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A review by januaryecologist
The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch
3.0
"Two things have always ruptured up and through hegemony: art and bodies."
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
I loved the premise of the book, that of survivors on a ruined earth, humanity evolving (or devolving) while attempting to survive on a panopticon-esque space station, amid questions of the importance of class, sex, and gender in a world where human reproduction is artificial or impossible. Yuknavitch writes beautifully and imaginatively.
At the same time, I felt in places the writing was incoherent - either that, or was supposed to be metaphorical/symbolic in a way that I didn't grasp while reading. Equally I felt some things weren't explained adequately, or in a way that left me more puzzled than understanding. If anything, I wish the book was longer so I could learn more about the history of CIEL, the rebels, and other things.
The back of the book claims the story is genre-defying, and that I can agree with!
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
I loved the premise of the book, that of survivors on a ruined earth, humanity evolving (or devolving) while attempting to survive on a panopticon-esque space station, amid questions of the importance of class, sex, and gender in a world where human reproduction is artificial or impossible. Yuknavitch writes beautifully and imaginatively.
At the same time, I felt in places the writing was incoherent - either that, or was supposed to be metaphorical/symbolic in a way that I didn't grasp while reading. Equally I felt some things weren't explained adequately, or in a way that left me more puzzled than understanding. If anything, I wish the book was longer so I could learn more about the history of CIEL, the rebels, and other things.
The back of the book claims the story is genre-defying, and that I can agree with!