A review by evanaviary
State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg

adventurous challenging dark fast-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? No

Sharply written and a bit feverish, State of Paradise is bizarre and enveloping. I had trouble getting into this one – the story is swelteringly abstract and was at times difficult to follow, especially when the narration deviates into tangents and asides. Haunting imagery bolsters this novel but left me wanting a little more stability in the plot to grab hold of. I think this book will find its right audience (FSG never misses), but I probably wasn't in the right headspace for this.