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The Mountain of Kept Memory
In this gorgeous fantasy novel that NPR Books called “a world to get lost in,” in the spirit of Guy Gavriel Kay and Robin McKinley, a prince and a princess must work together to save their kingdom from outside invaders…and dangers within.Long ago the Kieba, last goddess in the world, raised up her mountain in the drylands of Carastind. Ever since then she has dwelled and protected the world from unending plagues and danger… Gulien Madalin, heir to the throne of Carastind, finds himself more interested in ancient history than the tedious business of government and watching his father rule. But Gulien suspects that his father has offended the Kieba so seriously that she has withdrawn her protection from the kingdom. Worse, he fears that Carastind’s enemies suspect this as well. Then he learns that he is right. And invasion is imminent. Meanwhile Gulien’s sister Oressa has focused on what’s avoiding the attention of her royal father while keeping track of all the secrets at court. But when she overhears news about the threatened invasion, she’s shocked to discover what her father plans to give away in order to buy peace. But Carastind’s enemies will not agree to peace at any price. They intend to not only conquer the kingdom, but also cast down the Kieba and steal her power. Now, Gulien and Oressa must decide where their most important loyalties lie, and what price they are willing to pay to protect the Kieba, their home, and the world.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2016
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1052 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Neumeier
53 books569 followersRachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student and needed a hobby unrelated to her research. Prior to selling her first fantasy novel, she had published only a few articles in venues such as The American Journal of Botany. However, finding that her interests did not lie in research, Rachel left academia and began to let her hobbies take over her life instead.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
September 15, 2017
I requested this from Netgalley, because of one bit from the description: "this gorgeous fantasy in the spirit of Guy Gavriel Kay and Robin McKinley". If you're going to say that, and live up to it, then it's going to be amazing. (Also, Guy Gavriel Kay and Robin McKinley have very little in common apart from being ... amazing, so I'm dying to see what constitutes a cross between them.)
If you are going to say that and not live up to it ... I will eviscerate the book in question. Slowly. In print, of course.
But no. I think I get it. There is a certain scope and range to the story which is not unlike GGK, and a certain facility with the language which, if you squint, resembles Robin McKinley. But I wish, I really do wish, that publishers or whoever it is who puts out blurbs like that would realize that they are far more likely to be doing their authors a disservice than helping them. Because I went into this book – heck, I requested this book – with a light in my eye like "Oh, yeah? Prove it. A lot."
And while I still can't say I approve of using two of my favorite writers in the blurb, it didn't take all that long for me to let it go and just enjoy the book. Because it really is a solid, unique book with lovely, lovely writing. I required it to be nothing less than amazing, and it was.
The characters are alive, well-rounded and very much themselves, just about always responding to situations in ways that I didn't expect, but which were perfectly in keeping with the way they were built. It would have been very easy for the young princess Oressa to become a cliché of a trousers-wearing, I'm-not-going-to-behave-like-a-proper-princess rebel – and she did not. She is wonderful.
And so are her brother Gulien and the invading prince Gajdosik (who has such good reasons to invade). They all kept surprising me, they grew through the story, and they won my heart.
I read this not quite in one sitting, but not for lack of trying. The main reason is that it took me a little while to figure it out (and, I'll admit, to get past my prejudices), but once I was sucked in I was solidly in the author's world. It's a remarkable invention – magic used like I've never seen it used before, capricious gods (or are they?), perilous artifacts – it's deep, and wide, and hopefully has plenty of room for lots more stories.
As I mentioned, one point of commonality Ms. Neumeier has with, say, Robin McKinley is an easy grace with the language (easy-seeming – I'm sure the seeming is achieved with blood and sweat and tears) that is one reason why I read fantasy. She does not indulge in the villain's point of view to save herself the trouble of explaining his motives; she does not ever let a character take the figurative microphone and blether on in endless infodumping. She does not choose to simply say "he was exhausted and in pain", but shows it: "He lounged in his chair, feet up on a small table and crossed at the ankles, head tilted back against the cushions, eyes mostly closed. He would have managed to look comfortable, except that he was also ashen pale. There were dark shadows under his eyes and lines at the corners of his mouth that Oressa was almost sure hadn’t been there even a day ago." See, kids? That's what the old writing advice means. And the author knows how to avoid Reality Show Recapitis, in which what happened just five minutes ago is retold for the benefit of some character who wasn't there, although I the reader very much was. "'I believe we would appreciate the long version, eventually,' murmured Gajdosik", she writes, and my note was "Oh, bless", because so many (lesser) writers would have felt the need to remind their short-term-memory-lacking audience of everything they read a chapter or two ago.
It just struck me that I can myself add another writer to the short list that nobody else really ought to be compared to, but to whom I am, to my own surprise, going to draw a comparison… Dorothy L. Sayers. There is an air of Peter and Parker about Oressa and Gulien, with Oressa piffling away and only to the patient and observant revealing her actual level of intelligence, and Gulien solidly and stolidly moving forward whatever the obstacles. (Of course, Peter's piffle is usually an intentional defense mechanism, and Oressa just can't be bothered to straighten out the tangles before she speaks, but the resemblance still struck me.)
One book does not a Very Favorite Author make, but somewhere in packing boxes I apparently own two other books by Ms. Neumeier. Now I need to go find them. And I can't wait to see if there will be more from Carastind.
I just hope no one does her the disservice of comparing her to Tolkien.
Favorite line, which won't mean much out of context but which twisted my heart a little: "'Don’t talk,' Oressa said quickly. 'Please, don’t. Look, I’ll do both parts.'"
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review, with thanks.
If you are going to say that and not live up to it ... I will eviscerate the book in question. Slowly. In print, of course.
But no. I think I get it. There is a certain scope and range to the story which is not unlike GGK, and a certain facility with the language which, if you squint, resembles Robin McKinley. But I wish, I really do wish, that publishers or whoever it is who puts out blurbs like that would realize that they are far more likely to be doing their authors a disservice than helping them. Because I went into this book – heck, I requested this book – with a light in my eye like "Oh, yeah? Prove it. A lot."
And while I still can't say I approve of using two of my favorite writers in the blurb, it didn't take all that long for me to let it go and just enjoy the book. Because it really is a solid, unique book with lovely, lovely writing. I required it to be nothing less than amazing, and it was.
The characters are alive, well-rounded and very much themselves, just about always responding to situations in ways that I didn't expect, but which were perfectly in keeping with the way they were built. It would have been very easy for the young princess Oressa to become a cliché of a trousers-wearing, I'm-not-going-to-behave-like-a-proper-princess rebel – and she did not. She is wonderful.
And so are her brother Gulien and the invading prince Gajdosik (who has such good reasons to invade). They all kept surprising me, they grew through the story, and they won my heart.
I read this not quite in one sitting, but not for lack of trying. The main reason is that it took me a little while to figure it out (and, I'll admit, to get past my prejudices), but once I was sucked in I was solidly in the author's world. It's a remarkable invention – magic used like I've never seen it used before, capricious gods (or are they?), perilous artifacts – it's deep, and wide, and hopefully has plenty of room for lots more stories.
As I mentioned, one point of commonality Ms. Neumeier has with, say, Robin McKinley is an easy grace with the language (easy-seeming – I'm sure the seeming is achieved with blood and sweat and tears) that is one reason why I read fantasy. She does not indulge in the villain's point of view to save herself the trouble of explaining his motives; she does not ever let a character take the figurative microphone and blether on in endless infodumping. She does not choose to simply say "he was exhausted and in pain", but shows it: "He lounged in his chair, feet up on a small table and crossed at the ankles, head tilted back against the cushions, eyes mostly closed. He would have managed to look comfortable, except that he was also ashen pale. There were dark shadows under his eyes and lines at the corners of his mouth that Oressa was almost sure hadn’t been there even a day ago." See, kids? That's what the old writing advice means. And the author knows how to avoid Reality Show Recapitis, in which what happened just five minutes ago is retold for the benefit of some character who wasn't there, although I the reader very much was. "'I believe we would appreciate the long version, eventually,' murmured Gajdosik", she writes, and my note was "Oh, bless", because so many (lesser) writers would have felt the need to remind their short-term-memory-lacking audience of everything they read a chapter or two ago.
It just struck me that I can myself add another writer to the short list that nobody else really ought to be compared to, but to whom I am, to my own surprise, going to draw a comparison… Dorothy L. Sayers. There is an air of Peter and Parker about Oressa and Gulien, with Oressa piffling away and only to the patient and observant revealing her actual level of intelligence, and Gulien solidly and stolidly moving forward whatever the obstacles. (Of course, Peter's piffle is usually an intentional defense mechanism, and Oressa just can't be bothered to straighten out the tangles before she speaks, but the resemblance still struck me.)
One book does not a Very Favorite Author make, but somewhere in packing boxes I apparently own two other books by Ms. Neumeier. Now I need to go find them. And I can't wait to see if there will be more from Carastind.
I just hope no one does her the disservice of comparing her to Tolkien.
Favorite line, which won't mean much out of context but which twisted my heart a little: "'Don’t talk,' Oressa said quickly. 'Please, don’t. Look, I’ll do both parts.'"
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review, with thanks.
November 3, 2016
This should have been right up my alley. I love fantasy. I love political drama. I love intriguing difficulties and intrigues. But somehow it all fell flat.
I think I figured out the biggest part of my problem, the first two-thirds of the book feels like a prologue. There are a ton of obstacles and conflict that's set up, and then it's all just casually brushed aside or solved. There's no suspense or drama to it, just set up the problem, quickly resolve it. Repeat.
And to be honest, after waiting so long, and pushing myself to read to get to the real conflict, I just didn't care much anymore what it was or what happened to the characters. Because they weren't well developed either. They weren't two-dimensional, exactly, but they were exactly who you'd expect them to be. There were no surprises in their characters, and every twist I expected came to pass ... which made it feel not very much like a twist at all.
At that point it was all I could do to skim to the end. But that was when I got sucked in. At least for a little while. That was when the intrigues, the deceptions, the obstacles all became more urgent and simply interesting. The characters, all those unclimactic moments before that didn't seem to really do anything started to seem a bit like character building. And while I never really came to see anything particularly intriguing in Guilen or Oressa, I did become extremely interested in Gajdosik and Oris, for almost opposite reasons. Probably because I wasn't in their heads and didn't know them inside and out.
At one point I would have said the best part of the book was the 'who do we trust' aspect - but having finally finished it, and everything coming out exactly as I expected it to (more or less), I can't say that anymore. There were no surprises here. No twists that made me excited to have continued on.
Also, a good conversation between a few characters could have cleared up a lot. But I feel like, in all honesty, the character that should have explained didn't really have an explanation for their actions, because it was a plot machination, or something. It didn't make sense to me at any rate. I still don't understand the reason behind it, except it had to happen to move the plot the way it went.
I did actually end up finishing this book. But I can't exactly say that I enjoyed it. The potential was there in so many aspects. The world was on the edge of being amazing - except it just wasn't developed enough - I still don't understand the magic, or the gods, or their powers, or what the heck the Keiba or the kephalos does. The characters could have been fully realized and evolved, but they read a little too much like any other character I've ever read, where we got any real development. And aside from one character who was ambiguous, they were either good or bad . Then the plot just meandered and threw up these huge obstacles, only to gently shove them aside in favor for the next one. One might think that this would ratchet up the tension beautifully, but it really just left me frustrated and bored and wondering when the point of the story would actually begin.
I suppose it's fitting that I ended up as frustrated with how neatly the story tied up as I was nearly the entire time I was reading.
Review also available at The Book Eaters
I think I figured out the biggest part of my problem, the first two-thirds of the book feels like a prologue. There are a ton of obstacles and conflict that's set up, and then it's all just casually brushed aside or solved. There's no suspense or drama to it, just set up the problem, quickly resolve it. Repeat.
And to be honest, after waiting so long, and pushing myself to read to get to the real conflict, I just didn't care much anymore what it was or what happened to the characters. Because they weren't well developed either. They weren't two-dimensional, exactly, but they were exactly who you'd expect them to be. There were no surprises in their characters, and every twist I expected came to pass ... which made it feel not very much like a twist at all.
At that point it was all I could do to skim to the end. But that was when I got sucked in. At least for a little while. That was when the intrigues, the deceptions, the obstacles all became more urgent and simply interesting. The characters, all those unclimactic moments before that didn't seem to really do anything started to seem a bit like character building. And while I never really came to see anything particularly intriguing in Guilen or Oressa, I did become extremely interested in Gajdosik and Oris, for almost opposite reasons. Probably because I wasn't in their heads and didn't know them inside and out.
At one point I would have said the best part of the book was the 'who do we trust' aspect - but having finally finished it, and everything coming out exactly as I expected it to (more or less), I can't say that anymore. There were no surprises here. No twists that made me excited to have continued on.
Also, a good conversation between a few characters could have cleared up a lot. But I feel like, in all honesty, the character that should have explained didn't really have an explanation for their actions, because it was a plot machination, or something. It didn't make sense to me at any rate. I still don't understand the reason behind it, except it had to happen to move the plot the way it went.
I did actually end up finishing this book. But I can't exactly say that I enjoyed it. The potential was there in so many aspects. The world was on the edge of being amazing - except it just wasn't developed enough - I still don't understand the magic, or the gods, or their powers, or what the heck the Keiba or the kephalos does. The characters could have been fully realized and evolved, but they read a little too much like any other character I've ever read, where we got any real development. And aside from one character who was ambiguous, they were either good or bad . Then the plot just meandered and threw up these huge obstacles, only to gently shove them aside in favor for the next one. One might think that this would ratchet up the tension beautifully, but it really just left me frustrated and bored and wondering when the point of the story would actually begin.
I suppose it's fitting that I ended up as frustrated with how neatly the story tied up as I was nearly the entire time I was reading.
Review also available at The Book Eaters
April 11, 2017
This is exactly the sort of fantasy novel I'd been yearning for. Hopeful, fascinating, tense -- but not bloody -- and with a great cast of characters who are the kind of people you'd want to know. They're very human with their flaws and weaknesses and fears, but they keep pushing through because it's right and that actually matters.
One thing I found especially enjoyable is that the book itself feels almost like a mountain of memories. It gives all these impressions and elements that seem to be from the type of fantasy stories that I loved when I was younger. However, it mingles with more modern writing techniques so it doesn't feel dated or simplistic like some of those earlier fantasies. I can't go back to some of those -- they just don't hold up my adult preferences. But THIS novel gives them back to me in a way that I can appreciate these decades later. It's quite an accomplishment.
I don't know if there will be a sequel -- there could be. There are loose ends that don't need to be followed to give the reader satisfaction, but they could lead to new wonderful adventures. There's also a wide world and a deep history and interesting future that could also be explored. These are all coulds, though. The book stands complete on its own.
One thing I found especially enjoyable is that the book itself feels almost like a mountain of memories. It gives all these impressions and elements that seem to be from the type of fantasy stories that I loved when I was younger. However, it mingles with more modern writing techniques so it doesn't feel dated or simplistic like some of those earlier fantasies. I can't go back to some of those -- they just don't hold up my adult preferences. But THIS novel gives them back to me in a way that I can appreciate these decades later. It's quite an accomplishment.
I don't know if there will be a sequel -- there could be. There are loose ends that don't need to be followed to give the reader satisfaction, but they could lead to new wonderful adventures. There's also a wide world and a deep history and interesting future that could also be explored. These are all coulds, though. The book stands complete on its own.
November 29, 2016
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
I was so excited to read THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY that I barely got past the comparison to Robin McKinley in the description. And while I loved it, I didn't quite love it, if you know what I mean. I had a few complaints, but overall, this is a beautiful standalone fantasy with intrigue, action and a little bit of sweet romance.
My biggest complaint is that THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY started out very slowly. According to my Kindle, I was 25% in before I felt like the action picked up and things began to happen. So you need to be a little patient with this one. After that however, it was seemingly non-stop action. There were alliances forged, betrayals, battles, and most importantly, multiple trips into the Kieba's mountain, the Mountain of Kept Memory. The other problem with the slow beginning was that it was a little confusing. Sometimes explanations for actions that had happened earlier took a while to come.
What I loved, absolutely loved about THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY was the romance that Oressa was involved in. Though it was slow to advance, you could see the moments where the characters started and kept falling for each other, and it felt so adorable I just wanted to squee! I enjoyed how characters weren't always as they seemed, but how even if their actions seemed incongruous with previous decisions, it always seemed to make some sort of sense. The brother and sister relationship between Guilen and Oressa was wonderful, and I guess I can't gush enough about how much I loved Oressa. She was strong and intelligent, but not at the cost of others around her. I'm all for a strong female protagonist, but not when it means the men around her seem stupid. And this was not the case in THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY.
All in all, despite its flaws, THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY was still a thoroughly recommendable book. If you like strong female heroines, political intrigue combined with meddling god-like figures, action and multi-dimensional characters, definitely check this one out!
Sexual content: Oblique references to rape
I was so excited to read THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY that I barely got past the comparison to Robin McKinley in the description. And while I loved it, I didn't quite love it, if you know what I mean. I had a few complaints, but overall, this is a beautiful standalone fantasy with intrigue, action and a little bit of sweet romance.
My biggest complaint is that THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY started out very slowly. According to my Kindle, I was 25% in before I felt like the action picked up and things began to happen. So you need to be a little patient with this one. After that however, it was seemingly non-stop action. There were alliances forged, betrayals, battles, and most importantly, multiple trips into the Kieba's mountain, the Mountain of Kept Memory. The other problem with the slow beginning was that it was a little confusing. Sometimes explanations for actions that had happened earlier took a while to come.
What I loved, absolutely loved about THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY was the romance that Oressa was involved in. Though it was slow to advance, you could see the moments where the characters started and kept falling for each other, and it felt so adorable I just wanted to squee! I enjoyed how characters weren't always as they seemed, but how even if their actions seemed incongruous with previous decisions, it always seemed to make some sort of sense. The brother and sister relationship between Guilen and Oressa was wonderful, and I guess I can't gush enough about how much I loved Oressa. She was strong and intelligent, but not at the cost of others around her. I'm all for a strong female protagonist, but not when it means the men around her seem stupid. And this was not the case in THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY.
All in all, despite its flaws, THE MOUNTAIN OF KEPT MEMORY was still a thoroughly recommendable book. If you like strong female heroines, political intrigue combined with meddling god-like figures, action and multi-dimensional characters, definitely check this one out!
Sexual content: Oblique references to rape
October 30, 2016
Original review on The Book Adventures
In a medieval-esque world, one almost scientific technology is the key to saving the future. Princess Oressa learns about her own fate, which is intertwined with the future of her kingdom and the world, as she eavesdrops on her father's council during a discussion about a pending invasion by the kingdom across the sea. She learns that she is to be offered in marriage to one of the detestable princes in order to resolve the conflict peacefully. Her small country cannot win against the armies of the other. Her father's greatest weapon, a mythical creature called the Kieba, has withdrawn her support. It turns out that her father has stolen from the Kieba an ancient and powerful artifact of the dead gods, one that in mortal hands, can cause magical plagues.
To summarize, Oressa's country is threatened by its neighboring countries, by the rift between the Kieba and her father, by a half-dozen godly artifacts, and by potential plagues. Oressa and her brother (the other narrator), Gulien, must find a way through the tangle to save their kingdom, their people, and even the world. No pressure. They find unexpected allies in the first invading prince. Despite all rumors to the contrary, he's actually a pretty decent (and handsome, and clever) guy.
Last thing: I loved that this was pretty light. There's danger, and violence, and death, but it's muted. Not explicit, not graphic, not pervasive, and most of the people are really good people. Or only mostly bad people, with some good in them. The villains mostly get what they deserve, including redemption.
Overall, The Mountain of Kept Memory is a light, fun, compelling fantasy adventure with a dash of romance that really works. Highly recommended. Start it on a weekend, you may not be able to put it down.
In a medieval-esque world, one almost scientific technology is the key to saving the future. Princess Oressa learns about her own fate, which is intertwined with the future of her kingdom and the world, as she eavesdrops on her father's council during a discussion about a pending invasion by the kingdom across the sea. She learns that she is to be offered in marriage to one of the detestable princes in order to resolve the conflict peacefully. Her small country cannot win against the armies of the other. Her father's greatest weapon, a mythical creature called the Kieba, has withdrawn her support. It turns out that her father has stolen from the Kieba an ancient and powerful artifact of the dead gods, one that in mortal hands, can cause magical plagues.
To summarize, Oressa's country is threatened by its neighboring countries, by the rift between the Kieba and her father, by a half-dozen godly artifacts, and by potential plagues. Oressa and her brother (the other narrator), Gulien, must find a way through the tangle to save their kingdom, their people, and even the world. No pressure. They find unexpected allies in the first invading prince. Despite all rumors to the contrary, he's actually a pretty decent (and handsome, and clever) guy.
Last thing: I loved that this was pretty light. There's danger, and violence, and death, but it's muted. Not explicit, not graphic, not pervasive, and most of the people are really good people. Or only mostly bad people, with some good in them. The villains mostly get what they deserve, including redemption.
Overall, The Mountain of Kept Memory is a light, fun, compelling fantasy adventure with a dash of romance that really works. Highly recommended. Start it on a weekend, you may not be able to put it down.
July 24, 2016
Disclaimer I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 23%
This SCREAMS everything that I would love from the description but oh man is that first bit hard to get through. Not only did the story slowly trudge along after an initial burst but the writing was just not good. Paragraphs would be dedicated to saying the same thing over and over in slightly different ways. It was like when you know you need more words for your essay but have nothing else to say. I think maybe the writing was trying to be somewhat Purple Prose-y but it failed completely. I had such a hard time getting to this percentage to be honest so I just am not going to move forward.
DNF @ 23%
This SCREAMS everything that I would love from the description but oh man is that first bit hard to get through. Not only did the story slowly trudge along after an initial burst but the writing was just not good. Paragraphs would be dedicated to saying the same thing over and over in slightly different ways. It was like when you know you need more words for your essay but have nothing else to say. I think maybe the writing was trying to be somewhat Purple Prose-y but it failed completely. I had such a hard time getting to this percentage to be honest so I just am not going to move forward.
December 2, 2024
Overall, very interesting and super cute.
This story follows Gulien and Oressa Madelin, prince and princess of Carastind. Their nation is under threat from an invading force led by Prince Gajdosik and the Keiba, a mysterious semi-divine being who usually watches over Carastind, has withdrawn her protection. Gulien goes on a pilgrimage to make amends to the Kieba, while Oressa stays back to weather the siege and occupation.
This setup is simple enough, but becomes a kaleidoscope of moving parts very quickly.
Gulien's pilgrimage to the Kieba's mountain quickly shows us that there's a lot more going on than we understand. Is the Kieba divine, or is she not? What is the kephalos, and why is it like some kind of sentient AI? What are these plagues that scour the earth, that aren't like any plagues we know of in the real world? What part is Gulien being made to play in this bigger picture?
Gajdosik, the original enemy, becomes an ally of necessity when a greater enemy shows up. He's a good character, almost from the beginning. Hard to hold any of his minor misdeeds against him, and his and Oressa's sojourn in the Kieba's mountain is almost entirely enjoyable and endearing. Oressa has a little bit of "upbeat, sassy young lady who talks too much sometimes, but is smarter than she seems" disease and can come off as younger than she is. However, she walks this fine line pretty well and never tipped over into becoming annoying.
The worldbuilding mystery commanded a large percentage of my investment. I devoured every new piece of the lore behind the Keiba as it was doled out and, while not everything was explained in detail, the end was satisfying. Oressa and Gajdosik are cute. Gulien really got the most difficult ending, but it still felt appropriate.
This story follows Gulien and Oressa Madelin, prince and princess of Carastind. Their nation is under threat from an invading force led by Prince Gajdosik and the Keiba, a mysterious semi-divine being who usually watches over Carastind, has withdrawn her protection. Gulien goes on a pilgrimage to make amends to the Kieba, while Oressa stays back to weather the siege and occupation.
This setup is simple enough, but becomes a kaleidoscope of moving parts very quickly.
Gulien's pilgrimage to the Kieba's mountain quickly shows us that there's a lot more going on than we understand. Is the Kieba divine, or is she not? What is the kephalos, and why is it like some kind of sentient AI? What are these plagues that scour the earth, that aren't like any plagues we know of in the real world? What part is Gulien being made to play in this bigger picture?
Gajdosik, the original enemy, becomes an ally of necessity when a greater enemy shows up. He's a good character, almost from the beginning. Hard to hold any of his minor misdeeds against him, and his and Oressa's sojourn in the Kieba's mountain is almost entirely enjoyable and endearing. Oressa has a little bit of "upbeat, sassy young lady who talks too much sometimes, but is smarter than she seems" disease and can come off as younger than she is. However, she walks this fine line pretty well and never tipped over into becoming annoying.
The worldbuilding mystery commanded a large percentage of my investment. I devoured every new piece of the lore behind the Keiba as it was doled out and, while not everything was explained in detail, the end was satisfying. Oressa and Gajdosik are cute. Gulien really got the most difficult ending, but it still felt appropriate.
October 23, 2016
The Mountain of Kept Memory is a stand alone fantasy novel that reminded me of City of Stairs. The gods died long ago, but the Kieba has retained some of their power, which she’s used to protect the people of Carastind… until the king manages to anger her. With the kingdom on the edge of invasion, the prince and princess of Carastind are desperately trying to salvage their kingdom’s independence from the forces arrayed against them.
While The Mountain of Kept Memory is firmly in the fantasy genre, the eponymous mountain, the dwelling place of the Kieba, had an almost science fiction feel to it. I really loved the influence, and I thought the background mythology of the dead gods and the Kieba was one of the best things about the book. The world building was just detailed enough to avoid feeling generic, but I think I’ll be remembering the Kieba and her mountain for quite a while.
The narrative switches POV between two protagonists. Gulien Madalin is the prince and heir to the throne. He’s conscientious and tries to be a good son, but he’s realizing that his father may not have the kingdom’s best interests at heart. Oressa is his sister, the princess. She was a pretty awesome female lead. She’s adept at playing the role of the demure princess, but she’s actually got a rebellious streak a mile wide and is far more intelligent than she lets on. If anything happens within the palace, she’s likely to know about it.
Tone-wise, The Mountain of Kept Memory doesn’t follow the grimdark trend. While I wouldn’t call it fluffy, it’s not dark either. There is a minor romance subplot for Oressa, but it doesn’t receive much focus. The story’s more centered around the political drama of invading armies and trying to seek the Kieba’s help.
The Mountain of Kept Memory is one of the few stand alone epic fantasy novels I’ve come across in a while. I was doubting Rachel Neumeier’s ability to fit the plot into one volume, but she ended up surprising me. I enjoyed reading it quite a bit, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a more traditional fantasy novel.
Originally posted on my link text
I received an ARC of The Mountain of Kept Memory from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
While The Mountain of Kept Memory is firmly in the fantasy genre, the eponymous mountain, the dwelling place of the Kieba, had an almost science fiction feel to it. I really loved the influence, and I thought the background mythology of the dead gods and the Kieba was one of the best things about the book. The world building was just detailed enough to avoid feeling generic, but I think I’ll be remembering the Kieba and her mountain for quite a while.
The narrative switches POV between two protagonists. Gulien Madalin is the prince and heir to the throne. He’s conscientious and tries to be a good son, but he’s realizing that his father may not have the kingdom’s best interests at heart. Oressa is his sister, the princess. She was a pretty awesome female lead. She’s adept at playing the role of the demure princess, but she’s actually got a rebellious streak a mile wide and is far more intelligent than she lets on. If anything happens within the palace, she’s likely to know about it.
Tone-wise, The Mountain of Kept Memory doesn’t follow the grimdark trend. While I wouldn’t call it fluffy, it’s not dark either. There is a minor romance subplot for Oressa, but it doesn’t receive much focus. The story’s more centered around the political drama of invading armies and trying to seek the Kieba’s help.
The Mountain of Kept Memory is one of the few stand alone epic fantasy novels I’ve come across in a while. I was doubting Rachel Neumeier’s ability to fit the plot into one volume, but she ended up surprising me. I enjoyed reading it quite a bit, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a more traditional fantasy novel.
Originally posted on my link text
I received an ARC of The Mountain of Kept Memory from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2016
Carastind is a country weakened by plague, with aggressive neighbors. But the Kieba, the power that has always protected the country, has had some kind of an argument with the king. Only Oressa and Guilan, the princess and prince, know that if their enemies struck now, Carastind would likely fall. To prevent this, the brother and sister gamble desperately: approaching the Kieba at her strange mountain. But the Kieba has plans of her own . . .
It's hard to write a good summary of this. In one sense, it's got the elements of a traditional fantasy: a kingdom in duress, the young prince and princess who are willing to do anything to save it, an enigmatic power, and so on. But it's how the story moves with those elements that make them really shine. Although this is a world of gods long dead and magics no longer understood, there's a definite touch of science fiction as well.
I loved Kieba's mountain. I like intelligent stone anyway, so the living crystal was one of my favorite elements of the book.
I also really liked the characters. Guilen is loyal to his father and his country, which is hard because his father's actions seem destined to bring down the country, thus forcing the young man to make a series of hard choices. Oressa sees things more simply. She's a princess in a place where the most that's expected of her is to make a political marriage, but that hasn't stopped her from learning everything she can about politics. She's incredibly strong-minded and competent right from the start, which was refreshing. But that doesn't mean she doesn't make mistakes, though she takes every setback and tries to find a way through.
One of my favorite parts of the book was a conversation Oressa has with a certain prince, where she fills in both sides of the conversation. My other favorite scene involves the story she tells to explain herself on a journey, and the way she can use even that to her advantage.
The mysteries keep unfolding, the troubles keep building, and the end caps it off perfectly. The story could easily end here, although I'm the sort that always wants to know just a bit more. I'd particularly like to see some of the gods, and learn what it was they did that ended up killing them. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
It's hard to write a good summary of this. In one sense, it's got the elements of a traditional fantasy: a kingdom in duress, the young prince and princess who are willing to do anything to save it, an enigmatic power, and so on. But it's how the story moves with those elements that make them really shine. Although this is a world of gods long dead and magics no longer understood, there's a definite touch of science fiction as well.
I loved Kieba's mountain. I like intelligent stone anyway, so the living crystal was one of my favorite elements of the book.
I also really liked the characters. Guilen is loyal to his father and his country, which is hard because his father's actions seem destined to bring down the country, thus forcing the young man to make a series of hard choices. Oressa sees things more simply. She's a princess in a place where the most that's expected of her is to make a political marriage, but that hasn't stopped her from learning everything she can about politics. She's incredibly strong-minded and competent right from the start, which was refreshing. But that doesn't mean she doesn't make mistakes, though she takes every setback and tries to find a way through.
One of my favorite parts of the book was a conversation Oressa has with a certain prince, where she fills in both sides of the conversation. My other favorite scene involves the story she tells to explain herself on a journey, and the way she can use even that to her advantage.
The mysteries keep unfolding, the troubles keep building, and the end caps it off perfectly. The story could easily end here, although I'm the sort that always wants to know just a bit more. I'd particularly like to see some of the gods, and learn what it was they did that ended up killing them. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
not-finishing
August 23, 2019A fascinating world but the book just did not hold my interest -- in part because the characters (Oressa in particular) sound like they're about 12 years old, and in part because on page 190 there was still not much happening -- just the same loops over and over. It's been obvious since about page 5 that , and when a book signals that strongly I expect more pay-off earlier on. I saw Neumeier mention she had rewritten this for the publisher's adult line; I think for me the bones of the original YA novel shine through so clearly that all the extra words just feel like padding. Neumeier is quite a competent writer and perhaps her other work would be more to my liking, but I am going to quit pushing myself to read this one.
February 4, 2017
Rachel Neumeier has done it again! This is a fine fantasy novel with relatable heroes, dastardly villains, and a few characters who defy categorization. The brother and sister at the heart of the book are a great pair, right up there with Leto and Ghanima Atreides.
May 10, 2017
Insanely, mind-blowingly original. I have no idea how Neumeier thinks up these ideas, but I approve immensely!
May 2, 2018
(Disclaimer: I received this free book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I am going to list the five reasons why I think you should read this book!
1- The relationship between the two siblings
2- They're grappling with a really hard question about how to be a good ruler
3- The world building is fascinating
4- During the book we have to challenge our expectations about our 'enemy'
5- The plot is so twisty
Characters: 4, World: 4, Plot: 5, Writing: 4
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
I am going to list the five reasons why I think you should read this book!
1- The relationship between the two siblings
2- They're grappling with a really hard question about how to be a good ruler
3- The world building is fascinating
4- During the book we have to challenge our expectations about our 'enemy'
5- The plot is so twisty
Characters: 4, World: 4, Plot: 5, Writing: 4
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
March 2, 2020
I feel like I slept on Neumeier and now I'm getting caught up.
February 10, 2017
This was a pleasant surprise for me! It's a new release that I haven't seen getting much attention at all here at the end of 2016/beginning of 2017.
The narrative switches between two protagonists, Gulien and Oressa, prince and princess of Carastind. The plot is instigated by an invasion of the capital city of Carastind by a foreign prince, but that is just the start. It's a wild ride of shifting situations and allegiances (well, wild by my standards; I like my fantasy pretty tame) that kept me on my toes guessing from start to finish!
It's all to do with the Kieba, an immortal woman believed to be a former goddess, and the use of her magic, the remnants of the magic of the dead gods. She dwells inside a mountain in Carastind, and the kingdom has always relied upon her protection, but now they can no longer be certain of it. And it turns out that various factions have very different ideas about what and who the Kieba really is, how her magic works, and how it might be exploited.
And this is where The Mountain of Kept Memory rubs up against the border between fantasy and sci-fi, because elements of the Kieba's "magic," when seen in action, look a quite a bit like far-future SF technology. So this could be a far-future regressed society, or a fantasy world that happens to have had an incredibly high-tech past. The ambiguities in the worldbuilding appealed to me, and I liked that Neumeier refrained from giving us clear-cut answers.
But what I honestly enjoyed the most about Neumeier's writing was how intelligent all of the characters evidently are (and all differently so), without her ever having to TELL us how intelligent they are. The plot is driven by the ways the protagonists (and antagonists) interpret constantly-changing situations and decide upon courses of action accordingly.
There are quite a few comments here on the promotional comparison to Robin McKinley and Guy Gavriel Kay. I'm a huge fan of McKinley, and though I have never read anything by Kay, I wouldn't have thought of lumping those two authors together. Though McKinley's books are often quite different from each other, the element of ambiguity and complexity in Neumeier's writing reminded me a bit of hers. If you're going to compare Mountain of Kept Memory to a McKinley book, I'd say that Pegasus is the one to compare it to (though Mountain of Kept Memory stands alone, as Pegasus does not).
The narrative switches between two protagonists, Gulien and Oressa, prince and princess of Carastind. The plot is instigated by an invasion of the capital city of Carastind by a foreign prince, but that is just the start. It's a wild ride of shifting situations and allegiances (well, wild by my standards; I like my fantasy pretty tame) that kept me on my toes guessing from start to finish!
It's all to do with the Kieba, an immortal woman believed to be a former goddess, and the use of her magic, the remnants of the magic of the dead gods. She dwells inside a mountain in Carastind, and the kingdom has always relied upon her protection, but now they can no longer be certain of it. And it turns out that various factions have very different ideas about what and who the Kieba really is, how her magic works, and how it might be exploited.
And this is where The Mountain of Kept Memory rubs up against the border between fantasy and sci-fi, because elements of the Kieba's "magic," when seen in action, look a quite a bit like far-future SF technology. So this could be a far-future regressed society, or a fantasy world that happens to have had an incredibly high-tech past. The ambiguities in the worldbuilding appealed to me, and I liked that Neumeier refrained from giving us clear-cut answers.
But what I honestly enjoyed the most about Neumeier's writing was how intelligent all of the characters evidently are (and all differently so), without her ever having to TELL us how intelligent they are. The plot is driven by the ways the protagonists (and antagonists) interpret constantly-changing situations and decide upon courses of action accordingly.
There are quite a few comments here on the promotional comparison to Robin McKinley and Guy Gavriel Kay. I'm a huge fan of McKinley, and though I have never read anything by Kay, I wouldn't have thought of lumping those two authors together. Though McKinley's books are often quite different from each other, the element of ambiguity and complexity in Neumeier's writing reminded me a bit of hers. If you're going to compare Mountain of Kept Memory to a McKinley book, I'd say that Pegasus is the one to compare it to (though Mountain of Kept Memory stands alone, as Pegasus does not).
June 12, 2018
Very oddly identical to Winter of Ice and Iron in set-up: the brother-sister pair + father from the basically decent kingdom under threat but with a mysterious protecting power meets the tall dark and imperious lord of the basically evil kingdom who is trying to save his people from the horrible abuses and power-hungry evilness of his ruler back home.
In some ways this variation was more successful than WoIaI: Oressa is a much more interesting, active character than Kehera, and Gulien more fleshed out than his counterpart; instead of operating in a totally different plotline for most of the novel, Godjalek has to work with them (and they with him) from a much earlier point, leading to interesting and enjoyable relationships between all three protagonists (who all, indeed, really feel like protagonists equally). Oressa and Gulien's conflicted (in different ways) relationship to their father is also a really nice element: complex, full of hurt and wrong and misunderstanding but salvageable (maybe) at the last.
In other ways, though, it was messier: there were so many plot and atmosphere strands left hanging: magical plagues! the threatened invasion from the merchant princes and their spies! the convent in which Oressa's mother was immured! The shifting loyalties of various minor nobles and courtiers! The technical, almost computer-like language of the kephalos and the Keiba's mountain! How does memory get turned into stone, anyway?! The world didn't quite hang together-- but also, I confess that I enjoyed the atmosphere of WoIaI (snow! mountain passes! spirits of the land! desperate measures and alliances that are disadvantageous but must be endured!) more than the overall "feel" of this one. But still a quite enjoyable fantasy novel.
In some ways this variation was more successful than WoIaI: Oressa is a much more interesting, active character than Kehera, and Gulien more fleshed out than his counterpart; instead of operating in a totally different plotline for most of the novel, Godjalek has to work with them (and they with him) from a much earlier point, leading to interesting and enjoyable relationships between all three protagonists (who all, indeed, really feel like protagonists equally). Oressa and Gulien's conflicted (in different ways) relationship to their father is also a really nice element: complex, full of hurt and wrong and misunderstanding but salvageable (maybe) at the last.
In other ways, though, it was messier: there were so many plot and atmosphere strands left hanging: magical plagues! the threatened invasion from the merchant princes and their spies! the convent in which Oressa's mother was immured! The shifting loyalties of various minor nobles and courtiers! The technical, almost computer-like language of the kephalos and the Keiba's mountain! How does memory get turned into stone, anyway?! The world didn't quite hang together-- but also, I confess that I enjoyed the atmosphere of WoIaI (snow! mountain passes! spirits of the land! desperate measures and alliances that are disadvantageous but must be endured!) more than the overall "feel" of this one. But still a quite enjoyable fantasy novel.
November 12, 2016
It was alright but I was really hoping for something better. Also Oressa annoyed me a lot.
June 6, 2018
3.5 stars. This took me WAY longer to finish than I thought it would, which I blame completely on having to finish an ton of library books before they became overdue, and not because I hated this book.
I enjoyed this, I guess, although it's by no means my favorite Rachel Neumeier novel. My biggest problems were that it's rather slow-paced due to so much travel and sometimes confusing when it comes to the Kieba and the artifacts. I also wish we'd gotten to see more of the world outside of Carastind and the Kieba's mountain–Tamarist especially, since so much of the plot is kicked off by things happening there that we never actually get to see. A lot of things involving Tamarist felt unexplored, such as Gajdosik's other siblings and the political situation. It also would have been great to see the perspective of Prince Gajdosik, who's a rather complex character who could have shed some light onto what's going on his home country. As it is, most of what the readers learns is second-hand. The ending of the book feels rather abrupt, too, with a few plotlines dropped or done hastily that I thought were going to be much more important.
This isn't exactly a complaint, but I didn't quite understand why this book is listed as adult. Compared to Neumeier's other adult novel, there's almost no blood, torture, or otherwise explicit stuff that would put it in the adult category. Oressa is 20 and Gulien is 25, but they easily could have been teenagers considering both their plotlines involve some kind of coming-of-age. I suppose it might be the fact the world-building is kind of complex and there's a lot of characters.
As for what I liked, I did like the world-building when I wasn't being confused by it. All the dead gods and the artifacts they left behind make for an interesting backstory for the world. There were also some slightly more sci-fi aspects, such as the kephalos and the steel-and-glass golems, that made an otherwise rather typical fantasy setting more interesting. Though I wish there had been more points-of-view, I liked Oressa as a protagonist, and her alliance/relationship with Gajdosik.
Overall, I think I've liked Rachel Neumeier's other books better, though I don't regret reading this one.
I enjoyed this, I guess, although it's by no means my favorite Rachel Neumeier novel. My biggest problems were that it's rather slow-paced due to so much travel and sometimes confusing when it comes to the Kieba and the artifacts. I also wish we'd gotten to see more of the world outside of Carastind and the Kieba's mountain–Tamarist especially, since so much of the plot is kicked off by things happening there that we never actually get to see. A lot of things involving Tamarist felt unexplored, such as Gajdosik's other siblings and the political situation. It also would have been great to see the perspective of Prince Gajdosik, who's a rather complex character who could have shed some light onto what's going on his home country. As it is, most of what the readers learns is second-hand. The ending of the book feels rather abrupt, too, with a few plotlines dropped or done hastily that I thought were going to be much more important.
This isn't exactly a complaint, but I didn't quite understand why this book is listed as adult. Compared to Neumeier's other adult novel, there's almost no blood, torture, or otherwise explicit stuff that would put it in the adult category. Oressa is 20 and Gulien is 25, but they easily could have been teenagers considering both their plotlines involve some kind of coming-of-age. I suppose it might be the fact the world-building is kind of complex and there's a lot of characters.
As for what I liked, I did like the world-building when I wasn't being confused by it. All the dead gods and the artifacts they left behind make for an interesting backstory for the world. There were also some slightly more sci-fi aspects, such as the kephalos and the steel-and-glass golems, that made an otherwise rather typical fantasy setting more interesting. Though I wish there had been more points-of-view, I liked Oressa as a protagonist, and her alliance/relationship with Gajdosik.
Overall, I think I've liked Rachel Neumeier's other books better, though I don't regret reading this one.
December 16, 2018
3.5. I could never tell what was going to happen next in this book. In some ways the novelty of that was wonderful. In others I think it might be because the book didn’t have a plot so much as a series of adventures.
There was so much the protagonists didn’t know because their secretive father just plain refused to tell them, and it really hindered their agency in the plot. They were mostly relegated to reacting bravely and with principle. This slowed down my interest in the book, though I maintained interest and it got going in the second half.
I enjoyed the attention paid to the subtlety of the characters’ personalities and the originality of of the fantasy elements, which were really wonderful if not something we got to get really into. I am also here for a brave princess who isn’t soppy and who rescues herself and others repeatedly. In the end, though, there just wasn’t much character growth to be had, or stakes that were important to me as a reader.
That said, the preview for another book of the author’s, A Winter of Ice and Iron, immediately sets up a main character who is going to have to overcome some deeply personal terrible stuff. There is already a great inherent conflict that this book was lacking, and his journey is one I am looking forward to immensely.
I will also say that this is the kind of fantasy that does pay some attention to how great houses and people work, the logistics of which I really do find entertaining. (Kitchens, maids, inns, guard rosters... this sort of thing.) Lackey is also really good at this and this is in large part why I read her books.
So much better in some ways than a lot of fantasy = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, but not quite meeting what it was going for in the execution =⭐️⭐️⭐️. Say 3.5?
There was so much the protagonists didn’t know because their secretive father just plain refused to tell them, and it really hindered their agency in the plot. They were mostly relegated to reacting bravely and with principle. This slowed down my interest in the book, though I maintained interest and it got going in the second half.
I enjoyed the attention paid to the subtlety of the characters’ personalities and the originality of of the fantasy elements, which were really wonderful if not something we got to get really into. I am also here for a brave princess who isn’t soppy and who rescues herself and others repeatedly. In the end, though, there just wasn’t much character growth to be had, or stakes that were important to me as a reader.
That said, the preview for another book of the author’s, A Winter of Ice and Iron, immediately sets up a main character who is going to have to overcome some deeply personal terrible stuff. There is already a great inherent conflict that this book was lacking, and his journey is one I am looking forward to immensely.
I will also say that this is the kind of fantasy that does pay some attention to how great houses and people work, the logistics of which I really do find entertaining. (Kitchens, maids, inns, guard rosters... this sort of thing.) Lackey is also really good at this and this is in large part why I read her books.
So much better in some ways than a lot of fantasy = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, but not quite meeting what it was going for in the execution =⭐️⭐️⭐️. Say 3.5?
March 12, 2019
This book seemed to have a lot of potential, but honestly failed to deliver for me. The "twist" was very predictable, so why conceal it? Granted there were some good moments, but I think what it came down to for me were two things: the two main characters (a brother and sister) were so unrelatable and unlikeable, and the entire first 2/3 of the book felt like a prologue. It was all buildup, but then a meh kind of climax. So, kudos for keeping consistent characterization, Neumeier, but they just weren't good characters--very one dimensional, and I appreciate the care and attention put into the world building and magic system, but I couldn't get past the two blah main characters and the plot that took forever to get to the point.
I'd only recommend you read this if you have literally nothing else to read, or you just really like boring characters who do mundane things in a neat fantasy realm. The author says this is supposed to be for adults, but that she originally wrote it for YA. You can tell, since the plot is super simplistic and predictable.
I gave it two stars because for me:
1 star = I couldn't even finish it it was so awful
*2 stars = I finished it but only because I was curious about how it ended*
3 stars = I enjoyed the story but don't intend to ever read it again
4 stars = I really liked the story, may read again, and definitely recommend
5 stars = I love it and own it and will read it again
I'd only recommend you read this if you have literally nothing else to read, or you just really like boring characters who do mundane things in a neat fantasy realm. The author says this is supposed to be for adults, but that she originally wrote it for YA. You can tell, since the plot is super simplistic and predictable.
I gave it two stars because for me:
1 star = I couldn't even finish it it was so awful
*2 stars = I finished it but only because I was curious about how it ended*
3 stars = I enjoyed the story but don't intend to ever read it again
4 stars = I really liked the story, may read again, and definitely recommend
5 stars = I love it and own it and will read it again
September 3, 2019
Once again this author impressed me with her multidimensional characters, her unique and imaginative world-building and her vivid writing, e.g. "The speed with which he was making his way across the courtyard was worrisome. Especially since [the Lord] was not ordinarily a man who hurried. He moved rather like a ship under sail in fact - not a sleek warship but a round-bellied galley. Not that Gulien would have dared express the idea quite in those terms."
I liked that the fantasy setting was vaguely non-western, with magic based on the idea that dead gods left plagues and artifacts behind. I liked that they action was as much character-driven as event-driven and the main relationships were non-romantic (sister-brother-father).
My criticisms are that, as seems to be typical of Neumeier, the romantic element is very light. While I like the understated, I thought it could be leaned into a bit more for the sake of character development. I also didn't really get why the prince who came to conquer Carastind
I liked that the fantasy setting was vaguely non-western, with magic based on the idea that dead gods left plagues and artifacts behind. I liked that they action was as much character-driven as event-driven and the main relationships were non-romantic (sister-brother-father).
My criticisms are that, as seems to be typical of Neumeier, the romantic element is very light. While I like the understated, I thought it could be leaned into a bit more for the sake of character development. I also didn't really get why the prince who came to conquer Carastind
February 25, 2019
I quite enjoyed this. The main characters are nuances and engaging, the setting isn't totally standard swords & arrows fantasy (they have indoor plumbing & gunpowder), and the conceit is interesting. It's a tidy, small world, which I like but may be disappointing if you prefer sprawling epics. My only two complaints are: 1) Sometimes Oressa's dialogue seemed wrong. Out of place, wrong tone, wrong sentiment... I'm not sure exactly. Maybe it was just my perception, maybe it could have used another draft, or maybe a little more inner dialogue around those bits might have helped. Not sure. And 2) The Mountain itself - here come spoilers. Anyway, I still enjoyed it.
October 11, 2020
Honestly, I saw this book at the dollar tree and picked it up based mostly on the cover. I've been wanting to get back into reading for a while now and the intricate gold designs with the castle in the background made me nostalgic for all the fantasy I used to read growing up. Plus I've found quite a few good books there, and when I only have to spend $1 they're always worth it.
I enjoyed this book and found it well worth the read. I finished it in about a week too so its easy to get through. It feels a bit young adult overall, but the characters aren't annoying like some YA characters tend to be. It does seem a bit slow at first, but I believe it's been set up for sequels so there's a lot of explanatory world building which makes sense; however, it also works as a stand alone. It has a few predictable moments (I have yet to read many books that don't) but the story is unique enough to hold your interest, regardless. All in all, I'd recommend this for anyone who wants a pleasant trip through an easy, fantasy drama with a familiar feel. I'll definitely be reading the sequel if one comes out.
I enjoyed this book and found it well worth the read. I finished it in about a week too so its easy to get through. It feels a bit young adult overall, but the characters aren't annoying like some YA characters tend to be. It does seem a bit slow at first, but I believe it's been set up for sequels so there's a lot of explanatory world building which makes sense; however, it also works as a stand alone. It has a few predictable moments (I have yet to read many books that don't) but the story is unique enough to hold your interest, regardless. All in all, I'd recommend this for anyone who wants a pleasant trip through an easy, fantasy drama with a familiar feel. I'll definitely be reading the sequel if one comes out.
November 22, 2022
The Mountain of Kept Memory is an underrated fantasy standalone. I had never heard of it before I picked it up and was surprised to find out how good it was. One of my favorite things is that it reads like a crossover between young adult and adult fantasy. It has some of the impulsiveness of YA books, just a hint of romance, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. While it touches on some heavy topics it doesn’t dwell on them or explore them deeply. At the same time, it has some of the complexity of adult fantasy in terms of the magic system and the politics at play. The magic system and worldbuilding reminded me of the Queen’s Thief series, with conflict between different kingdoms and gods not everyone believes in. The character work was also excellent. This book has a split point of view between two siblings, and the sibling dynamics were superbly written. The interactions between secondary characters hint at genuine relationships behind the scenes, making the characters feel real. The tone has a level of depth and introspection I greatly enjoyed, although it did slow down the pacing. This is a character-driven, largely political fantasy that deserves more attention.
That said, the pacing is slow and really drags in places. While that is not normally an issue for me, at times I found myself losing interest in what was happening due to repetition, or just a lack of action. While I enjoyed the rest of the story enough to push through the slow patches, if you’re looking for a fast-paced story this isn’t the book for you.
Full review and mature content details at www.compassbookratings.com
That said, the pacing is slow and really drags in places. While that is not normally an issue for me, at times I found myself losing interest in what was happening due to repetition, or just a lack of action. While I enjoyed the rest of the story enough to push through the slow patches, if you’re looking for a fast-paced story this isn’t the book for you.
Full review and mature content details at www.compassbookratings.com
August 30, 2022
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This book… was slow. The protagonists are a pair of siblings, the prince and princess of a country whose father has offended the immortal being that protects their home, and now they’ve been weakened by a plague and foreign invaders are encroaching. I really enjoyed everything going on with the princess (secretly very politically savvy) but the prince's sections draaaagggggged. I also kept waiting for the story to be revealed to be like a far future post-apocalyptic kind of thing, but we did not get enough answers about the mysterious protector and all the gods being dead. (And one character is obviously a traitor but that takes WAY too long for everyone else to figure out.) So I was kind of frustrated by this book. Loved the princess character and everything with her story arc, most of the rest didn’t really work for me. B.
This book… was slow. The protagonists are a pair of siblings, the prince and princess of a country whose father has offended the immortal being that protects their home, and now they’ve been weakened by a plague and foreign invaders are encroaching. I really enjoyed everything going on with the princess (secretly very politically savvy) but the prince's sections draaaagggggged. I also kept waiting for the story to be revealed to be like a far future post-apocalyptic kind of thing, but we did not get enough answers about the mysterious protector and all the gods being dead. (And one character is obviously a traitor but that takes WAY too long for everyone else to figure out.) So I was kind of frustrated by this book. Loved the princess character and everything with her story arc, most of the rest didn’t really work for me. B.
August 16, 2018
I bought this in paperback form at my local bookstore yesterday. Kept reading it until I finished it.
An interesting novel. What I liked included:
- Sophisticated and interesting magic that took a while to understand.
- Appropriate and believable courtly and political plots.
- Real evil.
- Enigmatic entities and systems.
- True loyalty between brother and sister.
- Honor and treachery, both unexpected.
- Everyone is mistaken and confused to a greater or lesser degree.
- Past as prologue.
- Even now I'm not sure who the main protagonist is.
It's not as captivating or as all-consuming for me as The Library at Mount Char was, but it's still okay. I admit I tend to favor grimdark, and The Mountain of Kept Memory is not that.
An interesting novel. What I liked included:
- Sophisticated and interesting magic that took a while to understand.
- Appropriate and believable courtly and political plots.
- Real evil.
- Enigmatic entities and systems.
- True loyalty between brother and sister.
- Honor and treachery, both unexpected.
- Everyone is mistaken and confused to a greater or lesser degree.
- Past as prologue.
- Even now I'm not sure who the main protagonist is.
It's not as captivating or as all-consuming for me as The Library at Mount Char was, but it's still okay. I admit I tend to favor grimdark, and The Mountain of Kept Memory is not that.
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September 21, 20203 and a half stars. really like this fantasy writer: all her books have interesting worlds and interesting characters, her whole concept of magic is markedly different in each one, and she writes excellent prose. this one's more or less a typical fairy tale, only turned inside out, a fun conceit. the narrative gets away from her a bit close to the end, in describing the brother prince's difficulties, and the antagonists tend to be faceless, making me wonder if the whole thing could have used another pass, but i really like the principals, the father is an intriguing enigma, and altogether i skipped dinner to finish it. everything Neumeier writes is well worth reading.
January 24, 2020
I don't know. It was kinda meh. The mythology was interesting and different and there were certain touches I liked about the characters, like at one point Oressa resists the urge to stamp her foot because she doesn't want to seem childish, and later her father does it while in a rage. It was kinda funny. And I liked that the siblings know each other so well.
That being said, all the characters were annoyingly reasonable and the author had to make sure we knew that they had considered every contingency in all situations. It made the conflicts somewhat bland.
That being said, all the characters were annoyingly reasonable and the author had to make sure we knew that they had considered every contingency in all situations. It made the conflicts somewhat bland.
May 23, 2025
DNF around 35%. Extremely rough start, lots of infodumping and a long first chapter where the main character had zero agency. Introduced some cool ideas (and a second character who actually acted) in the second chapter, but quickly went back to the first character and returned to zero agency.
On top of that, dialogue was often repetitive—literally. Characters repeating, verbatim, what they said in the paragraph prior. Blatant restating of what was already obvious from subtext.
Just unwieldy writing and bland characters.
On top of that, dialogue was often repetitive—literally. Characters repeating, verbatim, what they said in the paragraph prior. Blatant restating of what was already obvious from subtext.
Just unwieldy writing and bland characters.
September 26, 2017
idk man, there's something in the pages of this book that makes it TOTALLY ADDICTING.
Unfortunately, the characters are pretty stale and they barely develop at all over the course of the 400+ pages of this novel. The writing is also a bit thin. But the fantasy setting is fresh and fascinating, and the plot really moves.
Unfortunately, the characters are pretty stale and they barely develop at all over the course of the 400+ pages of this novel. The writing is also a bit thin. But the fantasy setting is fresh and fascinating, and the plot really moves.
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