Deerskin

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Definitely the best book I have ever read. McKinley does an amazing job of developing the characters emotionally and letting the reader really see inside their minds. Her main characters are strong and determined. Deerskin is just a great example of McKinley's writing talent.

Rating:
Summary: Kirkus is full of it
Review: Apparently, the Kirkus review is uncomfortable with the subject of rape. This book is about rape; not an "ordinary" rape, but an incestuous, violent, abusive rape.

Actually, the book is about Lissar's recovery from her father's abuse. Details are given in other reviews, so I won't give them again.

It is fantastic. You find yourself so involved with Lissar that you wonder at your own memory; whether it is whole or if you have spots you don't remember as she does. She is an all-encompassing character.

Kirkus complained of nebulous kingdoms and faceless characters...personally, I think McKinley left them that way on purpose showing the universalness of the character and the situation. Only those who hide from reality can deny that such things happen to people every single day.

It was outstanding, wonderful, involving and unique. I highly, highly reccomend it.

Rating:
Summary: Very sensitive portrayal of an extremely difficult process
Review: I was riveted by this book from the beginning. I've never read another like it, one that so clearly and sensitively showed the process of incest survival and healing. It was a map of this process laid out in terms of fairy tale and symbol, structured so that the hope of healing and strength supported the journey back to the whole self. I loved it that McKinley was so clear and did not back off of the hard parts - either the rape or its cause, the new identity and the blanking out of the old one, Deerskin's rage and fear or her terrible struggle to work through it in order to meet her lover on equal terms. I felt an immense sense of relief that someone had finally told this story in a real way, and in beautiful prose and with a light hand, so that it could be read by anyone. So often incest and incest survival is a secret the survivor feels no one else can hear. McKinley has told the world this secret, and in a way that shows the survivor as the hero she (or he) is. Thank you, Patricia McKinley.

Rating:
Summary: Mother and Daughter Review
Review: I bought this book when it first came out. At that time, I had asked the lady at the bookstore for a new "good book". She handed me "Deerskin" and told me not to begin reading unless I was willing to read through to the end. Of course I did just the opposite. I began that night to read just a few pages. At about 3 am or so I finished reading.

I gave the book to my daughter who was having problems finding any book outside of school that was worth her effort to read. I gave her the same warning of not starting before bed. The next morning, I went in to make sure she was awake to go to school. She was. She also was on the last few pages of "Deerskin". For the very first time she had found a book that captured her attention and interest.

So, to all those people who are thinking about this book; Do not begin before going to sleep. And if you do, see you in the morning.

Rating:
Summary: One amazing book from an amazing author!
Review: Okay, by now you've probably heard all about the controversial 'dark' scene that happens in part one. But it's this dark scene that makes the whole book a wonderful treat to read. I went on amazon.com to read the reviews of the book before I read it and hearing about the horror and descriptiveness of the rape scene I was a little reluctant to pick up the book, but when I found it on the shelves of the library, I picked it up, just to check it out. It was that one scene that makes the whole book. Don't let it scare you away, the scene may be brutal, but it is nothing that cannot be handled. The rest of the book is a bit tedious and at times I found myself wanting to put it down. But boy am I glad I didn't. After Lissar has gone through true healing, she forgets about the past literally and comes upon a new town with her dog Ash. And the events there help her find herself and find love. Overall I found this to be an entertaining, mysterious, and wonderful book. If you're at all interested in it, read it! Don't delay, you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Regarding a Work of Literature
Review: Previous to writing this review, I read with great interest the raging (and ranging) debate over the merit of the extraordinarily talented Robin McKinley's "Deerskin." And, as others have mentioned before me, the difficulty seems to lie primarily in how the reviewer approaches the novel: as a piece of literature or as a fictionalised chronical of a rape victim's return to the world. As I am, thank God, emininently unable to comment on the verisimilitude of the latter, I shall confine myself to the former, namely "Deerskin's" literary merit - and pray that those who read my review judge it likewise as a poor attempt to sum up *writing* and not *experience.*

Drawing primarily from Perrault's "Donkeyskin," and thereby also from Grimms' "Thousandfurs," McKinley delves into the story of the young, neglected princess, Lissla Lissar, as she grows to womanhood. Her mother, the most beautiful woman in the seven kingdoms, has passed away - but not before extracting from Lissar's father, the king, a promise that he would not marry anyone less beautiful than herself. And who could ever compare to such beauty than her daughter, Lissar. The King, in his madness, declares that he shall wed his own flesh, and, when she (passively) refuses, he rapes her.

This ultimate act of degradation sends Lissar out with her trusty dog Ash (a present from none other than Prince Ossin) to the wilderness to escape her father. She suffers memory loss and miscarriage (obliquely mentioned), and then is healed of her physical wounds by "The Lady," presumably a goddess *long-suffering sigh*. This prompts her to journey to Prince Ossin's lands where a quasi-Cinderella story takes place, with the common interest between the two royalty being fleethounds. Then comes a ball, a proposal, and a fleeing (this time taking the glass slipper, aka six puppies, WITH her), some sort of wandering wherein Lissar acts rather goddess-y herself, and a final, unsatisfactory and strangely described confrontation between the princess and her father.

In its generalities, "Deerskin" is a fair retelling of the original fairy tales. The language is good, if sometimes confusing; the worldbuilding adequate; the characters oddly often faceless. McKinley seems to be attempting to translate some of the original plot elements (such as the three dresses the Princess demands from her father in the beginning) into more plausible realities (i.e., the dresses appear as gifts from Ossin's mother), especially in her introduction of the dogs as the binding element between a Prince and a girl who has lost her memory.

However, as admirable as this effort is, it falls flat. The fleethounds become *too* central, detracting from character development. Rather than demanding dresses like the sun, moon and stars, and then a cloak of deer/donkey/thousandfurs-skin, Lissar skulks around her room as though waiting to be raped, and McKinley introduces the confusing and slightly off-putting deus-ex-machina of "The Lady" aka "Moonwoman," which she attempts to bind up in Lissar's very existance.

The final confrontation with Lissar's father is a stroke of genius, and sadly lacking in either of the original fairy tales (which always felt like two stories smooshed into one). However, the *execution* of this plot twist comes off badly as McKinley attempts to bring together all the *thought* elements (Moonwoman, effects of rape, mother-oppression, burgeoning love) into one dream-like sequence.

The reading moves along very well when McKinley sticks to the basics of the originals - the time in Lissar's father's court is particularly compelling, and the time spent with Ossin not bad - but the middle and penultimate segments when Lissar wanders off to lick her wounds are tedious to read, although they may be an honest record of a broken mind piecing itself together.

Ultimately, "Deerskin" is am abitious and partially successful retelling of a particularly "touchy" fairy tales, and McKinley does an admirable but not quite excellent job with it. Fans of McKinley's other works might be disappointed by the intermediary parts of this book; those considering reading McKinley for the first time would do better to invest in her other works first.

Rating:
Summary: A dark, haunting and unforgettable reading experience
Review: McKinley's writing is amazing, dreamlike, gutwrenching & heartwarming. This book is *not* for everyone. It has a very dark tone & the first few chapters are very painful to read. Your heart will be ripped to pieces several times before the book ends. BUT despite all of this I found it to be a very uplifting story of triumph & love. I didn't just read this book I lived it.

It is the story of Princess Lissar, who at first glance appears to live a charmed life. Actually, once we dig a little deeper we realize Lissar is very alone & isolated in her world. Her parents don't seem to remember she exists, she has no friends only servants. The turning point begins when her Mother dies and she receives a puppy as a gift of condolence from Prince Ossin whom she names Ash. Dear old Dad, crazy with grief over the loss of his Queen, turns into a nutcase & completely forgets he has daughter for several years. During this time Lissar & Ash grow up together & become bonded closer than any two beings can be. Then one day Dad remembers he has a daughter & decides it is time for her to marry & start producing an heir. Once he takes a good look at Lissar he notices how beautiful she has become & how much she resembles her mother. I don't want to give anything else away but this is the beginning of Lissar's transformation into the mystical creature Deerskin & the end of her life as she knows it.

Despite the dreary beginning, this story is ultimately a positive one & especially recommended for dog/animal lovers. The scenes with the puppy rearing, Lissar's eventual opening up to Prince Ossin & the magical, mystical qualities of the story make this a must read. Lissar is a heroine to admire & Prince Ossin is a ray of light in a world filled with selfish, spoiled & revolting men. Lissar's dog Ash is the glue that holds her together through good times and bad.

So, if you're up for an emotional read that is well worth the pain put a day aside to read this one & make sure you have a box of Kleenex handy. You're guaranteed to cry tears of pain & of joy. This one unquestionably gets 5 out of 5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Thank you, Robin...
Review: I don't think I've been so terrified from a Fantasy book.

I was also abused. And the way Robin writes about Lissar-those feelings of terror come back.

But this IS Fantasy, and this book for me has a dream-like, trance quality the way life sometimes is for those who are damaged and are trying to pull themselves out of the well with no rope. I know there many times a Moonwoman has given me the gift of time to heal, and the friendship of animals to keep me from falling apart...

I read A LOT, and Robin is a new favorite author. I love The Blue Sword and the Hero and the Crown(and am hoping for another Damar book), and Beauty. Deerskin is an all-time favorite.

Rating:
Summary: The sound of grinding hurts my ears
Review: Robin McKinley seems to have a developed a new trend: turning fairy tales into mystical feminist fables. While this is not a bad idea if it`s executed skilfully, so far the attempts have fallen flat. Far from being the masterful storyteller who began with 'Beauty' and left us breathless with 'The Hero and the Crown' and 'Outlaws of Sherwood', she has now descended to the crude practice of grinding axes, very loudly, in the ears of her readers, relying heavily on the use of symbolism to get her 'point' across. The book begins with beautifully constructed passages which soon fall away into overly dense monotony and repetition. There is little, if any, plot development. Worse yet, the main character, with whom we are stuck without relief until the last tenth of the book, has no personality whatsoever. By the end of the book the reader knows as little about Lissar as at the beginning. I`ll tell you what I knew at the beginning: she`s beautiful. She likes her dog. She also likes Ossin. Cool. Interestingly, Ossin is compared to a dog, and he falls for her because she helps with his dogs--and because she`s beautiful, of course. It didn`t take much to snare *this* Prince Charming. They have common interests: ZAP. Instant soulmates. So where does it head after pages of empty mystical symbolism and traipsing through a very boring forest? With a confrontation with the Devil Incarnate himself, her father, who is actually so shrunken and powerless that all the tension of the antagonist vs. protagonist disappears, and Lissar`s ensuing theatrics seem highly melodramatic--McKinley could have used some help from Guy Gavriel Kay. As to the 'secret female blood, heavy with mystery'--I presume she means all the nutrients which make its odor offensive. And that has to spurt all over the floor in a scene which I can only describe as unintentionally humorous ("Aaaah!") I mean, are we overdoing this, or what? This is my opinion of this book as it was presented to the reading public: a fiction novel. Whether or not it is effective as a self-help book is not my concern: if that is the only value it has, it should have been in the 'self-help' category to begin with. On the other hand, Willo Davis Roberts wrote a support book for child diabetics, but due to its effectiveness as a fictional story it has also been well received by non-diabetics. So it can be done, with vivid characters, a tightly woven plot, and a certain spark good writing contains. In all of these, 'Deerskin' is sadly lacking.

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing
Review: This is a powerful story told by a masterful writer working at the height of her craft and deserves recognition regardless of its genre and "darkness". I first read it when I was 13 and was completely blown away, I finished it in tears of both sadness and joy as it became a part of my world forever. I have read it often enough since then that I am now working on my third copy.

Having said that, this book addresses serious issues in a serious manner and I cannot recommend it for preteens, for anyone older than that it should almost be required reading.

Two final comments: the cover art is perfect, and as several other reviewers noted, Charles de Lint's Newford collections are worth looking into if you enjoyed Deerskin.