It can be easy, I think, to get cute when reviewing novellas. Even having read some fairly heavy/profound stories in that form (looking at you The Deep), the shorter page count always pulls me towards trivialization instead of, perhaps, proper consideration.
Romp, lark, gambol (why have I never described a book as a gambol!). A tasty morsel. A delicious snack. These are the ways it feels appropriate to describe something small — that we are enthusiastic about — even when the only thing small about something is the form.
It would be a mistake to apply any of these terms to Untethered Sky. Lee’s Green Bone Saga may have a more sprawling scope, but this dive into the perils of obsession and their consequences for relationships, is no less affective on the reader.
Though it was perhaps more muted than some of her other works, I still finished reading this one with a feeling of: Ooof.
Don’t be mistaken, it’s not my intent to drive readers away by pointing out the shades of grimdark in Ester’s (the MC’s) journey. In fact it’s just the opposite. If you’re looking for a nuanced, highly evocative story, you could do much worse than Untethered Sky.
Tight prose, worldbuilding and family drama is the currency of the realm in most stories by Fonda Lee (see Jade City and Jade War specifically), and while Untethered Sky does trade in this currency, I was excited to see other elements of story telling taking prominence.
Perhaps the most noticeable difference between this work and previous stories lies with the actual prose used to tell Ester and Zahra’s tale. I stopped many times while reading to appreciate the poetry of a line, or the sense of wonder derived from a description. Considering much of the action takes place in open grassy fields or cramped but relatively featureless wooded environs, I was quite often impressed with the author’s ability to make these seemingly blank spaces interesting and even beautiful.
We’re meant to believe that Ester considers her Roc the most beautiful and terrifying creature that exists, and while we are sometimes told this straight out, more often we are left to derive it from the language and awe with which the creatures are described. To me, there was no doubt, and that assurance rests in the thoughtful and often lyrical prose through which the birds are described.
However, I would say that even with this lyrical — almost fairytale-like — use of language, Untethered Sky still feels very grounded in ‘the real’ as compared to stories like Shannon Chakraborty’s Daevabad Series with which it shares the use of monsters like Rocs and Manticores from Arabian and Persian folklore.
I attribute this mostly to (I believe) the complete lack of magic within the story. Gods and religion are referenced briefly but even the evil manticores are shown to be living, breathing, flesh and blood animals.
Another aspect of the story which I felt showed a kind of evolution from one work to the next was the way in which relationships are handled within Untethered Sky. In the Green Bone Saga, the thrust of the story was clearly centered around loyalty to family, responsibility for past history, and the bonds that are formed or broken through shared trauma.
In Untethered Sky relationships are again paramount to the meaning of the story, however they emphasize completely different aspects of the theme. Ester’s family are either (small spoiler) dead or estranged, and her only real family are the other Rukhers living within the same camp who all prioritize their dedication to their craft above friendship, love, or intimacy. Bonds are found more than forged, and they’re found somewhat accidentally it seems.
Of course there is the bond between Rukher and Roc, which caries the primary weight of argument throughout the story. I will not delve too deeply into the ways in which this bond is pressured as I do not want to spoil too much about the story, but I will say that its use felt different than the stories I’ve read from this author in the past, and while it caused me all sorts of feelings, ultimately I was here for it.
The last thing I’ll mention was not really something I caught on my own, but something I found interesting while reading other reviews of the book, and trying to gather my thoughts about this novella. Emily over at EmilyRandolphEpstein.com wrote in her Book Recommendation: Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee post that she felt many of the characters within this story had autistic traits which were able to “. . . thrive within the very regimented lifestyle required of the Royal Mews.” and that “. . . none of these potentially autistic-coded characters came across as a stereotype.”
Something similar was noted a little while ago in The Mimicking of Known Successes. Perhaps there are already heaps of stories which feature this kind of representation and I’m only now noticing, or perhaps its a trend we’re beginning to discover. Either way, it seemed a thing worth noting for any seeking out that kind of representation in the stories they’re reading and just generally another positive thing in an already fantastic novella.
Give This One A Read?
Absolutely! Though it’s not necessarily a easy read, there is a great deal to discover within its relatively few pages. As it fits into the cannon of Fonda Lee’s other works, I would say Untethered Sky was a welcome departure from previous modes, and an interesting evolution of the skills and craft we’ve come to expect from this author.
That’s all I have for this week! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I’m excited to talk about this one!
alligators and aneurysms! 