The Virtu

'The Virtu' is the continuing story of half-brothers Felix Harrowgate and Mildmay the Fox. Felix is no longer insane, Mildmay is now crippled, and the brothers begin their journey home to Melusine. Felix is convinced that he can repair the Virtu, and regain his place in court as a wizard at the Mirador. Mildmay, on the other hand, is not too sure about going home. He is also told that there is a prophecy concerning him, and its not a good one. He asks Felix to cast an 'Obligation d'ame', which binds Mildmay to Felix by magic, and it cannot be undone. Due to this binding, many unseen issues arise throughout the book, that is just one of the many twists and turns in the plot. Also joining the story are Mehitabel Parr and Gideon. Malkar also comes back, and you have a very exciting and involving story. I liked this book just as much as the first book in the series, 'Melusine'. I found that Sarah Monette has kept a steady pace throughout this story, and I love the fact that no one is really what they seem. The characters are multi-layered, and as a reader you are constantly surprised by the things that develop throughout this story. This book is written with the same verve and force as the first book, and I didn't find that there were any slow spots. The descriptions of Melusine, court life, and the struggle between Mildmay and Felix are well written. Yes, there are still times that you may find that you don't like Felix, or the downtrodden attitude of Mildmay, but this is always balanced by what events shaped them as a person. For example, you find out that Felix was forced into prostitution as a boy, and forced to be a lover of Malkar, It explains a lot about why Felix acts the way that he does. Mildmay, on the other hand, was not educated, and he was trained to be an assassin and cat burgler. Because of his rough ways, he is not welcome at the court of Mirador, and Mildmay is very isolated and lonely. I would recommend that you read the first book in the series called 'Melusine'. The plot continues from 'Melusine', and it would be hard to figure out what is happening in this book if you haven't read 'Melusine'. This book does not have a glossary or a map, but I didn't need either to understand the plot. This story often shows the ugly side of the human character, and I was hard put to find anyone essentially 'good'. But I appreciate this from the author. Its gets boring to always read about 'outwardly' good people!

Prior to this book, read the first book in the series, "Melusine", and just ignore the embarrassing artwork that looks like Fabio's red haired cousin. That book, with it's dual first person narration creates unique and distinct character voices and a refreshingly original take on the fantasy wizards n theives genre, will suck you in. The fact that one of the voices is of a character who has been deliberately driven stark raving bonkers just adds to the fascination. The author never stoops to explain the convoluted magic/nonmagic world of the novels, it is inferred through the character's accounts, and gradually unfolds to gain a separate reality of its own, in the tradition of the excellent fantasy works by McMasters Bujold, Le Guin, McKillip, Kage Baker, Jordan, Herbert, even early McCaffrey (yes I said it). I did have a little personal difficulty with the fact that one of the main characters is gay, and this is an important part of his character and situation. I got over it however, because this is just one aspect of the story that revolves around two unlikely brothers drawn together in the most difficult of circumstances. It is just one of the things that shows how different the brothers are. How would you like to finally meet your high-falutin wizard half-brother just when he's been driven out of his mind by a dangerous magical assault and kicked out of the prestigious ruling party as the worst kind of traitor? If you are thief and murderer Mildmay, you will yearn for family you never had, and respond with single minded loyalty, in the face of every kind of dissuasion, difficulty, and disaster--not the least of which is the lack of gratitude from the brother in question. Will they find a cure? Can Mildmay outrun his own past? Will they elude capture? Will Felix even remember Mildmay and his sacrifices if they do? In "The Virtu", the two brothers are still together far from home, Felix is (mostly) no longer crazy, and thief/murderer Mildmay is unwelcome damaged goods in the eyes of the sycophants and wizards who surround Felix. In a successful continuation of the two voices/first person narration, these two completely disparate personalities tolerate and sometimes care for each other in their own unique ways. Felix's struggles to repair the damage he has caused to his home city and to his brother are paralleled by Mildmay's struggles with a wizard's curse, his dubious past, and his inescapably prophesied future. Wizardly and non-wizardly adventures and rescues abound, but it's the two strong personalities that make these books un-put-downable. By tying himself to Felix, Mildmay has let himself in for more trouble than anyone can imagine, and in the end, it is Felix's fault. Will Felix stop hurting and using people? Will Mildmay quit his stubborness and learn to ask for help, or will he tell Felix where to put it? read for yourself!

Picking up where we left Felix Harrowgate and Mildmay in the previous novel Melusine, we find the two brothers recuperating in the care of their mother's people in the Garden of Nephele. But whereas Felix is regarded as an honoured guest, Mildmay is treated more like a prisoner, mistakenly considered the vicious monster responsible for Felix's extensive and long term injuries. Once more or less recovered, they eventually decide to make their return to Melusine, facing more dangers, picking up more travelling companions and encountering former ones; including Gideon and Mavortian von Herber. When back in Melusine and the Mirador, Felix seeks to repair the Virtu, which involves him and Mildmay along with their companions in a serious of further adventures, puzzles and magic, and more encounters with the evil Malkar. As before our two heroes, Felix and Mildmay, are troubled by questions of trust, loyalty, intrigue and ambitious self interest. There is also much greater reliance on magic and delving into wizardry than previously, and some rather complex theorising on the significance of labyrinths. Most interesting is the developing relationship between Felix and Mildmay. Felix knowingly true to himself is unable to conduct himself with anything other than arrogance and pride, while Mildmay devotedly and obediently remains loyal to his older brother. Even when Mildmay becomes aware of Felix's sexual desires for him he does not loose respect for Felix, and while Felix promises not to rape him, his ambitions in other directions do not prevent him from taking advantage of Mildmay in order to achieve his goal. Despite their faults, the two brothers remain very appealing. Felix for all his pride induced inhibitions, truly loves Mildmay and recognises his brother's abilities and devotion even if unable to express these feelings verbally. Mildmay becomes even more endearing with his selfless dedication to Felix and others and his unassuming manner; he constantly regards himself as dumb and stupid, while his actions, insight and abilities clearly prove otherwise. The positive conclusion, apart form whatever else is achieved, leads to the conclusion that both Felix and Mildmay have learned a great deal about their relationship, and may even find ways to move forward. We may yet learn as there is a third book in the series, The Mirador, to be published during 2007, which I, along with many others I am sure, eagerly await.

Read this book. I can't recommend it strongly enough. This novel picks up where _Melusine_leaves off, with Felix newly returned to sanity and Mildmay learning to deal with the injury to his leg. I don't want to give any of the plot away -- everyone should have the joy of watching it unfold at its own pace -- but I will say that every plot twist is satisfying, and appears strangely perfect and inevitable once it happens. Which is not to say that you see any of it coming, because you don't, not with any degree of surety, not until it's already upon you. Felix is not a particularly likeable guy, a fact acknowledged by everyone, himself included. Mildmay, on the other hand, is one of the most sympathetic and compelling characters in modern fantasy. Watching his relationship with Felix develop, in both healthy and unhealthy ways, is consistently fascinating. You understand why they do what they do, even when their actions make you wince. The desire to find out what happens next may cost you sleep. It did me. A rare novel, a rare author. I really hope there are more books in this series. You're not going to find better fantasy anywhere.

_The Virtu_ is the second half of _Melusine_. If publishers still published large one-volume novels instead of series, the two would have worked perfectly as one book. I recommend buying both books at once and reading them in order without stopping. The narrative is still a seamless combination of Felix and his half-brother Mildmay. The two voices are done very well. Unlike some multiple-viewpoint novels, the plot is never confusing because one narrator always takes up precisely where the other one left off. The fantasy world is unusual and interesting, and the two main characters have great depth. Felix and Mildmay have similar pasts, but have evolved in different ways. Their strengths and weaknesses complement each other extremely well as far as their relationship and the plot goes. Both are damaged characters (mentally and physically), but still capable of good acts. Felix is here shown on his sane, or "up" side, which makes him distinctly more likeable than he was in _Melusine_. Granted, he's conceited, quickly angered, and manipulative, but he's also talented, sometimes charming, and highly intelligent and well educated. Frankly, he was too much of a one-note character in _Melusine_--all he did there was cower and whine, and none of his better traits were visible. Mildmay is much the same as in _Melusine_, but he's an interesting portrait of how a harsh background can form a person who is a professional criminal, but still capable of many generous acts. Both Felix and Mildmay evolve throughout the two books, struggling to become better people. They succeed to some extent; but realistically, with very slow progress, backslidings, and unpleasant self-realizations. One problem I have with both books is: Everyone in them is far too quick to become extremely angry and/or hurt from a single remark from another character. There are many scenes where people who are supposedly longtime lovers or friends say one thing to each other and bang! either the relationship ends entirely, or the parties involved quit speaking for weeks. For example, Felix's relationship with Shannon--in _Melusine_ Felix is unable to enjoy sex once, and a love affair of several years is over forever. It is often unclear why some characters are in a constant state of prickly dislike for each other. There are no really healthy personal relationships in these books. I don't require books to be cozy, but it seems like statistically there should be a _few_ people in a society who can consistently trust and love each other and get along. Although _The Virtu_ does not leave as many loose ends as _Melusine_, I'm willing to bet there will be at least one more book in the series. Some minor characters, such as Arakhne, seem to have no purpose in the plot except to return in a later book. There are also hints that the boy Florian will be in contact with Felix again someday. Many mysteries still surround the actress Mehitabel, the parentage of Felix and Mildmay, and the Mirador. The a