Customer Reviews

Mimus

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a good read--similar to many novels of heroic fantasy. The hero is a 12 year old prince who is betrayed by his enemies and must survive to win back his kingdom. But a number of things make this novel unique. First of all, the book is quite good at showing the character of the young prince. He has to endure and survive.
In most heroic fantasies, the protagonist triumphs by power or success in evading the enemy and winning allies. We experience the forces and struggles of good vs. evil. The hero's success is always underscored by failure to submit and fighting back.
But in this book, the hero must survive imprisonment and learn to handle defeat. That is quite a challenge for a young prince who was trained to be number one and never to show weakness.
The title, "Mimus," is the name of the king's fool--a court jester who is universally despised. The book is quite good at showing the role of the jester in medieval court life. Jesters entertain by a variety of skills as well as "gross-outs" similar to those of the crudest vaudeville shows. If they fail to please, they may be whipped or starved or even killed. The young prince is apprenticed to such a jester and must learn to survive with all of his intelligence, courage, and physical fitness. But it is Florin's social skills and flexibility that enable him to prevail in his new position.
Throughout this novel we find that things are not always black and white. That is what I enjoyed most about this book. The ending is so much more complex than a simple restoration of the prince to his role as head of the kingdom and humiliation of his former captors. Florin has been transformed by his experiences which become part of his character as he matures--not just a bad misfortune to be forever left behind.
I enjoyed this novel and recommend it.
Diana Cook
Woodside, New York

Congratulations to Lilli Thal on her first place 'Gold' win in the 2005 ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards! Translated from Thal's native German by John Brownjohn, 'Mimus' is a prodigious tale of a young prince who is forced to become a Fool when tricked by his father's old enemy, King Theodo. The experience is humbling for the sheltered Prince Florin, who doesn't understand why King Theodo loathes his family so deeply. Revenge is taken upon the entire kingdom of Moltovia and Florin's father, King Phillip.
The story has a subtle message regarding the double-edged sword of revenge and the need for forgiveness, even if the crimes committed are horrid. There's also humor weaved skillfully on the pages. The banter between Mimus (King Theodo's Jester) and Prince Florin, who becomes the Jester's pupil, is very witty. The jokes and riddles lighten the horrors of torture and war. I'm hoping to find a sequel to Mimus, for I already miss the 'poetic jousting' between the Jester and Prince Florin.

Chrissy K. McVay
author of 'Souls of the North Wind', Silver winner in 2005 ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards.

I am victim to what many other reviewers have said about this book, I picked it up on a whim and didn't cherish high hopes for it. Within the first chapter though, I could tell I would enjoy reading it. Lilli Thal's writing style borders on romantic, entwining fantasy and poem seemlessly into her prose. Normally I hate books that do that, and I usually skip over the songs the authors put in as I can't be bothered to read them, but every tale and every silly song that she wrote enhances the story. Each line has a second meaning, and it's up to you, dear reader, and our young hero to decipher it. I personally can't wait until someone else I know reads it so I can discuss the book at length!

I bought this book on a whim, in a shipment of a lot of other books. It wasn't the one I was particularly looking forward to.

But...wow. It was amazing. Dazzling, spectacular, original. And amazingly well-written, even though it's a translation...good work, John Brownjohn! It's not black and white, but woven with multiple shades of gray, portraying the evil King Theodo as not-so-evil, Florin's own father as not-so-perfect, the haughty princess Alix as somehow kind as well, and the seemingly cold and heartless Mimus as a toughened but tragic individual. I particularly liked the scene where Florin is being held by dagger-point by Theodo's henchman, and Theodo's son by Florin's father's. They're at a stalemate, unmoving, until Mimus breaks in (greeting the guards) with, "We're playing an amusing game called, 'If you stab mine, I'll stab yours!' I'm acting as mediator." A few paragraphs later, when Florin's father king Philip asks what Mimus suggests, the jester replies, "Turn yourselves inside out and let the wind blow through your hearts. Turn the sky upside down and start afresh. Leave the dead to the dead and beg forgiveness of the living. And, since you won't manage to do any of that, sit before the fire and weave baskets!"

Well said.


Rating: Very Good

A fully realized antagonist gives extra depth to the story of a prince in hard times and the fool that grudgingly befriends him.
John Brownjohn's translation into English from its original German is terrific.

Mimus is one of the darkest fantasy novels I've ever read. I have no idea what possessed Booklist to mark this as "Grade 8-11". This is not a children's story, though the protagonist is a child, which may have confused them. I don't mean to imply that it's too much for 16-year-olds, but there's no reason not to label this a tale for adults. Cruelty and humiliation are trademarks of Mimus, as are beautifully biting wit, subtle relationships, and an absolutely magnificent translation.

The tale opens on the idyllic scene of friends sharing stories, but for the next 200+ pages, be prepared for something else. The vast majority of Mimus involves a humiliated prince forced to perform as a jester for a cruel, merciless king. This book wastes little time describing magnificent architecture or beautiful scenery. Instead, you'll get straightforward but lovely language that makes every sentence count and amplifies the personalities of Prince Florin, the jester Mimus, and the terrible King Theodo.

Mimus at first appears to be a sick, cruel creature with no pride or sense of honor. Well...the lack of pride remains, but along with Prince Florin you may find yourself warming to him. His jests are entertaining even from the pages, and as the story progresses it comes to light that Mimus has a heart and soul, and even his own kind of honor.

Prince Florin is a vivid and likable character. Despite his many talents, I found him so easy to relate to, and the prose is so well-translated that I generally felt his every emotion. This left me on the edge of my seat at many moments, making Mimus, despite its length and strange focus, an altogether spellbinding novel.

In addition to all that, I found Mimus strangely comforting. I doubt you'd find it so if your life is hunky-dory, but mine is rather a mess right now. Mimus comforted me because while I was absorbed in Prince Florin's plights, I could forget my own. And when I pondered it, I could consider how lucky I actually am, how far I am from being in such a terrible position as the prince. It calmed me by saying, "Hey. You're doing all right."

If you want a book of a different sort, that may bring a little peace to a troubled mind and entertain you with "bristling wit", Mimus is just the thing. I agree that the end wraps up too neatly, but it's not important--by then, Mimus has made his point.

You probably have so many examples of historical fiction telling about the kings, queens, princess, prince, and sometimes the fools. But nothing so far has the decency to write a story of a miserable but witty fool. All other books usually just emphasize on the grandeur of the kingdom and even if the main character was a fool, you can bet she/he won't be suffering like Mimus was.

I like Mimus despite his 'cruelty' to Florin and his sense of 'humor'.

A highly recommended story which is not too heavy but also not too light. Everyone will get nice parts in it, even till the end.

When I first picked out this book at the library it looked boring, but once I started reading it, I fell in love. This book is interesting, funny and charming. It keeps your attention page after page!

I really liked this book. I loved the whole "wise jester" idea--- I've been looking for books about jesters, but apart from this, cannot find any. Any suggestions?

Anyway, I liked the plot line of this book--a prince who's kind and good who falls into a trap, and who must then learn to be a jester. I enjoyed the friendship between Mimus and Prince Florin. My only issue was the ending. Does anyone else understand the last page? I just wished that Mimus escaped his horrible job.... Hopefully, there will be a sequel. One more thing. This book probably isn't for 12 and under, simply because there are some crude references (jokes that Mimus has to tell), and a lot of the story line deals with torture and death. Just saying.

Ok, so I have a few questions (if anyone can answer them):

1. Can you explain the ending?
2. Is there any way at all to contact Lilli Thal?
3. Does anyone know about a sequel?
4. Are there any other books out there about a "wise jester" for juvenile, teens, or adults?

Thanks!

and this book was no exception. I bought it because the cover looked interesting, but I didn't think I'd really enjoy it all that much. THankfully I was very pleasantly surprised. Historical fiction with a hint of adventure, and no magic or 'happily ever after'/badly written romance --- just my style.