A review by essinink
Mindscape by Andrea Hairston
5.0
Wow. So, words seem inadequate, but I'll give this my best shot.
No lie, the first 100 pages aren't easy. Andrea Hairston puts you right in the middle of things with no inclination to explain, and it is weird. But, if you can make it through that bit, the pieces start to come together. It's confusing, yes, but not to no end. The author delivers on her promises.
It's a wild ride. Ms. Hairston rotates you through the limited perspective of each character--and what characters they are! From Lawanda, who is so much more than her sass, to Aaron Dunklebrot (who I thought I'd hate, but actually found fascinating by the end), to Elleni (another character I didn't 'get' right away), each has their own unique voice and motivations.
It's been nearly a week and I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything, which probably queues it for a re-read at some point in the future. This book gets inside your head and stays there.
It doesn't hurt that the writing is gorgeous.
Genre-wise, this could be categorized as 'soft' Science-Fiction in the tradition of social-commentary, but I'm actually more comfortable leaving it in the broader catch-all category of speculative fiction. Not quite sci-fi, not quite fantasy, but definitely still "elsewhere."
Your mileage may vary, but I loved this book.
No lie, the first 100 pages aren't easy. Andrea Hairston puts you right in the middle of things with no inclination to explain, and it is weird. But, if you can make it through that bit, the pieces start to come together. It's confusing, yes, but not to no end. The author delivers on her promises.
It's a wild ride. Ms. Hairston rotates you through the limited perspective of each character--and what characters they are! From Lawanda, who is so much more than her sass, to Aaron Dunklebrot (who I thought I'd hate, but actually found fascinating by the end), to Elleni (another character I didn't 'get' right away), each has their own unique voice and motivations.
It's been nearly a week and I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything, which probably queues it for a re-read at some point in the future. This book gets inside your head and stays there.
It doesn't hurt that the writing is gorgeous.
Genre-wise, this could be categorized as 'soft' Science-Fiction in the tradition of social-commentary, but I'm actually more comfortable leaving it in the broader catch-all category of speculative fiction. Not quite sci-fi, not quite fantasy, but definitely still "elsewhere."
Your mileage may vary, but I loved this book.