Pegasus

Title: Pegasus

Author: Robin McKinley

Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons (2010)

Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy

Length: 404 pages

Synopsis:  For more than seven hundred years, the Kings of the humans and pegasi have maintained the Alliance, the agreement that keeps both societies safe from the beasts of the surrounding wildlands.  Though the Alliance is strong, the relationship between such different cultures has always been difficult.  Even to speak to the pegasi people requires convoluted interpretation by human magicians.  Princess Sylvi, the fourth child of the King, is not particularly looking forward to doing her part to maintain the Alliance by being bonded to a pegasus prince.  On the day of the ceremony, however, something happens that changes the course of history and earns Sylvi both  powerful enemies and a closer friend than she could imagine: she and her pegasus can talk.

My Rating: 3 Stars

My Opinion: 

It hurts me to say this, but this book was not very good.  Robin McKinley is one of my very favorite writers and I wanted to like this book.  It’s been on my to-read list for ages.  But… I was disappointed.  I would suggest that perhaps my expectations were too high, but not a single one of McKinley’s books has ever disappointed me before, and certainly not as badly as this one did.  It felt as though it had not been properly edited; sentences seemed to be missing words or had gained words that made no sense.  The story flits back and forth between the main plot line and contributing scenes until I wasn't sure where one ended and the other began.  The concept is difficult.  The pegasi are not human, but do represent a sentient society.  Unfortunately, as alien as they are, their society seems forced into a human mold.  It doesn't seem to be a naturally developed culture; part of this comes from the issue of interpretation.  So much of this story revolves around the inability to speak to and understand the pegasi.  This translates as an inability to speak to the reader.  It's confused and meandering.  The past is as important as the present, but combining these two story lines only further muddles the tale.  The characters are, eventually, engaging.  By the end of the book, I can almost recognize McKinley's signature ease of storytelling.  Though it leaves the reader on a cliffhanger ending, I won't be adding the sequel to my reading list.  This is not representative of McKinley's body of work, and she remains one of my favorites.  I'm just not sure what went so wrong with this particular novel.