Reviews

I'm going to go back and change my inflated rating for the Great Gatsby, because I feel sorta similarly about them. The only difference is that Gatsby was required reading, and I put this book on last year's Christmas list. It sounded like something I would like: cool world, found footage-style. But I got bogged down by the dense writing, and I was not a fan of the ending (which I guessed 2/3 of the way through). Still, the worldbuilding was inspiring. I'd say it was worthwhile just for that, but I was disappointed because I really thought this would be my next favorite book.

EDIT: Upgraded to 4 stars because I can't stop thinking about it.

alchemizaak's review against another edition

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I think this would be better to read in written format

quinniethepoohwho's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I’m written by catherynne m valente

mustakarppi's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ettuladyblue's review against another edition

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4.0

What a fun trippy ride through space, time, movies and whales. Enjoyed this way more than I thought. It does play fast and loose with genres, and you're never going to get a straight answer.
What's more important, the truth we know or the truth we create? And does it matter?

aranafyre's review against another edition

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5.0

I found this book fascinating. It was extremely intriguing and entertaining. I found I had to focus and look back and think about what I read in ways most books I pick up do not challenge me to do and I enjoyed that tremendously. I loved the broken timeline and the various storytelling formats streaming together to form a whole.

I loved the feel of the world as well. It has elements of gothic, mystery, and adventure as well as 1920's-1940's fashion. Beautifully crafted.

It did take me a while to get immersed into the world and I found myself much more successful when I was able to sit down and read for extended periods.

Mid-way through I was both hoping and fearing that Valente would answer the questions to the mysteries of Severin's mother and her disappearance. I did like what Valente did come up with but I feel I would have loved the book even more if I did not know what happened. Though on some level, the answers are not true; they are the fictional movie script of what Vincenza Mako shows at the end of the book. However, I would have preferred not having them.

I would highly recommend to certain readers but not everyone.

geekwayne's review against another edition

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5.0

'Radiance'by Catherynne M. Valente called to me with it's decopunk stylizing of old Hollywood and Golden Era SF stories. It won me over with the kind of literary brilliance that I've come to expect from this author. I'm still processing it, and still in complete awe.

It's about a father and daughter, both filmmakers, in an alternate Hollywood, with studio lots on the moon. It's about love and loss and about the lies we tell ourselves when we only know or only can see partial truth. It's nostalgic and splashy. It's cunning and biting. It's romantic and horrific. I'm gushing, aren't I?

It's chapters take place out of order. Each one a type of film journalism. There are red carpet gossip reports, and journals. Memoirs and screenplays. The ending may not be as settled as some may like, but I found the whole thing shimmering and elegant, like a star-filled party under a star-filled sky.

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