thatjamiea's review against another edition
2.0
I have this 100 page rule. It usually serves me well. I have such a massive to-read pile that I feel no obligation to spend my time reading books that i don't think I'll like. Usually, that rule works out really well for me. Occasionally, I'll have a feeling that I will like a book, so I push past that rule. With this book, I had no inclination that I would dislike it so darn much and, because I found it so difficult to slog through it actually took me a month of chipping away at it.
The great drought has finally come to the west coast of the United States leaving California and most of the southwest in ruins. Luz and Ray have taken over the massive house of a starlet. Luz trails around most of the day wearing the starlet's clothes. Ray skateboards. They forage for food. They head out for their rations. Ray and Luz were previously part of a sort of cult like colony, but they split. Luz was formerly famous, the nationally known Baby Dunn whose life was tracked and traced as some great social experiment which really screwed poor Luz up.
One day, Ray and Luz head to a rain dance and while there come in contact with a toddler. The baby, Ig, can't talk. Her head is too large. She's in the company of some serious stoners. She clings to Luz and Ray who return her to her people, but in the end, the couple can't bare to leave Ig in a bad situation and so they essentially kidnap her.
Once home, both Ray and Luz realize the barren desert is no home for Ig. They appeal to the leader of the their former cult and he tells of a place in the desert where a seer is divining water. Ray and Luz set out to either find him or find their way into the unruined areas of the country. That's when things go sideways.
When their car breaks down, Ray decides he's going to try and walk for help. In reality, he's abandoning Luz and Ig to death and they are on the door of it when they are found. Ray is dead, Luz is told and she and Ig are nursed back to health in a nomadic settlement that exists at hte foot of the giant sand dunes that is now moving across the west.
Luz basically starts taking some tranquilizing root and making time with the leader of the nomad's who is probably 80-90% nuts. She's abandoning Ig. At some point there's an orgy?
Oh, and Ray is actually alive. Levi, the leader of the nomad's Luz is currently living with, clubbed him and dropped him off at a prison. Ray sees Luz on TV (Levi is trying to use her fame as Baby Dunn) and he busts out of jail and emerges s from the desert. Then, there's confrontation, withdrawal, the leaving of Ig with the nomads (why? I don't know). Then, Luz drowns herself in a flash flood. Then, end scene.
The beginning of the book was super interesting. Ray and Luz were trying to carve out a living in this barren, ruined place. They added Ig. They decided they had to grow up and do right by Ig and they set out on a quest. Great! Then Ray abandons Luz and Ig and "dies" and just when you think Luz and Ig are dead, they're swept into this weird cult where the leader says he's dowsing items, but really he's ambushing aid trucks and there's this ritualistic sex and prostitutes? I don't even know.
The great drought has finally come to the west coast of the United States leaving California and most of the southwest in ruins. Luz and Ray have taken over the massive house of a starlet. Luz trails around most of the day wearing the starlet's clothes. Ray skateboards. They forage for food. They head out for their rations. Ray and Luz were previously part of a sort of cult like colony, but they split. Luz was formerly famous, the nationally known Baby Dunn whose life was tracked and traced as some great social experiment which really screwed poor Luz up.
One day, Ray and Luz head to a rain dance and while there come in contact with a toddler. The baby, Ig, can't talk. Her head is too large. She's in the company of some serious stoners. She clings to Luz and Ray who return her to her people, but in the end, the couple can't bare to leave Ig in a bad situation and so they essentially kidnap her.
Once home, both Ray and Luz realize the barren desert is no home for Ig. They appeal to the leader of the their former cult and he tells of a place in the desert where a seer is divining water. Ray and Luz set out to either find him or find their way into the unruined areas of the country. That's when things go sideways.
When their car breaks down, Ray decides he's going to try and walk for help. In reality, he's abandoning Luz and Ig to death and they are on the door of it when they are found. Ray is dead, Luz is told and she and Ig are nursed back to health in a nomadic settlement that exists at hte foot of the giant sand dunes that is now moving across the west.
Luz basically starts taking some tranquilizing root and making time with the leader of the nomad's who is probably 80-90% nuts. She's abandoning Ig. At some point there's an orgy?
Oh, and Ray is actually alive. Levi, the leader of the nomad's Luz is currently living with, clubbed him and dropped him off at a prison. Ray sees Luz on TV (Levi is trying to use her fame as Baby Dunn) and he busts out of jail and emerges s from the desert. Then, there's confrontation, withdrawal, the leaving of Ig with the nomads (why? I don't know). Then, Luz drowns herself in a flash flood. Then, end scene.
The beginning of the book was super interesting. Ray and Luz were trying to carve out a living in this barren, ruined place. They added Ig. They decided they had to grow up and do right by Ig and they set out on a quest. Great! Then Ray abandons Luz and Ig and "dies" and just when you think Luz and Ig are dead, they're swept into this weird cult where the leader says he's dowsing items, but really he's ambushing aid trucks and there's this ritualistic sex and prostitutes? I don't even know.
ktvnums's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed with the writing in this book. I understand the story; the story is beautiful. The possible/suggested magical realism is great- especially tied in with the environmental passages. It was the endless LISTS that totally killed this for me. After the first couple times, I was a little annoyed. After the fifth endless list of metaphors, I almost put the book down. I, of course, finished it (I'm a compulsive book finisher) but the word vomit and unnecessary listing of the metaphors and other lengthy "extra" passages is completely distracting. I did not need to be hit over the head with the metaphors. 2 whole stars because the concept was fantastic; only 2 stars because the execution of the concept just really didn't do it for me...
spinebrreaker's review
2.0
There is a specific reader for this type of novel, and that reader is not me.
This was almost purple in its prose, so many descriptions and metaphors- heck, maybe even symbolism!- that I could barely find the story underneath. This is literary fiction at its most confusing. Honestly, I would like to meet someone who votes this type of book best of the year. Clearly it's not my style.
Which is not to say I hated it. I didn't love the writing and I like more of a plot than a story built around a character arc, but there WAS a character arc and that little bit of cultish stuff at the end? That's my cup of tea. I love cult books. So I thought that was an interesting turn of events. I won't be reading anything else by Watkins, but as a library worker it's nice to know who I can recommend this book to.
Recommended for people who like characters more than plots, lots of flowery descriptions, and points of view that swap often, though not in 1st person.
This was almost purple in its prose, so many descriptions and metaphors- heck, maybe even symbolism!- that I could barely find the story underneath. This is literary fiction at its most confusing. Honestly, I would like to meet someone who votes this type of book best of the year. Clearly it's not my style.
Which is not to say I hated it. I didn't love the writing and I like more of a plot than a story built around a character arc, but there WAS a character arc and that little bit of cultish stuff at the end? That's my cup of tea. I love cult books. So I thought that was an interesting turn of events. I won't be reading anything else by Watkins, but as a library worker it's nice to know who I can recommend this book to.
Recommended for people who like characters more than plots, lots of flowery descriptions, and points of view that swap often, though not in 1st person.
coriewankenobi's review
4.0
This book was a lot for me to take in. The first part of it, I didn't really like, it was too dreadful but I guess that was the point and the writing was immense. Then as it continued I started to like the story a little more, the writing is very poetic and really paints pictures for us. But the main thing is that I didn't really get a lot out of this book, I feel like there were quite a few things that were set up early that had no resolve at all, or were not even mentioned again. But this book does a good job at reminding us of the world we live in and how we need to take care of it. Also the character luz is just one of the worst people, I hate her, she is so needy and she's unable to see past herself. I loved this book but also hated it but the writing was amazing and it also tugged at me slightly, and also grossed me out? Claire vaye Watkins does a good job at throwing her readers through curves, and making us wonder why??
megadallion's review
1.0
1.5 stars
Well thank god that’s over and done with. I’m not sure whether to give this 1 or 2 stars. Usually I just give 1 star to books I actively hate and felt a visceral (albeit negative) reaction towards. Thinking back on this book though, I feel nothing but apathy. I just did not enjoy it at all. I guess you could argue that the language and writing was good, but it was too froufrou and ostentatious for me, especially for the subject matter. In my opinion, books about the collapse of a society shouldn’t be written in a style that is too poetic and rambling for you to even understand what’s happening to the world you’re trying to read about. Half of the time while reading this book, I didn’t know what the fuck was going on. The superfluous, phantasmagorical descriptions (which were literally chapters in length) did nothing for the story and only made it that much more confusing and unbelievable. The other half of my time reading this book was spent wishing Luz and Ig would die. How any reader found either of these characters to be lovable or endearing is beyond me. I don’t like kids generally, but to describe Ig (the baby/toddler/monster) as having a bulbous head, bulging eyes, rabid mannerisms, and leaving “puffy turds” trailing behind her as she swims through the most precious commodity they have in this world (drinking water) was just disgusting. Luz instantly melting and throwing her body towards whatever new brawny man crossed her path was similarly repugnant. That left me with Ray to root on, but he ended up becoming a weak, pathetic shell of a man by the end of the book (a complete 180 from how he was described in the beginning).
So, the characters couldn’t keep me interested. Surely the subject matter would reel me back in since I love dystopias, right? No. Dystopias usually highlight problems of our society, solid, tangible things to be fixed and thought upon (like in this case, the drought caused by our wastefulness and recklessness). The experimental writing styles (switching from pages of lists to screenplay dialogue to field guide to flowery prose about the landscape and god knows what else) detracted from that focus and the plot in general. I still am not totally sure what the Amarosa and Mojavs are even though those two words were repeated endlessly. I was also confused as to why we continually shifted from normal, typical societies with cities, casinos, and hotels to places that were abandoned, timeless, and lawless. It was just too much shifting, dropped hints, subtleties, and experimentation for me. A lot of people seem to enjoy this one though, so maybe I just couldn’t keep up. If you ask me, this one’s a hard pass.
Well thank god that’s over and done with. I’m not sure whether to give this 1 or 2 stars. Usually I just give 1 star to books I actively hate and felt a visceral (albeit negative) reaction towards. Thinking back on this book though, I feel nothing but apathy. I just did not enjoy it at all. I guess you could argue that the language and writing was good, but it was too froufrou and ostentatious for me, especially for the subject matter. In my opinion, books about the collapse of a society shouldn’t be written in a style that is too poetic and rambling for you to even understand what’s happening to the world you’re trying to read about. Half of the time while reading this book, I didn’t know what the fuck was going on. The superfluous, phantasmagorical descriptions (which were literally chapters in length) did nothing for the story and only made it that much more confusing and unbelievable. The other half of my time reading this book was spent wishing Luz and Ig would die. How any reader found either of these characters to be lovable or endearing is beyond me. I don’t like kids generally, but to describe Ig (the baby/toddler/monster) as having a bulbous head, bulging eyes, rabid mannerisms, and leaving “puffy turds” trailing behind her as she swims through the most precious commodity they have in this world (drinking water) was just disgusting. Luz instantly melting and throwing her body towards whatever new brawny man crossed her path was similarly repugnant. That left me with Ray to root on, but he ended up becoming a weak, pathetic shell of a man by the end of the book (a complete 180 from how he was described in the beginning).
So, the characters couldn’t keep me interested. Surely the subject matter would reel me back in since I love dystopias, right? No. Dystopias usually highlight problems of our society, solid, tangible things to be fixed and thought upon (like in this case, the drought caused by our wastefulness and recklessness). The experimental writing styles (switching from pages of lists to screenplay dialogue to field guide to flowery prose about the landscape and god knows what else) detracted from that focus and the plot in general. I still am not totally sure what the Amarosa and Mojavs are even though those two words were repeated endlessly. I was also confused as to why we continually shifted from normal, typical societies with cities, casinos, and hotels to places that were abandoned, timeless, and lawless. It was just too much shifting, dropped hints, subtleties, and experimentation for me. A lot of people seem to enjoy this one though, so maybe I just couldn’t keep up. If you ask me, this one’s a hard pass.
frankie_s's review
4.0
I’ve read this book twice now and still don’t know how I feel about it! It doesn’t scratch the itch it generates. But it is compelling af
addiecdavis's review
4.0
A fever dream made hotter by the real-life looming threat of climate change. Oscillating between brightly kaleidoscopic and brutally dark. I was horrified and couldn’t put it down. A preemptive mourning for everything that makes Los Angeles and So Cal what is, what it was, what it will be.
bibliobethreads's review
3.0
I was sent a copy of Gold Fame Citrus by the lovely people that run the Real Readers review scheme who are also responsible for the fabulous magazine that I subscribe to, New Books Magazine and the website Nudge.com. Many thanks to them as this has proved not only an interesting book to read but also one incredibly tricky to review due to my mixed feelings on it. Claire Vaye Watkins' debut novel falls essentially in the dystopian genre but in reality, is so much more. Set in California in the not too distant future, the author paints a picture of a completely dry and barren landscape where all sources of water have disappeared and in its place reveals a desert wilderness, dwarfed by tremendous sand dunes that bury and destroy everything they roll over.
The majority of the previous dwellers have been packed onto buses heading eastwards apart from a brave few who exist on ration cola and crackers from the black market as they try to figure out what to do next. This is the situation that Luz and her boyfriend Ray, a former soldier with a murky past, find themselves in. At first, they are happy to remain in an abandoned mansion just trying to get through each day but then they meet a young girl called Ig. She is being "looked after" by a group of drug addicts but Luz cannot morally stand by and do nothing and fearing for her safety they spirit her away to look after her themselves.
Luz and Ray have now found another reason to survive in baby Ig and they both decide to head eastwards, in search of a better life for their new daughter. Before long, in dangerously hot temperatures, things start to go terribly wrong for the trio. First Ray disappears, then Luz and Ig who are close to death's door themselves are "saved," by a group of people headed by a charismatic leader who promises a better life for all that follow him. Luz is desperately grateful for his assistance and soon falls under his spell which could have devastating consequences, especially when a familiar face returns.
When I first read the synopsis of this book it sounded like a perfect and intriguing read. Unfortunately, that was not quite what I found. So, the good things (of which there were many!) - the prose was absolutely stunning. I mean, it is clear that this author can write damned well and her use of vocabulary is poetic without ever seeming over-done:
"We fill our homes with macabre altars to the live things we’ve murdered—the floral print of the twin mattress in her childhood bedroom, stripped of its sheets when she soiled them; ferns on throw pillows coated in formaldehyde; poppies on petrochemical dinner plates; boxes and bags of bulk pulpstuffs emblazoned with plant imagery the way milk cartons are emblazoned with children. A rock on a window ledge, cut flowers stabbed in a vase, wreath of sprigs nailed to the front door—every house a mausoleum, every house a wax museum."
Just gorgeous! I can however, see how this may distance some other readers who are not fans of flowery prose but for me it gave the narrative a vibrance and energy that made it possible to picture the somewhat alien surroundings with ease. At times, there was an almost dream-like quality to the writing and, as a result, it's not exactly what you would call a fast-paced novel which again, could irk some readers but personally, I found the action picked up slightly when Luz met the cult leader, Levi with all the drama that entails. My favourite part of all had to be the fantastical bestiary of all the animals in the desert which is written by Levi and presented in a pamphlet to Luz, the details of which are also provided in full glorious detail to the reader.
Anyone else want The Stiltwalker Tortoise to be real?! For sure, it's definitive evidence of a vivid imagination that knows no bounds and was greatly appreciated by this animal fanatic. I have to admit to flipping through the book when I received it and when I noticed these illustrated pages just over halfway through I immediately had to sit down and read them in their entirety before starting the novel from the usual place i.e. the beginning!
For these reasons, there is a lot that is positive about this original and in some points, captivating novel but there were also various chunks that led to me giving the rating I have. At times, I did feel a little overwhelmed with all the information I was being given and this led to it being slightly confusing and occasionally vague at the same time. I felt fairly muddled throughout as I struggled to come to terms with what exactly had happened to the world and why, which was never really explained in as much detail as I would have liked. The dream-like nature of the writing which I mentioned earlier, while obviously beautiful, also served to make the novel a bit clunky at times and difficult to absorb and enjoy fully.
My biggest bugbear however had to be the character of Luz. She was flawed and vulnerable which should have made her more accessible and easier to relate too but I found myself becoming quite annoyed with her, especially with her reliance on men to become her white knight and to make her life complete. Saying all this, if you can negotiate a few tiny obstacles and enjoy the magic that comes from reading some alluring writing you should definitely give this book a shot.
For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
The majority of the previous dwellers have been packed onto buses heading eastwards apart from a brave few who exist on ration cola and crackers from the black market as they try to figure out what to do next. This is the situation that Luz and her boyfriend Ray, a former soldier with a murky past, find themselves in. At first, they are happy to remain in an abandoned mansion just trying to get through each day but then they meet a young girl called Ig. She is being "looked after" by a group of drug addicts but Luz cannot morally stand by and do nothing and fearing for her safety they spirit her away to look after her themselves.
Luz and Ray have now found another reason to survive in baby Ig and they both decide to head eastwards, in search of a better life for their new daughter. Before long, in dangerously hot temperatures, things start to go terribly wrong for the trio. First Ray disappears, then Luz and Ig who are close to death's door themselves are "saved," by a group of people headed by a charismatic leader who promises a better life for all that follow him. Luz is desperately grateful for his assistance and soon falls under his spell which could have devastating consequences, especially when a familiar face returns.
When I first read the synopsis of this book it sounded like a perfect and intriguing read. Unfortunately, that was not quite what I found. So, the good things (of which there were many!) - the prose was absolutely stunning. I mean, it is clear that this author can write damned well and her use of vocabulary is poetic without ever seeming over-done:
"We fill our homes with macabre altars to the live things we’ve murdered—the floral print of the twin mattress in her childhood bedroom, stripped of its sheets when she soiled them; ferns on throw pillows coated in formaldehyde; poppies on petrochemical dinner plates; boxes and bags of bulk pulpstuffs emblazoned with plant imagery the way milk cartons are emblazoned with children. A rock on a window ledge, cut flowers stabbed in a vase, wreath of sprigs nailed to the front door—every house a mausoleum, every house a wax museum."
Just gorgeous! I can however, see how this may distance some other readers who are not fans of flowery prose but for me it gave the narrative a vibrance and energy that made it possible to picture the somewhat alien surroundings with ease. At times, there was an almost dream-like quality to the writing and, as a result, it's not exactly what you would call a fast-paced novel which again, could irk some readers but personally, I found the action picked up slightly when Luz met the cult leader, Levi with all the drama that entails. My favourite part of all had to be the fantastical bestiary of all the animals in the desert which is written by Levi and presented in a pamphlet to Luz, the details of which are also provided in full glorious detail to the reader.
Anyone else want The Stiltwalker Tortoise to be real?! For sure, it's definitive evidence of a vivid imagination that knows no bounds and was greatly appreciated by this animal fanatic. I have to admit to flipping through the book when I received it and when I noticed these illustrated pages just over halfway through I immediately had to sit down and read them in their entirety before starting the novel from the usual place i.e. the beginning!
For these reasons, there is a lot that is positive about this original and in some points, captivating novel but there were also various chunks that led to me giving the rating I have. At times, I did feel a little overwhelmed with all the information I was being given and this led to it being slightly confusing and occasionally vague at the same time. I felt fairly muddled throughout as I struggled to come to terms with what exactly had happened to the world and why, which was never really explained in as much detail as I would have liked. The dream-like nature of the writing which I mentioned earlier, while obviously beautiful, also served to make the novel a bit clunky at times and difficult to absorb and enjoy fully.
My biggest bugbear however had to be the character of Luz. She was flawed and vulnerable which should have made her more accessible and easier to relate too but I found myself becoming quite annoyed with her, especially with her reliance on men to become her white knight and to make her life complete. Saying all this, if you can negotiate a few tiny obstacles and enjoy the magic that comes from reading some alluring writing you should definitely give this book a shot.
For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
mamaorgana80's review
3.0
I mean, I get why I'm *supposed* to love this book, but I just didn't. The prose was BEAUTIFUL, but the plot was just...I don't know. Lacking. I am someone who loves a sad book, and this was just depressing to the point of blah. I still gave it 3 stars because it was better than okay.
eric_roling's review
4.0
A great novel of the surreal, done right. Set in the current day, but extreme drought has caused the western US to be overtaken by a giant moving desert. The residents either scrounge a meager existence out of the remains of civilization or become Mojavs - unwanted refugees in the rest of the USA. The main character, Luz, is 25 and was a propaganda star from birth, but now wanders about Laurel Canyon mostly from inertia. The author builds a heartbreaking, harsh world, and eventually the characters must brave a desperate, hopeless journey into the desert. Once there, things really get interesting. The narration and characters are unreliable but well developed and portrayed. Give this one a chance and it will reward your time.