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Cover of Mundane's World

Mundane's World

Judy Grahn (1988)

SubgenreSpace Opera
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingR
Pages ()
Setting
Goodreads3.58

Content levels

ViolenceNot rated
Sexual contentNot rated
LanguageNot rated

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Synopsis

Here is a rare and compelling first novel about five girls' special passage into womanhood. These protagonists, all residents of "Mundane", the city of dreamers, are of from four clans that peacefully coexist: the Snake clan, famous for healing and balance, the Bee clan, of water-bearing women and the keeping of measurements, the Lion clan, of animals, movement, transportation and trading, and the Tortoise clan of farming, provision, distribution and record-keeping. This well-written tale of spiritual transformation from a woman's point of view is composed in a poetic style, capturing the tribal rhythm of rituals and of day-to-day living. A lyrical whimsy informs the narrative: "It was certainly a hum drum society, it was so hum drum, ho hum, dum dedum, dum deedle deedle tweedle dum, humming and drumming, every good time was a clap trap". Though the story is told mainly through the eyes of two characters, Ernesta and Jessi-ma, animals, plants and insects contribute their perspectives: "Spiraling high into the sky for a change of air the fly can see if he is looking that there are four wider streets in the city".