erikaraeable's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
sucrose's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
fizzy_lizard's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book is wild - but sort of an understated wild? Very erotic, but often super not sexy (this is intentional and very much a part of the story!) The story is intriguing and yeah, absolutely bonkers.
lolajoan's review against another edition
4.0
The imagery and symbolism in this book is so rich and beautiful, it's a bit like an extremely decadent dessert. For the first 2/3 of it I stopped after every section and took a break, in part because I was a little exhausted and in part because there wasn't enough plot to drive me on. The writing really is gorgeous, and the idea is odd and provocative. It kind of seems like it could be a David Cronenberg movie but made of jewels and confections rather than insects and weapons.
stiricide's review against another edition
1.0
Quitting 23 pages in. This is just not my thing. I love hidden cities, and stories about locks and keys, but this luscious, dripping sexuality is just not doing it for me, and I suspect I'm not going to like it any more 300 pages in. If I want to read about a city and an STI, I'm going to read The Beauty.
rachelini's review against another edition
3.0
What if you met a stranger with a tattoo of a map? What if you ended up in another world, but could only travel through a small piece of it? What would you do to go back to that world, to stay in that world?
I thought the imagination and writing of this book was fantastic, although the "something magical happens through sex" idea felt a bit tired. Still, definitely worth reading.
I thought the imagination and writing of this book was fantastic, although the "something magical happens through sex" idea felt a bit tired. Still, definitely worth reading.
applemagnet's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
dsapho's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
velozebra's review against another edition
2.0
Although the writing is at times compelling and poetic, halfway through the book I found it repetitive, confusing, and unreliable. The depravity and helplessness of the "infected" characters disturbed me, but more than that, I simply wasn't compelled to find out what happens to them. There are too many books to read; I no longer force myself to finish a book (I'm not in University any more). SO I returned this one and got a refund.
liacooper's review against another edition
3.0
A *3 mostly because all of the character arcs wrap up well and theres good symmetry. The language in this is the most difficult and mudied of any Valente i've read and definitely the least enjoyable. There's something bizarrely unsavory about this story. Unsettling. I struggled to read this and the entire middle dragged for me.
There's a lot of uncomfortable, unhappy sex, and a lot of body mutilation. I feel like some of the more interesting character arcs, development (like November's relationship with Casimiri) is buried under uncomfortable sex scenes that I could have done without. I felt held back from the characters except in knowing their misery.
November was the only character I was really interested in, but we only get a glimpse of her story. Ludo was ok. I couldn't connect with Sei because I couldn't really understand her obsession with trains. And then Oleg...well.....that's a thing that happened.
Idk. Not my favorite. Not one I'd necessarily rec (esp to first time Valente readers) I just think she's written better, more interesting stuff.
There's a lot of uncomfortable, unhappy sex, and a lot of body mutilation. I feel like some of the more interesting character arcs, development (like November's relationship with Casimiri) is buried under uncomfortable sex scenes that I could have done without. I felt held back from the characters except in knowing their misery.
November was the only character I was really interested in, but we only get a glimpse of her story. Ludo was ok. I couldn't connect with Sei because I couldn't really understand her obsession with trains. And then Oleg...well.....that's a thing that happened.
Idk. Not my favorite. Not one I'd necessarily rec (esp to first time Valente readers) I just think she's written better, more interesting stuff.