Book log: Damosel

[penmage]

Attention attention! elisem is having another fabulous clearance sale. Somebody go buy something, because my wallet and my self-control aren't speaking to each other right now.

I am actually wearing a pendant I bought from Elise right now--I love it dearly. So go see if something calls your name!

ETA: If you link to the sale in a public post, you can get entered into a drawing for a gift certificate. And here you thought I was just being charitable, giving you all this friendly PSA.
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Damosel by Stephanie Spinner

Damosel is a Lady of the Lake, and as such, she is bound by many rules. Rules about ettiquete, rules about magic usage, rules about promises. She is happy in the solitude of her lake, but when she promises the wizard Merlin that she will look out for the young king Arthur, she is forced to pay attention--and get involved--in the goings-on of mortals.

Twixt is a dwarf, stunted and tormented by one cruel master after another. When he encounters and aids Sir Tor, he finds himself first in the employ of the knight--and then in the employ of King Arthur himself. And so Twixt has a front row seat as the drama of Arthur's life explodes.

This book was a funny reading experience for me. I found Damosel herself very off-putting--sometimes she felt too silly, too bound by the Rules that I couldn't quite buy her or her world--and sometimes she felt too distant. I have trouble suspending disbelief when a character talks about something that happened when she was "just a child of ninety years old." And I certainly didn't buy Damosel's romance, which, despite being a major plot point, felt very forced to me.

What I did buy was Twixt. While Damosel's chapters kept jarring me out of the Arthurian world, Twixt's chapters kept pulling me in. Whenever I was reading Twixt, I could hear his voice, believe in his character, his world. Twixt was very real to me. When I came out of his chapters, I felt like I was blinking in sudden, too-harsh light. His voice lingered in my ears--sometimes, when I moved on to the Damosel chapters, I was confused, because my head was still with Twixt, and I couldn't understand what Twixt would be doing in a lake.

This book is definitly an interesting take on Arthurian legend. It doesn't feel very young to me, but I can imagine myself eating it up as a teen. The Damosel chapters are like Mists of Avalon lite--very lite. But the Twixt chapters are marvellous. I would have loved a whole book of Twixt.

Comments

[lnbw.livejournal.com]

Argh, why do you have to tell me these things? *hides wallet from self*

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Because I'm mean. And speaking of things, Tea Spot tonight?

[lnbw.livejournal.com]

Yes indeedy! Juliet says she's probably coming, too.

Will you be wearing the pendant there? :D I really like "She Kept Him In A Tiny Box Beneath Her Bed" and "The Tooth Of Time." Argh!

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Hah! I'm actually totally lying about the pendant. By accident. I thought I was wearing "Where's Your Scream Now, Boyo?" but I'm not. I'm a dork.

I'll wear one of my Elise pendants next week, if you want. I've got a few--right now I have two that I wear like, all the time. But apparently not today.

[lnbw.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I don't think I've ever seen one of her pendants in real life.

I have three windows (the two I mentioned plus "Calling On the Black Prince") opened and I keep refreshing her post to see if any of them have sold yet. Ahhhhhhhh.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

That's the trouble with Elise's jewelry. Sometimes, you see one and it just calls your name and you can't look away.

I have four of her pieces--the ones I wear the most right now is the aformentioned Scream, which is a gorgeous little rectangle of pietersite, and a round smooth labradorite pendant that is just about the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen.

I only let myself look when she has sales.

The earrings are sometimes more affordable, but I don't wear earrings.

Edit: "She Kept Him In A Tiny Box Beneath Her Bed" is gorgeous. DOOOO it...

[lnbw.livejournal.com]

AHHH I HATE YOU (read: have just ordered it)

My ears aren't pierced, and I don't like bracelets, so necklaces are about the only thing I ever wear (plus one ring). I love the metalwork on her pendants, but have so far resisted buying. But now that the floodgates have opened...

Have I recommended my favorite Etsy shop to you yet? It's here. I am in fact wearing a necklace from that shop today, and will still be tonight!

If it comes quickly, maybe we'll both be wearing Elise pendants next Monday. :)

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Oooh, pretty. I try to stay away from etsy--there's too much temptation too reasonably priced for my budget to survive if I spent any time there.

Yay, I'm so glad you got it! It's so pretty. I've actually been admiring that one for a while. I'm happy it went to a good home.

I always try to justify my Elise purchases by looking at the regular price and feeling good I got it for less, and then reminding myself that I rarely buy jewelry. The one-two punch of those arguments usually alleviate the spending guilt.

I am excited to see your necklace tonight.

[maleficently.livejournal.com]

You are a temptress beyond imagining. My self-control is gone. Email inquiring about three different items sent. My bank account is glaring at you. :)

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I feel no guilt whatsoever, because I am 100% sure that you will love and cherish whatever piece of jewelry you end up with.

Think about it--right now it's just a chunk of cash, but soon it could be a gorgeous necklace you'll love and wear forever!

Which ones are you interested in? I love jewelry-shopping vicariously!

[siadea.livejournal.com]

*wails* That wasn't very nice to link!

Fortunately, I don't have pierced ears, so I can't buy the Royal Fish, but oh god pendants not very nice of you at all!

(And then SHE linked to Bra Tenders, which sounds like an awesome place, and my bras are basically falling apart, and - )


...no love, penmage. No love at all. *lol*

[penmage.livejournal.com]

You got more than you bargained for when you became friends with me!

I have no shame. But I also am very, very glad that I don't have pierced ears so I am safe from earring temptation. Because earring temptation is very very strong.

Fortunately for me, none of the pendants in this batch are calling my name. But I do already own four, so it's not like I've gotten off easy.

[siadea.livejournal.com]

Apparently so! *laughingly wails*

It is. And. And I love fish. ...FORTUNATELY, no pierced ears for meeeee~

Ye-eeeah. I, like everyone else, sort of am looking plaintively over at She Kept Him in a Tiny Box Underneath Her Bed, but... resisting... resisting...

[penmage.livejournal.com]

If it makes you feel any better, I suspect lnbw purchases that one...

[maleficently.livejournal.com]

Clover Moon & Dragon Moon pendants, and the Portrait of a Dwarven Lady earrings :)

[siadea.livejournal.com]

It sort of does!

And sort of not. *lol*

[penmage.livejournal.com]

The Portrait of the Dwarven Lady earrings made my heart beat faster. If I was an earrings girl, I would say they were calling my name. I am glad they're also calling yours.

[akamarykate.livejournal.com]

Okay, it's your fault, I've been clicking through your link to the "Butterfly Pool" pendant all day, and I finally sent an email to inquire about it. It's so close to something I invented for one of the novels I'm working on, with the opal-in-a-wire-cage thing, and it's pretty and shiny and...

Argh. Your fault! But in the good way. ;^)

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling. Happy that someone else will love it, and that the temptation's gone, but sad because the possibility is gone for you.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Wow! I don't think I've ever had such a succesful post about elisem's sale!

I don't feel guilty. If it comes home with you, I'm sure you'll love it. There are secrets and stories in Elise's jewelry.

I only advertise for her because I love her stuff. Thank goodness nothing in this particular sale is calling my name!

And, if you link to the sale and drop her a comment about it, you can be entered in a drawing for a gift certificate! Can't beat that.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I see it's sold--did it go to you?

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I see it marked sold--did it go to you?

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I see them all marked sold--did any of them go to you?

[lnbw.livejournal.com]

Indeed it did. :) If this siadea is a NYer, I will be glad to let her fondle it when it arrives!

[akamarykate.livejournal.com]

It did! Yay! And I told her in my email that I'd found it via your link (maybe you should get a commission! ;).

Now I just have to figure out a chain to put it on...

[maleficently.livejournal.com]

All three of them. My bank account feels all light and free now!

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Yay, congratulations! It's a lovely piece. I definitly want fondling rights (or at least viewing rights) when it gets to you.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Yay! Congratulations, and I hope you enjoy them. They're lovely pieces--I'm glad Dwarven Lady went to a friend.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Yay, congratulations! It's lovely. I hope it whispers secrets in your ear.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

It did! It went to lnbw (Who is also a NYC local! So you can visit it when it comes to live with her.)

[amerrywanderer.livejournal.com]

Definitely your fault that I just bought "Calling on the Black Prince." But it's a good thing anyway, her stuff is just spectacular. I think the last time you posted about one of her sales I wasn't yet a member of the working world and therefore I was unable to afford anything. Now I can, and I write it off to birthday present to myself!

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Yay, congratulations! Once again, I feel no guilt. I hope it tells you stories and whispers secrets in your ears.

There's something truly spectacular about being able to afford to buy yourself presents, isn't there/

[amerrywanderer.livejournal.com]

Oh gods yes. I am rich by my own standards. It feels so nice to be able to be like, look! I have money that doesn't need to go anywhere! I can spend it if I want!

SO excited for my shiny :D