Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I have to think about this one a while.  What a weird experience.



9/21 - after mulling a while, I decided on 3 stars because I both loved and hated it.  I decided I had to read it almost stream of consciousness as it's written, since stopping to ponder the words detracted from the mood.  At times I was annoyed, irritated, aggravated by the characters.  At other times I felt an almost unbearable soaring of spirit and longing along with the characters.  At times I almost stopped reading wondering why I was subjecting myself to such misery; at other times I couldn't stop reading I was so enthralled.



I'm totally mystified as to why this was in the running for a Hugo award.  Isn't that an award for science fiction?  I don't think this book is science fiction.  I keep trying to decide what it is and think it's some sort of poetic metaphor for following one's bliss, for finding where passion takes one, for seeking one's meaning in unusual choices that are definitely against the norm.



The author most definitely has a gift for using words almost as paint brushes or as musical instruments to create a mood larger than the meaning of the sentence of paragraph.  It's worth a read if only to experience this strangely wonderful phenomenon.



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