pigtailedgirl ([info]pigtailedgirl) wrote in [info]the_last,
2005-12-28 14:38:00
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Two Hearts review

Ok, here are my thoughts on Two Hearts. If it's not ok to post this yet, please delete.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!



So, it's a really short tale about a little girl who sets out to get the king(three guesses who)to slay a Griffon that is attacking her villiage. We get to see Schmendrick and Molly, Old King Lir, and even the unicorn.

I have to say, it wasn't bad but I didn't like it either. Sorry Mr. Beagle. Didn't really connect to the little girl, so that starts me off bad because she's the main and only point of view.

I'm a hard sell on sequels and this, to me, didn't have what made me like The Last Unicorn. I don't feel happy to see everyone again because we didn't really get to know them as deeply again. You see the changes in Lir but it's hard to understand why, to feel for him as much as you would if he had a point of view for a bit.

The way everyone talks, the way they talked before and their characters don't seem here. The dialogue isn't the same, nor is the writing style. Of course it's shorter, but there is no poetic wording, in the descriptions of things anymore. No reference to tacos or magazines.

I wanted more. More of Molly and Schmendrick. Their adventures, why they weren't married, how it was to be magical and mortal for him. How Lir came to be what he became. Him talking to his dad in the woods. How the unicorn faired and her feelings on her return. Why and how she felt when she didn't bring Lir back.

The fight between the Griffon and Lir and the unicorn was cool, but the ending.. I just don't think this book closed well( and I mean in a well done way, not happy way) the tale of the character's from The Last Unicorn. It hardly opened them again. To me, Molly and Schmendrick are still going to start their adventures, Lir is still going to help Jocelyn and trying to be King and hero, and Amalthea is in her forest, seeing beauty in things that don't last.

*I will say on the positive that people who like Sooz, will like this, I think, and I do hope success for the writings planned with her.

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  • 5 comments

[info]celeste_

December 29 2005, 02:59:45 UTC 6 years ago

Hmm, I don't see it the same way you do (which is okay!) but I think it's because I saw Two Hearts as a last chapter, rather than a separate story. I didn't feel like it needed to open things up again, because they were already open. Instead I felt like it was a little glimpse into the future, where we get to see that while the characters may change or leave, the story never really ends :)

[info]kdmitche

December 29 2005, 04:56:11 UTC 6 years ago

I have to agree with celeste_. I love Sooz and, with the open ending and promise of a future novel, look forward to learning more about her. While I also wondered what happened with everybody during the years in between, I think the story sits strongly on its own. Even somebody not familiar with The Last Unicorn could enjoy this. If there was a lot of catching up written in, it could have detracted from the story at hand. I think (hope?) we'll learn more about everybody's histories in the new book. As far as the voice and writing style, I believe it's appropriate because this is not the Unicorn's story, but Sooz's. We're seeing her viewpoint now. You also have to remember that TLU was written a long time ago. Writer's voices change and evolve over time, usually for the better.

[info]pigtailedgirl

December 29 2005, 05:05:45 UTC 6 years ago

But, to me, it was written nothing like the former book. For a glimpse or last chapter it didn't give me anything to really see besides a new character, a new format, and a dead Lir. I didn't get to see and feel the change of Molly and Schmendrick, of Lir and the unicorn. Lir is dead, his tale or part over and I didn't get anything from it.

I still feel the original ending brought more heart to the tales of our characters continuing than this did, but it's still good to see different views. Would be boring to have 100% agreement. Have you done a review or plaaning on one?

[info]miladyhawke

December 29 2005, 08:20:55 UTC 6 years ago

Connor?

Connor, where are you?

I know you're doing your bestest (my most sincere and heartfelt appreciation going out to *YOU* Not to Peter Beagle, to *YOU* Without you, none of this would be; I hope PB totally appreciates you for all you are worth, like the Sam to his Frodo, or something).

IMHO opinion as one who hasn't yet read 'Two Hearts', I'm nervous about the story having reached this SF magazine before it reached the hardcore TLU following. Just sayin'. That's MHO.

I hope the story comes out soon, and you have people rooting for ya!

[info]sacredillusions

January 5 2006, 08:37:24 UTC 6 years ago

Peter's reaction was blunt. "For 36 years people have been asking me to write a sequel to The Last Unicorn, and for 36 years I've been saying no. There will never be a sequel. Never. That book was one of a kind. I said everything I had to say in it, and since there's nothing else to say I'm not going back. Anyway, I'm not that person anymore. No sequels!

It makes me kind of afraid to read this book. I don't feel like there was anything left that was suppose to be said, TLU was wonderful, graceful, intelligent, and so forth. I guess I feel like some things are better left alone...or prehaps it can mess with the memory I had of the first book. The press site just makes it seem like it was something unwiling...and he wrote it in what a month?

But knowing me I'll read it anyways, because I'm a sucker like that ^^;
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