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Originally Posted by gmw
The map thing threw me a little the first time around, but by the end it became obvious (I thought) that it was introduced so the reader would be ready for the "magic" at the end of the story. As a concept, the map thing seemed both unlikely for a "witch" and a bit common-place for science (if you read enough sci-fi some variation of folded space crops pretty regularly), so I'm not surprised she didn't expand on it.
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Yes, softening us up for the other magic seemed to be the only reason. But with the painting magic being needed for the story, why not instead mention it in some subtle way, instead of suddenly using it as a deus ex machina?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CRussel
Why? Because they were very much a part of Treasure Island of the time. I know you hated this book, but this, at least, shouldn't be held against it.
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But what did they add to the story? They were one more tangent. In a short work, every word and scene should be focused to serve the story being told. This novella should either have been stripped down to a short story about the romantic painting and the revenge on an art dealer, or expanded into a larger book that could explore the various characters' lives and backstories, and the San Francisco setting, to a greater degree. As it is, the book is some kind of hybrid that doesn't work.