Mar-30-2010, 03:54 PM (UTC)
I can remember what I wore yesterday, but only because I am still wearing it...
I think that Hobb's detailed descriptions of clothes are useful. They give a feel for the differences in climate, technology and social stratification between the various different cultures of her World. One thing that struck me immediately about Hobb's writing is how character-centred it is. She spends relatively little space objectively describing things like landscape, politics and technology. Instead, we are left to experience these things from the viewpoints of her characters. This gives us a powerful sense of what is familiar and what is unusual in the various different cultures.
I think that Hobb's detailed descriptions of clothes are useful. They give a feel for the differences in climate, technology and social stratification between the various different cultures of her World. One thing that struck me immediately about Hobb's writing is how character-centred it is. She spends relatively little space objectively describing things like landscape, politics and technology. Instead, we are left to experience these things from the viewpoints of her characters. This gives us a powerful sense of what is familiar and what is unusual in the various different cultures.