THE GODDESS OF BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Martin Millar | 192 pages | 02 Apr 2015 | Little, Brown Book Group | 9780349407142 | English | London, United Kingdom The Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies PDF Book His early work anticipated the urban fantasy boom: in what is still his best-known book, The Good Fairies of New York , a pair of Scottish thistle fairies wake up hungover in the Big Apple, and the ghost of Johnny Thunders searches for a lost guitar. For all its cheerfulness and the sometimes air-headed optimism of a couple of the main characters, though, it's by no means a stupid book. Threads collapsed expanded unthreaded. Original Title. And curiously it also alludes to a part of his career unmentioned in the author blurb. Buttercups and Daisies offers clues. A fan of Martin's Kalix series, I was initially distracted by the similarities between some of the characters in this book and those in the Kalix series. Average rating 3. May 23, Elena Gaillard rated it really liked it Shelves: fantasy. Even so, it was still a fun, quick read that provided a nice break from the world. As he does in Peace, Aristophanes mocks the lower-class, populist politician Hyperbolus, but Millar is smart enough to include a speech where the playwright is upbraided for his aristocratic disdain. At the same time, Aristophanes, the great comic dramatist, is struggling with the production of his latest offering for the Dionysia Festival — a controversial new work entitled Peace. Mar 13, Ry Herman rated it really liked it Shelves: humor , fantasy , historical-fiction. Japan Posted on There is another reason why Millar remains a cult figure. There are elements of magical realism, and the feelin Martin Millar is a critically acclaimed Scottish writer from Glasgow, now resident in London. Martin Millar. The novels he writes as Martin Millar dwell on urban decay and British sub-cultures, and the impact this has on a range of characters, both realistic and supernatural. Nov 10, Michael Ritchie rated it really liked it. This book is somewhat slight, but amusing enough. That said, his story opens with Lux lying near death under a car during the Brixton riots. Arts and Culture. This is an easy reading, light weight comedy with a deeper meaning included. It deals with big themes like war and propaganda sharply but with good humour, and the details of the setting make it obvious the author has a real history-geek love of the period. Refresh and try again. Entertaining poetry and a play you must read. Other than that it's the usual Millaresque fare, where people are foiled in their attempts to achieve their aims partly by their own personalities and partly by interference from external forces, in this case the goddess Athena and sundry other Olympians as well as citizens who would prefer the war with Sparta to continue. Born in Glasgow but now living in London, if readers know of his work, it is probably through The Good Fairies Of New York, a novel which was recently republished with an introduction by Neil Gaiman, and bears comparison to his work. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Interesting take on Ancient Greece, with mortals and the divine beings existing together quite naturally. But if you like Greek history and have already read a bunch of stuff by Aristophanes, it's really great. Goddess isn't a bad and would make for a great beach book. The characters are engaging. The statue represents the Goddess of Liberty enlightening the world - with a very feeble light as yet , it must be confessed It doesn't usually affect how quickly or easily I read a book but there were so many POVs, and quite a lot of them were only half a page or page long, which to me, made the story judder instead of flowing. I wondered why not all Millar's books are listed in the front of this, seems a bit odd to only list some of them. You also notice that the air Or those who want an amusingly witty laugh after a long, dull day at work. Flor rated it it was amazing. Fans of Lux the Poet are in for a treat. Smartly written. Feb 15, Russell Uresti rated it really liked it. Paperback , pages. A modern spin on the ancient world showing parallels of human nature between then and now. Public Notices. Books by Martin Millar. It's a lighter read than perhaps any of his other books, and that's saying something. Aristophanes is having trouble putting on a play about peace in a warlike climate, eternally hopeful lyric poet Luxos is trying to get a break, shady generals and weapons manufacturers want the upcoming peace talks to fail, a deity is sowing discord throughout Athens, and into the middle of all this walk am Amazon and a wood nymph whose powers are not quite as advertised Martin Millar is basically Neil Gaiman who talks about things I'm actually interested in. Yet a second reading inevitably reveals work that is richer, darker and more carefully structured than it first appears. The Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies Writer Paradoxically, given his pared-back prose, which favours plot and dialogue over description, his novels can seem to need more editing. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. I love Martin Millar. Details if other :. Born in Glasgow but now living in London, if readers know of his work, it is probably through The Good Fairies Of New York, a novel which was recently republished with an introduction by Neil Gaiman, and bears comparison to his work. Recommended to all lovers of Classical mythology and a bit of mildly romantic historical romp. An enjoyable romp through ancient Athens in Millar's usual comic satirical style. Then, in , he developed agoraphobia. The female characters are very much in the forefront however: Athena, Bremusa the Amazon, Metris the nymph, Laet the spirit of bad decisions, and a leading haetera drive much of the action. This was a quick, charming read. At least in the beginning. Poetry Posted on There are a lot of enjoyable references for people at least somewhat familiar with the period, but it can certainly still be read and liked by someone with no such familiarity. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a mix of adventure and wit, sword fights and the interaction between the immortals and humans. In an age of literary festivals, when even the most timid authors have to hawk their wares, he has been absent from the stage. Compared with the books of the Kalix series, this book is a little shorter and has a much simpler plot, free of the multitude of subplots Kalix has been criticized for. For all its cheerfulness and the sometimes air-headed optimism of a couple of the main characters, though, it's by no means a stupid book. Feb 05, M rated it it was amazing. Loading comments… Trouble loading? Compared with the books of the Kalix series, this book is a little shorter and has a much simpler plot, free of the multitude of s A fan of Martin's Kalix series, I was initially distracted by the similarities between some of the characters in this book and those in the Kalix series. The characters are engaging. Millar is frequently compared to Kurt Vonnegut, and it is an apt comparison, not just in their combination of levity and profundity, but in that the more of their work you read, the more you get out of their novels. In an Athens on the brink of ruin after ten years with war with Sparta, a cranky Aristophanes attempts to stage his play Peace, while dark forces attempt to disrupt both the performance and the diplomatic talks to end the war. I feel like this story may be more enjoyable if you've read Lux The Poet first as Luxos is meant to be a past life of his , but it's still fun even if you haven't but, honestly, if you haven't - go read it. It's a light comedy with some good history with names to suite the ancient times. Jul 08, Dan rated it really liked it. Jul 11, Shannon rated it liked it. Still, the characters were likable, and Millar is excellent with world building and converging several different threads into a fully realized story. Set in the Athens of BC, Buttercups and Daisies is a comedy that is by turns rambunctious, satirical and bittersweet. Sign in Edit Account Sign Out. Rating details. More Details Jun 11, T. No trivia or quizzes yet. Encyclopedias and dictionaries Posted on America Posted on Most popular. Read more All these qualities are shared by this novel, with a romantic, poignant subplot: Luxos, needless to say, is smitten by Metris. Although he is an advocate of political peace, his satirical works are hardly merciful to his opponents. There is another reason why Millar remains a cult figure. The Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies Reviews This book is somewhat slight, but amusing enough. Martin Millar. Recommended to all lovers of Classical mythology a Loved this, very entertaining and an easy read. Martin Millar is a critically acclaimed Scottish writer from Glasgow, now resident in London. I was really interested in the premise of this book, but actually picking it up to finish it proved a struggle. At its heart, it takes the Athenian invention of democracy seriously. Martin Millar is on form for this one, if you've ever read any of his before you will know what to expect.