A review by hileahrious
The Core of the Sun by Johanna Sinisalo

5.0

Expertly written... Sinisalo takes a not-so-uncommon theme (the domestication of women) and makes it into so much more. It's brilliant how she combines the eusistocratic world, a drug addiction, the bond between sisters, and a spiritual transcendence to create and beautifully finish the story. The chili pepper addiction may seem like an extra, but the book's resolution wouldn't be possible without it. Amazing. Not to mention the style, the cut-and-paste way of mixing first-person narratives with letters, articles, and definitions that cleverly add to the story while necessarily informing the reader of the author's fictional world. Also, as a chili on top, filled with a feminist-friendly satire. Weird, suspenseful, highly recommended.