World-building - Marchetta Shows Us How It's Done

The Lumatere Chronicles is a fantasy series written by Melinda Marchetta that I have continually heard good things about. Well, I finally broke down and decided to give FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK, the first book in the series, a try.

Now, as much as it pains me to admit it, I was not drawn into that first book the way I wanted to be. I was hoping to get sucked in so suddenly and completely that I could not put the book down. That didn't happen. The book starts slow and gives you a lot of information and characters to get to know. I was slightly overwhelmed. It wasn't until I cracked open the second book and started reading about familiar characters and places, that I realized I had fallen in love with the world Marchetta had built.

I didn't understand it at first. Why did I feel such a strong connection to THE LUMATERE CHORNICLES in the second book, when I was lukewarm about the first book? By the time I finished QUINTANA OF CHARYN, the third and final book in the series, I figured it out - Marchetta is a master at world-building.

Yes, the series started slow, but it was because she devoted time to building characters and places. I guess I would say that a lot of YA novels that I read cause me to fall into this "infatuation" phase. I feel an instant connection with the character and the storyline but by the time the next book comes out a year later, I no longer feel compelled to spend time with the story. Infatuation over.

With Marchetta's books, I fell in love. No really, hear me out. The characters in her books are flawed - every one of them - but I know them. They are redeemable. They are real. And while her characters are well done, I'm here to advise all fantasy writers to learn from Marchetta's world-building. She created complex lands - each with their own way of speaking, their own reputations, their own landscapes. 

 Lumatere is a small kingdom made up of hardworking people who love each other and are devoted wholly to their queen. Yutland is swampy and tribal. Charyn is rocky and cavernous and the people's loyalties are divided and confused. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. 

The point of all this is to say that I highly recommend Marchetta's LUMATERE CHRONICLES - particularly for those who are looking for writings that will serve as a role model for world-building. 

 Happy writing and happy reading!