“To anyone who dreams about the layered histories of a familiar place, or an unfamiliar one, this is for you”
~Fran Wilde

Jewel Lin, daughter of the King of the valley, and her lapidary, Sima, awaken to find themselves imprisoned and the kingdom in madness-induced disarray. Lapidaries are bound to the gemstones that speak to them, gemstones with the power to both protect and enslave the kingdom. They are also oathbound to serve a Jewel, and lapidary Sima is ever faithful to the vows she made that now tie her to Jewel Lin.

Unprepared for the devastation in which they find themselves, the two must summon all their training, courage–and not a little bit of cleverness–to save the people of the valley who look to them for protection.

I adore short fiction, be it short story, novelette, or novella, but of the three my favorite tends to be the novella. The novella has the advantage of word count that allows for the author to firmly establish a beginning, middle and end without sacrificing character development or plot. Many are the times in which I have expressed my belief that the construction of a good work of short fiction requires masterful skill, and every time I find myself swept up in a work of short fiction, that belief is validated.

Such is the case with Fran Wilde’s novella, The Jewel and Her Lapidary.

I often see reviews for novellas that express something along the lines of this sentiment: “This could have been made into a novel”. On one hand that criticism can be seen as positive. The author managed to create a world, setting, or character(s) that the reader became so attached to that they did not want to let go. On the other it could be seen as a negative, an expression of dissatisfaction with a story that the reader would have liked had it been written to the length of a novel.

While I can sympathize with the latter scenario, I find that a well-crafted story leaves me satisfied, regardless of length. I often think of the novella as a vignette, a glimpse into a place, a time, and into the lives of the character(s) who inhabit that imagined realm.

The Jewel and Her Lapidary satisfies.

Unless I am writing a lengthy discussion/dissection of a work of short fiction, I hesitate to reveal many elements of the story as that will diminish the joy of discovery for you, the reader. In The Jewel and Her Lapidary author Fran Wilde drops the reader into the thick of things, with murder, madness and betrayal already underway, and in the midst of this chaos she introduces her readers to Lin and Sima, and to the magic system that underpins Wilde’s world, through action and reflection rather than a straightforward explanation of the boundaries of her fictional realm.

Fran Wilde allows the reader to get to know both Lin and Sima by an alternating narrative structure that reveals the internal thoughts and feelings of each character. She begins The Jewel and Her Lapidary with suspense and mystery and is able to keep the reader guessing as to the outcome throughout the length of the tale. Her magic system is unlike anything I have read previously, and as such it reminds me of Brandon Sanderson’s novella The Emperor’s Soul, which managed to do the same thing. Also, both novellas share a kindred beginning.

The Jewel and Her Lapidary is eighty-five pages in length, and although those pages encompass a mere passing of days, it is my opinion that this is ample time for readers to develop an affection for and understanding of Lin and Sima, and to care deeply about what happens to them. There are certainly enough gems here, pardon the story-related pun, to craft a novel-length story, and it is a testament to Fran Wilde that she packs so much story into these pages, embracing the novella and showcasing just what it can do.

I personally enjoyed being able to experience two very distinct, individual characters, both of whom had agency and purpose within the story. A character like Sima could have easily been portrayed as a servile role with little to do but support the character of Lin. Instead we are allowed to see her own hopes and dreams, the ways in which it would be understandably easy for her or any lapidary to struggle against their place in this society, and we are made to understand how both Sima and Lin have the kind of supportive relationship in which each is part of something greater that benefits this society as a whole. I liked these two, and enjoyed the time I was able to spend with them.

The Jewel and Her Lapidary is the first I have read of Tor.com’s print/ebook novellas. It will not be the last. I enjoy the stock of the trade edition covers and the choice of font and font-size. It is a jewel in its own right.

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Fran Wilde is an author of short and novel-length fiction. Her debut novel Updraft was nominated for the 2016 Nebula Award and it won the 2016 Andre Norton Award and the 2016 Compton Crook Award. I believe I have read a Fran Wilde short story in Asimov’s prior to this read, but I am not entirely certain. At any rate, I was familiar with her name, and had the pleasure to meet her this past weekend at the 74th World Science Fiction convention here in Kansas City, Missouri: MidAmeriCon II.

A word to authors: you can sell your stories to an audience when you make a connection. I first encountered Fran Wilde when she took a picture of me with artist John Picacio while at his table to purchase some of his artwork. She smiled a genuine smile, was nice, and was engaged in the moment. It made an impression. I recognized her name from her con badge and promptly Googled her name on my phone–you’ve got to love instant information. In so doing I discovered her recent accolades and wanted to know more. I found The Jewel and Her Lapidary at the Angry Robot booth and proceeded to purchase it and later attended her scheduled signing.

We had a few brief interactions during the convention and they made enough of an impression on me that I wanted to read her work. Why? Because she was nice…it was as simple as that. She was kind and friendly and it felt genuine, and it compelled me to see what this particular author could produce out of her imagination.

Something quite wonderful, I have now discovered.

I am looking forward to reading Updraft, which I also procured at the convention.
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Tommy Arnold is an artist whose work has been featured on products by Tor Books, Orbit Books, Wizards of the Coast, Spectrum 23 and other publications. His cover for The Jewel and Her Lapidary not only captures the essence of the predicament in which Lin and Sima find themselves, but it is a lovely piece of art in its own right. Judging the book by its cover is the right course of action in the case of The Jewel and Her Lapidary.
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I really enjoyed getting to see into the heart of both Jewel Lin and lapidary Sima in this novella.

85 pages?

Certainly enough to allow me the opportunity to care deeply about the protagonists.