people close to the king have probably guessed they're relatives, though the king himself is unaware) but mostly it comes across as Hild getting her happy ending. Which I found quite problematic, given that from her brother's perspective, it's surprise!incest. And frankly, he's a jerk, and wasn't worth chucking aside more interesting women.

[alias_sqbr]

Wow. Thanks for telling me.

[transcendancing]

I really love Griffiths' writing style, and I found 'Cold River' difficult going too, but also liked parts of it very much. My favourite book of hers (of the 2 now that I've read, but this book became an instant favourite) was 'Ammonite', not sure if it would be your thing, but I did review it on Good Reads if you're interested, and ping me if you wanted to talk further about it.

[alias_sqbr]

Looks interesting, have added to my to-read pile! There was definitely enough I liked about Slow River to give her writing another shot.

[transcendancing]

Ammonite is more speculative, and more far reaching and it's primarily the story of a woman about herself.

[alias_sqbr]

Ok, thanks.

[transcendancing]

Very much looking forward to hearing how you find it and if it's your cup of tea or not.

[sanguinity]

I came out of Slow River feeling like I *ought* to like it more than I did. In the plus column, reasons you say: lesbians, and while I wasn't that kind of engineer, I did have some oversight of our wastewater treatment processes, and as you say, that *felt* right. And these are very significant reasons for me to like a book!

And yet, I never really got to the point of liking it, except in a vague, "oo, more engineering!" sort of way. Couldn't say why at the time (not that I tried particularly hard), but if *that* is what was going on as major themes... eh.

[alias_sqbr]

I've been trying to get more precise at pinpointing what it is that bugs me about books, since it's useful for telling the difference between "If I plough on maybe I'll stop being bored" and "if I plow on I will likely become HORRIBLY TRIGGERED".

[sanguinity]

And those of us reading your book-blogging appreciate your precision, too, for similar reasons. :-)

(Not that I expect your book-blogging to encompass any and all things that I'd want to know about! But they provide useful info that can be difficult to come by.)

[alias_sqbr]

Oh, cool, it's nice to know it helps other people.