A review by saraluna
Echo by Francesca Lia Block

3.0

I have been a longtime Block fan since my youth, and I recently revisited her work with this book. It's in her signature style alright, lovely and highly visual language, often surreal. But I also noticed flaws. I don't know whether to attribute them to this particular book, or to simply being older. This book was disjointed, switching between characters, narrative mode, and place with every chapter, often without giving any information to the reader about whose head they're in now. Many characters are just not fleshed out or believable as people. A few similes are laughable. "my father painted my mother in water once. She looked like pearls."

Despite its shortcomings, I enjoyed Echo. I love Block's writing style, and whether that's because of nostalgia or not, her books will always have a place on my shelf. To someone considering reading her for the first time, though, try the dangerous angels books (weetzie bat). Or my other favorites: 'Violet and Claire' and 'I was a Teenage Fairy'.