Boy...I am surprised at how many people here gave this book a low rating and claimed it was "social commentary on women" or that the author obviously has a low opinion of women or portrays women negatively. Really? Did we read the same book? This book is full of strong and admirable female characters...and even some not-so-admirable female characters who still cannot be said to be dumb, small-brained, only interested in sex, or any other misrepresentation slung about here in these reviews.Maia is a fantasy novel by virtue of the fact that it's set in an imaginary place, but that's where the fantasy elements end. Otherwise, it's more likely to appeal to fans of historical fiction, with its focus on political intrigue, plots within plots, and the fates of rulers -- and their concubines. (Maybe that's why I found it so palatable. Rather than seeing it as some kind of condescension toward women, it strikes me as fitting right in with the rest of the historical fiction I love to read.)The book is long, and Adams occasionally becomes long-winded, going into meandering digressions about various characters' histories. But the characters are so interesting and Adams' writing is so typically picturesque that it never bothered me enough to remove this book from my shelf. (In fact, I had three hardcover copies of this out-of-print gem, and I treasured them, but neglected to rescue them from my ex-husband's house when I moved out. :( )The big strength of this book is its various characters, all of whom are well-painted and memorable. Contrary to what other reviewers thought, I found Maia to be not dumb or simple but compelling in her innocence and sweetness. She is sometimes naive, but she is earnest and kind, and when faced with a terrible situation (such as, for example, being sold into sexual slavery) rather than withering up and dying she adapts to her new world with the most positive attitude she can muster. As the novel progresses she grows a little older and a little wiser, and finally comes into her own as a heroic, brave young woman, willing to put her life on the line to save innocent lives. She's a main character worth rooting for, even if she's not perfect.Occula is another female character who exudes confidence and power from the first moment she appears on the page. She is intelligent, cunning, possessed of great inner strength and patience that would make a monk envious. Occula is one of the most memorable characters in all of fiction, in my opinion, and for reviewers to write her obvious importance out entirely by saying that this book portrays a poor view of women is just ridiculous. This book wouldn't be what it is without Occula. She is integral to the plot and to the development of so many other characters and their subplots. I have a hard time imagining a sexist author would write such a character into his book. Or at least, a sexist author would "punish" such a character in some way for the mere fact of her greatness -- but on the contrary, Occula arrives in Bekla under her own terms, serves where she means to serve, and, in the end, gets exactly what she wants in exactly the way she wants it, and ends up fabulously wealthy and happy as a clam. This doesn't seem like the creation of a sexist writer.Maia is a long, sensory, in-depth journey through Adams' fictional world, and the reader is guided by a host of fascinating characters. Don't pass this one up, especially if you love Adams' other works or if you are a fan of character-dense historical fiction.
I first read this book a long time ago when I was about 18 or so. I picked it up at the library because of how much I had loved Watership Down. As all the reviews have stated, this book is very different and may not appeal to the same audiences. However, I found it to be utterly absorbing and compelling. Adams is an superb storyteller. His fantasy world depicts an empire that is in transition from a kind of feudalism to a more money-based commercial/capitalist society. A corrupt group of conspirators takes advantage of the merchants' discontent with the old aristocracy, to execute a coup and rule the empire to suit themselves. This group (called the Leopards) are in power at the time when the heroine, Maia, is sold into slavery and is brought to the city as a concubine. Through the influence of her older and more experienced friend, Occula, Maia learns to leverage her beauty and desirability into success as a slave/prostitute and is then forced to become a spy for the Leopard regime. Through an act of extreme heroism, though, she becomes the focus of public adulation, which (ironically) puts her life in danger, and she must risk everything in order to gain a more meaningful and happy life.I was surprised to see how many readers commented on the novel's sexual content, because the actual sex scenes, to me, are not that erotic. I guess what disturbs people are the way that Adams explores the 'dark side' of sexuality, including masochism and sadism, in connection with the corrupt Leopards--especially the two most evil, Sencho and Fornis. Think about this in terms of the corrupt decadence of the Roman Empire, and you won't be far wrong. The exploits of Caligula and Nero actually make those in this novel seem pretty tame.In response to the novel's supposed 'sexism,' I'll concede that there's a few lines that irritate me because they are, indeed, sexist. For example, Adams says at one point that a man's mind is a "ruled kingdom," while a woman's mind is kind of a reflection of natural chaos. Grrrr. However, as others have argued, this novel has extremely powerful and interesting women characters, including Occula, Fornis, Meris, and even Maia herself. In my opinion, Maia does achieve heroism, as her youthful selfishness, when confronted by the reality of suffering and injustice, evolves into a more compassionate and courageous womanhood.
What do You think about Maia (1984)?
Maia is an extraordinarily beautiful 15-year-old peasant girl. She is seduced by her step-father, and out of jealousy, sold to a slave trader by her mother. From there is she is sold into the harem of one of the three top officials of a decadent and disintegrating empire. She finds herself almost immediately in a maelstrom of political infighting as the situation in the empire grows more and more desperate. Tightly plotted and well written. Adams is also the author of Watership Down, but this is no book about bunny rabbits. It is, however, one of the most thoroughly pagan stories I've ever read.
—Benjamin
This book is so rich that no matter how many times I read it, I always find something new to enjoy, or I find I've forgotten something. The world is a character as much as any of the sprawling cast. Anyone who enjoys Song of Ice and Fire may very well enjoy this, as it has the same intricate politics and minimal fantasy elements.My one regret for this book is that it was written during an era when black people were still rampantly exoticized in fiction, and so there's a few moments where I wince a bit or roll my eyes. Even then, the one black character is still so well-developed that she seems like a real person--someone we'd love to know.
—plunder puss
Read this two decades ago, and I read it again periodically (much to the distress of those living with me, for I disappear over a period of two or three days whenever I crack it again). Maia is the sort of blissful innocent I occasionally envy--she plunges in when others pause to think and somehow benefits herself in the end. The cast of characters around Maia are varied and capture my interest more fully than she. A few vivid scenes make it an oddly compelling read for those wishing to escape their heads in the midst of financial and other meltdowns.
—Beckett
