Customer Reviews

CARDS OF GRIEF

5 star:		(3)
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I became a Jane Yolen fan through this book. Her unusual style, such as is seen in the Great Alta trilogy, where history, critical judgement, and matters of the heart mingle, works absolutely perfectly here - though elsewhere it might be a little daunting to the reader. A researcher, studying the culture of a world where grief is the primary emotion, becomes involved with the Queen's Own Griever and her tragic life. The story is told in a series of interviews and flashbacks; it has depths far beyond its tiny length.

This is a beautiful lyrical work about a culture founded on the belief of continual grieving both as an art form, a basis of racial memory and the way that the world is maintained.

The coming of man contaminated this world and the repercusions are severe and lasting.

A beautiful work that I strongly recommend to the thoughful among us.

An elegant, eloquent, haunting book - my copy is over 20 years old, has survived many moves and several readings. The book tells of a young anthropologist, Aaron Spenser, who comes to work on the planet Hederson's IV. His task - to observe, to learn, to record. The planet has perfected grieving as an art form, and grievers are held in high respect. Aaron comes too close to one of his subjects, and in doing so falls in love. The planet does not recognise or value love, and Aaron's actions have rippling repercussions for both his world and Henderson's IV. The unusual format for the telling of the tale - through recordings, some which have the subject's permission, some which don't - moves the tale through different cycles of life, love, art and grief.