Reviews

Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente

cherithe's review against another edition

5.0

I don't think I really have words for how much I loved this story. Valente is some sort of lyrical genius and I want to listen to it again because the reader: Aasne Vigesaa is amazing.

If you have ideas about what fantasy literature is supposed to be like, this story is going to challenge them. If you have ideas about what romantic literature should be like, this story will challenge that too. I know that this story gets some negative comments due to the nature of Valente's sort of a dreamy, poetic writing style, but I can't think of a better way to introduce Palimpsest really. And audiobook might be the best way to go. Just so much love.

heavenwallgate's review against another edition

4.5

I picked this book up randomly at a used bookstore. I was vaguely aware of Catherynne M. Valente’s name, but I didn’t know anything about her or her writing, and I’d never heard of this book. I had little to no expectations for it, and I was completely unprepared for how good it was! I absolutely loved the dreamy writing style and the characters, and I will be seeking out more of her work ASAP

laden_bookshelf's review against another edition

4.0

Dense, lyrical and like nothing you've ever read.

megatsunami's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed this book and its imaginative premise: a nighttime dream city which you can only visit through sleeping with someone who's been there, a city which leaves a map of itself tattooed on your body. Wonderful descriptive language and interesting characters. Also I liked the near-universal bisexuality. That was cool.

However, I think I would have enjoyed this book more when I was 17, back when I thought novels about people having meaningless sex with a lot of people were really profound.

tmarthal's review against another edition

2.0

Felt like it was missing something: motivations/history/backstory; something I could not put my finger on. Finished it, but expected a more worthwhile ending to the buildup. Plot summary: Sex to portal, find way to permanently portal. Exceptional writing though.

loribulb's review against another edition

DNF around page 40. It sounds (from the description on the back) like a good story- I just couldn't get over the writing style. I'm not a purple prose fan.

b_fruits's review against another edition

5.0

I don’t know what people are on about, I loved this. World-building at a wonderfully bizarre and creative level, rich and colorful prose, and a subtle eroticism that does not overwhelm. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest

Moderate: Death of parent and War

shane_tiernan's review against another edition

1.0

I put off reading this for a long time because I had heard it was really "surreal" and "dream-like". My wife picked it out for us randomly off one of our shelves. After about 65 pages we both decided to give up. We didn't know who the characters were, what they were doing or where they were. The writing was poetic, it DID seem very dream-like but there was no way we were spending the next couple weeks reading a bunch of beautiful words that didn't seem to make a lot of sense. If I want that I can read Shakespeare.

paneerakbari's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

bigbookmaus's review against another edition

1.0

this book is the reason for everything that is wrong with the world