A review by pravda_iskra
Deathless, by Catherynne M. Valente
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I should’ve loved this book.
The cover immediately intrigued me, the Black Maria standing out as an immediate Akhmatova reference. I speak Russian, have read the Russian literary canon, and I’ve lived in the post-Soviet space. I loved all the mythology Valente added into the story and the world she created for those mythological creatures.
But Americans can’t write Russians well. We’re still stuck in our Cold War mindset where Russian people can only be conceived and written one specific way. We can only look at their history through our own biases towards it. And this was so glaring and annoying to me that I almost DNF’d.
The cover immediately intrigued me, the Black Maria standing out as an immediate Akhmatova reference. I speak Russian, have read the Russian literary canon, and I’ve lived in the post-Soviet space. I loved all the mythology Valente added into the story and the world she created for those mythological creatures.
But Americans can’t write Russians well. We’re still stuck in our Cold War mindset where Russian people can only be conceived and written one specific way. We can only look at their history through our own biases towards it. And this was so glaring and annoying to me that I almost DNF’d.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse