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A review by blacksphinx
Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is a fever dream of a novel that I'm not sure how to attach a number to.
The way Japanese and Chinese characters are depicted made my soul cringe out of my body. (Japan's greatest export is women in school girl uniforms? Really?!) There's a late-game reveal that made me gasp in delight. The book really mirrors the way dreams unfold in their strange logic, and the opacity of the prose and all-vibes feels are no accidents. I don't know if I enjoyed this novel but I appreciated it.
The way Japanese and Chinese characters are depicted made my soul cringe out of my body. (Japan's greatest export is women in school girl uniforms? Really?!) There's a late-game reveal that made me gasp in delight. The book really mirrors the way dreams unfold in their strange logic, and the opacity of the prose and all-vibes feels are no accidents. I don't know if I enjoyed this novel but I appreciated it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Incest, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Racism
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, Self harm, and Grief
Minor: Eating disorder, War, and Abortion