Public reader discussion about Lud-in-the-Mist in the WeRead Catalog by Hope Mirrlees.
By AcarusBrisk
Hope Mirrlees’ classic high fantasy title just appeared in PG’s new additions today, so I guess it’s out of copyright now. I first came across it in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series. Neil Gaiman has said it’s one of his top ten favorites. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s definitely worth grabbing.
By weather-eagle5
I’m actually glad I’m not the only one who’s noticed the title issue—“What’s the deal with Lud-in-the-Mist” somehow got tagged with the “deals” flair, so I get it. Chapter 3 felt like a big turning point. You get the first real sense that there’s an actual plot coming, and even with the super flowery opening stuff, there were some really sharp observations mixed into the dreamlike worldbuilding. The part with the dinner party at House Chanticleer is especially interesting. The way Mirrlees talks about the jokes people make at each other’s expense, and how that’s basically a “totem” thing—like different groups just not having sympathy for each other—honestly made me light up. It’s kind of wild how that reads like meme theory, but way earlier than meme theory ever existed. Anyway, I can’t stay on that for long because then the chapter basically forces you to deal with Ranulph. Ranulph is Nathaniel Chanticleer’s kid, and he’s the thing that kicks everything off. He shows up with these cryptic references to fairy-land and it throws the dinner party into chaos. Then Nathaniel finds out the horrible truth: Ranulph ate fairy-fruit, given to him by some boy named Willy Wisp. And apparently Ranulph isn’t just “a character,” he’s likely standing in for Hope Mirrlees herself. Michael Swanwick says Mirrlees kind of writes roman-a-clef-ish stuff, with the family as the cast—Nathaniel is her father, Marigold her mother, Prunella her sister, etc. Ranulph fits that too, and his name is weird in a way that makes me think there’s some hidden meaning (he’s got a Nordic name; Wikipedia says “house wolf” or “wolf’s power,” but I have no idea if that matters). Compared to the plant-named women and myth/bible men, he definitely stands out. Also, in a normal book Ranulph would probably be the main character—the kid who feels different, doesn’t fit in, and needs to leave/change. But Mirrlees doesn’t do that. Ranulph is more like a passive piece that drives Nathaniel’s motivation, and it feels like it would’ve been a clever expectation-subversion if it were more clearly intentional. Which leads to the question everyone’s probably side-eyeing: Is Ranulph gay? The “forbidden fruit” angle makes it really tempting to read him that way—he’s sensitive, doesn’t fit, gets marked by contact with something from another boy. But then I also can’t tell if I’m just dragging modern assumptions into an old story. If the fairy fruit is supposed to mean queerness, it gets… complicated. And if Ranulph is Mirrlees, then does that mean Lud-in-the-Mist is her attempt at coming out? I don’t know. Then there’s the Hope Mirrlees background stuff. She was living with Jane Harrison at the time, and there’s her poetry that seems to hint at that kind of relationship. But Swanwick and her family are said to think Mirrlees wasn’t a lesbian, and it’s hard to separate “she was weird/out there” from “she was queer.” Honestly, after reading all that, I landed on the same conclusion as the book discussion part of my brain: who cares. Even if Mirrlees was gay, she didn’t really write it straight, or build her life around a visible community. And I don’t think the answer actually helps much with how Lud-in-the-Mist works. Plus, Ranulph isn’t the protagonist, so whatever his sexuality is (or isn’t) doesn’t really change the core of the story. What matters more is that he gets misunderstood by a parent—who does love him, but still can’t quite get him—and Ranulph ends up struggling to find where he belongs. And the book basically spells out that parent transformation vibe. Nathaniel treats Ranulph more like an heirloom than a son at first (which is a rough start), and then near the end he has this sudden shift—tenderness, alarm, and then actually holding him close and murmuring loving reassurance. If you connect that with the fact the book is dedicated to Mirrlees’ father, it feels like this isn’t really “a kid finds their place,” so much as “a parent redeems themselves for not being able to do it right.” Next question on my mind: who even is Endymion Leer?
By nebula-horse6
Hey everyone! I did a read-along for *Lud-in-the-Mist* a while back, then had to stop halfway through because I got busy writing. But I promised I’d only come back after I finished the whole guide, and yep—I did. Each week we’re doing a chapter, and I’ll share what I noticed (and the little bits that might’ve slipped past you). If you’re impatient or just feel like being nice, you can also grab the whole guide as an e-book right now on Kindle. It’s got the chapter-by-chapter stuff plus extras too (details at the bottom). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB8TR2H2/ Alright, back to it: **Chapter 20: The Binding of Ranulph** So the blurb for a lot of editions always says Ranulph getting taken by fairies is what kicks Nathaniel’s adventure off. What bugs me is that it happens way late in the book, so it feels like they kinda miss the point—like the story messes with the usual trope a bit. Anyway, this chapter finally delivers on the kidnapping, though it seems way more “willing” than what happens with the Crabapple Blossoms. ### The Night It Happens After months on the farm, the Widow finally convinces Ranulph to join the local boys watching the cows overnight. I’m not super clued in on cow-watching customs, but it doesn’t feel like something kids would need to do overnight unless it’s to keep thieves out—and I feel like that’s probably not the situation. To me, the whole “watch the cows” thing is basically a setup, just to get Ranulph where the plot wants him. And the timing matters too, in a spooky way. The last night of October sits between the autumn equinox and winter solstice, so it feels like that turn from light into dark. A lot of cultures mark this with some kind of holiday, and here it’s Halloween (and kind of the Samhain vibe too). So of course it’s a perfect time for fairy nonsense—when the line between life and death gets thin. The kids wear fennel sprigs for protection. I don’t know where that comes from exactly, but fennel shows up in that nine-herbs charm thing, which is supposed to help with all sorts of ailments. ### So What Was That “Fairy Fruit” Thing? In the middle of the night, the kids tell Luke what they saw the Widow and Leer talking about. Turns out the “trouts” they were talking about were fairy fruit the whole time. Like… I didn’t expect it, but now it makes sense. So Luke has the proof he needs to mess up the Widow and Leer by telling Nathaniel what happened. Easy solution. Except once Ranulph hears the kids’ story, he immediately starts acting like none of it matters. He ends up running toward the hills—toward Fairyland. So I guess it’s not really a “warnings work” situation. ### Is Ranulph Actually Innocent? This chapter got me because Ranulph acts really stubborn. Luke warns him about the danger, and Ranulph doesn’t just ignore him—he refuses even to wear fennel, just to spite Luke. Which is wild, because he’s already been messed up by an encounter with fairy fruit before. He’s basically throwing caution to the wind like none of that happened. Normally you wouldn’t blame a kid for being taken or tormented, but I also feel like Ranulph isn’t just “a kid” in the usual sense—he’s a character doing something on purpose for the story. His actions have a function. One thing that sticks out is that Luke’s attempts to keep him safe feel designed to have the opposite effect. Luke talks to him like: “go to bed,” “it’s getting damp,” basically telling him to stay away… which is exactly how you get a teen to do the opposite. And even with Luke right there stressing it, Ranulph still seems to enjoy making Luke worry. He’s focused on undermining the person in charge more than he’s focused on danger. Also, he doesn’t just put himself in harm’s way—he practically barrels into it, running gleefully toward the border. It feels like there might be guilt in his actions. And since Ranulph is tied to Mirrlees in some way (or represents her), I kind of read it as her trying to take responsibility for the space between her family and herself. ### Next Week? I’ll have to wait until next week, but I’m curious—maybe it’s not as bad as it seems. Or maybe it is. We’ll see. If you want the rest, you can also buy the book version with extras, like: - updated/re-edited previous chapters with new insights - an extra chapter on theories behind *Lud-in-the-Mist* - a bonus chapter on what happened to Hope Mirrlees after *Lud-in-the-Mist* - a glossary with origins/meanings of names in the book (including ones that don’t make it into the guide) Let me know what you thought of Chapter 20 (or the whole thing), and I’ll see you next week!
By EmmaReads51779
Does anyone have any good fantasy recommendations that are kind of in the same lane as Stardust and Jonathan Strange? I’m looking for that classic late-1800s/early-1900s English fantasy vibe, especially stuff along the lines of Lord Dunsay.
By ivorybeaver35
So yeah, about this month’s picks… I kind of dropped the ball. Between everything being hectic with the holidays and me honestly being forgetful, there wasn’t a voting thread. I didn’t want to just skip January though, so I went with something that’s been hovering near “book of the month” territory for a bunch of months now: *Lud-in-the-Mist* by Hope Mirrlees. Goodreads link: *Lud-in-the-Mist* by Hope Mirrlees If you’re new, this “Keeping up with the Classics” thing is basically meant to get more people into fantasy classics, and then have a real discussion about them. Jump in even if you’ve already read it, just try not to spoil anything. There’s also more info (and a list of past classics) here. Discussion dates: - Announcement post (Jan 1) - First half (Jan 16) - Full book (Jan 30) Drop any non-spoiler thoughts you’ve got in here! Are you planning to join the discussion this month? What do you think of the book so far, whether you’ve read it or not? Bingo squares: - Standalone - Single city setting - Published before you were born (1926) - Has fae And as always, let me know if there’s anything we can do to make this book club better!
By BeanBee
Honestly it feels kind of criminal that Susanna Clarke hasn’t published more novels (I know it’s not really her fault, though). I’m obsessed with her characters and the whole moody, atmospheric way she writes. Anyway, can anyone suggest books that feel similar? I’d love something set somewhere between about 1800 and 1960, and magic would be great. If there’s queer stuff too, that’s a bonus, but I’m not picky. Edit: thanks a ton for all the recs! I’m going to start checking them out.
By WanderingOwl2003
Sorry this part’s coming out late, but yay—Mondays are back! So Part 15 basically starts right where the last chapter left off, and Ambrose is full-on yelling at Polydore Vigil like, “How dare you bring up that law?” And Vigil’s like, nah, I don’t think it was me—sounds like the Mayor’s the one behind smuggling the fruit into Lud. Then Nathaniel ends up agreeing to have his house searched, and Endymion Leer joins in. At first they don’t find anything, but then Leer’s all, “Maybe the old grandfather clock?” and of course that’s where they finally find the fairy fruit. Honestly, the book’s description of it is pretty great (and kind of creepy): it’s got tendrils and these berries and this whole case full of weird fruits in a gourd-looking thing. Nathaniel feels different here, though. He’s not reacting like he did earlier—more like he’s resigned. But I don’t think it’s just him giving up. It feels more like he knows he lost this round, and he’s waiting for the right moment. This might be the lowest point for him… but also kind of the peak of his “okay, I’ll play the long game” energy. And I also noticed Leer feels involved in a new way. Up until now it’s like other people are doing the moves for him, but now he’s the one steering things toward the clock. Like, did he already know it was there? The way it happens makes him seem like he’s slipping a bit. Also, the chapter title and all the clockmaker-apprentice talk kinda gives away that Willy Wisp is behind the fruit in the first place. I know Willy Wisp shows up in a lot of fairy stories, like Puck/Robin Goodfellow and all that, and the usual thing is: he’s a prankster, but he doesn’t really “harm” people directly. But then… how is that true when he’s the one who caused all this trouble in the first place? Still, I guess the bigger idea is that it’s not him personally ruining anyone—it’s the way society reacts (or the Widow/Leer stirring things up) that makes things go bad. And yeah, it feels like this is basically “it’s men, not fairies” vibes again. The rest of the chapter is basically Lud enjoying the Mayor’s downfall, and I’m not gonna lie, that schadenfreude stuff is exactly the sort of thing this world likes. What bugs me (in a good way) is that it’s not even the fruit itself that really matters to them—it’s the fact that Nathaniel’s big speeches blew up in his face. And there’s this irony that Mirrlees seems to lean into: watching someone’s victory lap collapse. Nathaniel just stays calm and basically outlasts everything, even reading legal documents in his smoking-room while the town cheers. And somehow the ending of it makes it feel like he’s still winning—like the keys to the whole mystery are coming into play. Anyway, I guess we’ll find out next time what that mystery is… because the book’s not letting go of the suspense yet.
By listens_song1983
After he heard that note, he was basically never the same. For the longest time it felt like the best part of his dreams was always leading up to it, like the whole thing was circling toward one living little sound. And sometimes it would show up in the weirdest ways—like his nurse would be baking an apple, all cozy and real, and then she’d look at him with this face-smile he’d never seen and basically tell him, “Yeah, but it isn’t really the apple. It’s the Note.” I didn’t expect it to change how he lives day to day like it did. Before, he couldn’t stand being stuck doing the same routine stuff—he’d even rather be out sailing than sitting around running things. But after the Note, he turned into the most steady, homebody type in that place. The weird part is it wasn’t because life felt better. It’s more like he got this sad feeling that he’d already lost whatever he was actually holding onto, and then everything familiar started to feel kind of suspicious. He’d keep wondering when IT was going to jump out—like while he’s just sitting there with his normal stuff, what if one day his own furniture or walls or pictures suddenly turn into something awful? Sometimes he’d even look at his wife while she’s embroidering under the lamp and at his kid playing, like he’s looking at memories that already happened. And the cock’s cry kind of hits that same nerve too—like it’s calling up the farm life that’s right there, but also grieving that it’s gone, like centuries all at once. Still, I will say there’s a nasty little sweetness in how he copes. When he’s scared, he tries to picture the danger as something he already got past. So lying in his bed, listening to his wife breathe and the trees move, starts to feel almost comforting—because in his head he’s like, “See? That horrible lonely thing is behind me now.”
By Superuser
Chapter 27 really feels like Mirrlees showing off in the best way. The fair is so weird and dreamlike, but it’s also packed with meaning. Nathaniel reaches the Yeomanry first, and they’re no help, but it’s a nice reminder that he’s choosing to cross over himself. He’s not under a spell or anything, and he hasn’t eaten Fairy Fruit either. Then we get to the fair itself, and that part is just strange in a good way. Nathaniel is moving through dead people and carnival stuff on the heath, and he somehow knows answers before he even asks the questions, like in dreams. The “Cicerone of Dreams” thing is such a neat idea too. He’s basically touring the place like a museum, just looking, not really touching anything. The merry-go-round bit stood out to me a lot. I think the child there is Ranulph, but Nathaniel doesn’t realize it, which is kind of heartbreaking. He can tell what’s odd everywhere else, but not his own son. Still, that seems to shift something in him. After that he’s not just observing anymore, the fair starts to feel real to him, and he doesn’t need the Cicerone anymore. And then the fairy fruit seller scene is great because Nathaniel suddenly sounds like he knows he’s in a story and has to follow the rules. The whole “I shall not touch it” thing feels very fairy tale-ish. I’m not sure if the fruit is just trickery, or if Nathaniel is choosing to be fooled, or if it’s all dream logic anyway. Maybe all of it. The auction part is probably my favorite, though. He gets angry about the Crabapple Blossoms being sold and starts arguing law in the middle of all this nonsense, which seems absurd but also works. That’s where the fair and law kind of lock together. The crowd even knows him as Chanticleer, which gives him a real identity there. “Chanticleer and the Law” feels like it could mean the dreamer and the law too. Then the fair kind of slips away and he’s in the town instead, which is creepy in a different way. He sees Portunus again, sort of, and keeps moving because of Ranulph. Next week we get a god, apparently. That’s wild.
By StarSteady98
Honestly, it’s Lord of the Rings for me. Yeah, I know, not exactly original, but I can’t help it. I’ve read a bunch of really great stuff—War and Peace, Jane Eyre, The Brothers Karamazov, Dune—but none of them hit me the same way. It’s just got this cozy kind of feel to it, with the characters and the whole world, and the descriptions and lore too. Maybe part of why it beats a lot of other books for me is that Arda’s history feels so full and kind of magical. I know it’s not a super fair comparison since I’m basically judging an entire series against single books, but even by itself, LOTR still feels like the best one to me. So what about you?
By Precheck-Bookish10
Hey all! This is the Feminism in Fantasy Book Club nomination thread, and for September the theme is Motherhood. I think they want stuff where the main character is actually a parent (bio or adopted is fine), and it’s a real part of who they are and drives the story—not just like, “here’s a kid I’m watching for a bit,” since that feels like a different theme. They’re also not saying women parent differently because of some inherent trait, but they do want the social/cultural expectations piece explored. So yeah, they strongly prefer a woman main character, but they’ll make exceptions if a book digs into parenting expectations more generally. A dad protagonist could work too if there’s more going on (like a gender-flip society or just a deeper look at parenthood). Also: female author and/or feminism/gender has to be part of the big themes. Nominate in the comments with title + author + a short blurb, and if you know them, drop the bingo squares. They might check if they already read the author in the last couple years. If you have thoughts on whether a pick does or doesn’t fit, that would be helpful. Next reads they mentioned: Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill for the Female Friendship theme (midway on 16 July), and Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirlees for Classics in August. What exactly is FIF Bookclub, though? I saw a link to a reboot thread but I haven’t clicked it yet.
By Fish_White
Welcome to the halfway chat for Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirlees! We’re only talking through the end of chapter 13, “What Master Nathaniel and Master Ambrose Found in the Guildhall.” If you go beyond that, please use spoiler tags. I’ll drop a few questions in the comments, but really, talk about whatever you want. Lud-in-the-Mist is set in Dorimare, a small country whose capital is a port where the Dapple and the Dawl meet. The Dapple starts out beyond the Debatable Hills to the west, in Fairyland. Back in Duke Aubrey’s time, a few hundred years ago, fairy stuff was treated with respect, and fairy fruit was brought down the Dapple and eaten by people in Dorimare. Then Duke Aubrey got pushed out by the burghers, and after that fairy fruit became illegal, and anything tied to Fairyland was basically unspeakable. Now Ranulph, Nathaniel Chanticleer’s son, is thought to have eaten fairy fruit, and Nathaniel, who is mayor of Lud-in-the-Mist, starts digging into old secrets to protect his son and the city. Bingo squares: Book Club or Readalong (HM if you join the discussion!), Impossible Places, Parent Protagonist (HM), Small Press or Self-Published, Cozy SFF (up to you, honestly—I probably would!) Our September pick is Frostflower and Thorn by Phyllis Ann Karr: midway discussion on September 10th, final discussion on September 24th. The October nomination thread is here, and the vote should be up today! Theme is Feminist Gothic.
By cosmiccat4595
My friends really aren’t fantasy people at all — our book club mostly does murder mysteries and big mainstream bestsellers — but it’s my turn to choose and I’d love to give them a taste of what they’re missing. Does anyone have a recommendation for something good and easy to get into, preferably around 400 pages, that might make them remember their younger selves knew what they were doing when they liked this stuff?