Among Others

      Among Others, by Jo Walton, is one of my favorite books of all time. It's hard to categorize: it's a little bit name-dropping and reviewing other books, a little bit Tolkien imitation, a little bit Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in tone, and a dash of YA drama. The protagonist, Mor, is smart, witty, and magical, all the things I want to be. Unfortunately her family is dangerous and complicated- and magical on top of that.

My Favorite Part:
     One of the coolest and most well executed aspects of the book is the magic of it all. To me, it makes sense in that the magic is so practical. The author gives the impression, through explaining the magic as Mor, that she's thought it- the explanation of the magic- through and come to believe it as fact. The magic may or may not exist, even though it certainly does to Mor. It appeals to the past selves lingering in me, that wrote letters to my personal fairy and awaited my magical awakening with mixed feelings that it wasn't going to happen but maybe it will happen, secretly knowing it wouldn't, but maybe... 

Who Should Read It:
     I hope it wouldn't horrify Jo Walton, but I think the family issues, the drama, and the setting make the book well suited for teens, as long as they love books. Book lovers, especially high school and shy book lovers, can appreciate a fellow introverted book lover's story, even if we haven't read the books they love. And we can identify or at least empathize with Mor's feelings towards her relationships.
     I've read some reviews recommending this book to voracious sci-fi readers only. I disagree; I am not personally into Sci-fi personally and Among Others still opened my mind and heart. I think it depends on the reader- I would guess that only people who identify as readers would like this book, because one of Mor's most prominent traits is that she reads (a great percentage of the book is Mor's thoughts on what she's reading). So if you can't identify with loving reading, this is not the book for you; however, I don't think it is necessary to have read specifically science fiction. I expect that, one day, after reading some more of the books she references, I will reread Among Others and discover a deeper layer in the allusions Mor makes, but I didn't find the book any less complete for not understanding the references the first time around.


     I read Among Others in 6th grade and immediately bought it after finishing. I reread it regularly and I can genuinely say that it brings me joy. Overall, I think the story comes together in a kind of ethereal and perfect way. The writing and language are beautiful, and it's also just a fun read. I can see it's not for everyone, but I'd encourage any book lover to give it a try.