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A review by miamicurrent
Alchemy of a Blackbird by Claire McMillan
4.0
This is one of the few mainstream works of fiction I've read that very accurately depicts the tarot, both in terms of its purpose and the cards' individual meanings. The spiritual aspects in general were really well done. I am typically not a big reader of historical fiction, but that was enough of a hook to get me interested in this story. I can't speak to how well the artists' lives were portrayed, although it's clear this is fiction (or "faction," as the author calls it lol).
It took me a little while to get the hang of the book's structure. The bulk of the story is told in the third person, but each chapter begins with a brief section about a specific tarot card and a first person narrative from the character who relates to the card. I initially found this confusing (maybe because I was listening to the audio rather than reading?), but once I figured it out I liked it. It was a cool way to sneak in some character development.
Aside from that hiccup, I enjoyed it! Again, historical fiction isn't really my thing, but this one held my interest for the most part. I definitely want to read up on Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington now.
It took me a little while to get the hang of the book's structure. The bulk of the story is told in the third person, but each chapter begins with a brief section about a specific tarot card and a first person narrative from the character who relates to the card. I initially found this confusing (maybe because I was listening to the audio rather than reading?), but once I figured it out I liked it. It was a cool way to sneak in some character development.
Aside from that hiccup, I enjoyed it! Again, historical fiction isn't really my thing, but this one held my interest for the most part. I definitely want to read up on Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington now.