- Book: Tigana
- Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
- Publisher: Harper Voyager
- Published: 1990
Tigana is beautiful. Both the book as a whole and, from the glorious descriptions, the place as well. I adored this book when I read it last year. The prose feels almost like it is singing and the plot resonated deeply with me.
It is a story of struggle, of a people who have been conquered so utterly that their conqueror has used magic to wipe all memory of their existence from the memories of anyone who was not born there. If someone tries to talk about Tigana the other person will not hear it properly.
Devin d’ASoli is from Tigana but he does not know it when we meet him. His family fled before Brandin unleashed his fury upon the country. When he learns of what he has lost he is overwhelmed with determination to join the revolution and restore Tigana’s soul. It is largely through him, alongside a varied and interesting cast of characters, that we are taken on a journey through the Palm and shown who and how its people are still resisting.
I’m struggling to really find the words to do my love of this book justice. I think it is one that I will need to re-read several times to really capture my thoughts on it properly. There was so much beyond just the words on the page to digest. It is easily in the top 10 fantasy books I’ve ever read and I think after a re-read could reach my top 5. So good.
- Beer: Stouterik
- Brewery: Brasserie de la Seine
- Style: Belgian Stout
- Strength: 5%
Drinkable but not a classic. There is an aftertaste which I can’t decide whether I’m ok with. The initial flavour is a classic stout, dry and smoky, and the head has a silky texture which is quite pleasant.
Burch's Books and Beers 