Elitist Book Reviews

Have you ever had a secret?  I mean a delicious, wonderful secret?  The kind you want to tell the whole world about and at the same time keep only for yourself?  Something sweet and wonderful, something that would change other people lives if they only knew, yet at the same time you wanted to keep it all to yourself?  Have you ever had one of those?

I do.  And it’s called THE GIRL WHO SOARED OVER FAIRYLAND AND CUT THE MOON IN TWO by Catherynne Valente. 

I’ve gushed over Valente’s writing on here before.  It’s no secret that I’m a big fan, yet each time I get a new Valente book she manages to sneak past any defenses I may have and surprise me yet again. I started reading this latest fairyland book and at the beginning it started to feel very episodic.  September manages somehow to get back to fairyland after a year of waiting.  She wants very badly to get back there and see her friends again.  She has adventures and meets strange wonderful characters (of the kind only Valente could come up with).  But it felt like I had read it before (there are two other fairyland books, both of which are wonderful).

And then Valente did it again.

It wasn’t that I realized a greater plot around the whole series buried in the subtext.  It wasn’t that some strange and unexpected revelation came changing the way I thought about everything in this fairy world.  It was the writing, and it was the characters.  The writing was beautiful.  I would reread paragraphs just to enjoy the word play and the metaphor.  I would think about the characters and concepts.  The characters started to grow and learn and make decisions.  Before I knew it the book had nuzzled in next to my heart and I wanted to hug it and have it warm me up.  It’s that kind of book.

I was reading it at the gym and I wanted to lean over to the person next to me and show them this delicious thing I had just experienced.  I wanted to look around and me and tell everyone how what I had read had just changed me profoundly even if only for a moment.  And yet at the same time I didn’t.  I smiled knowing that I knew a wonderful secret that these people did not.  This is that type of book.

Is the book perfect?  No.  Like I said, it took a little while to really get into it.  It was fun but didn’t grab me right away.  The other problem (if you can call it that) is the language.  Not offensive language or anything of that nature.  The language is dense and beautiful and thick like syrup.  I LOVE THAT!  But it’s harder for my daughter to get into.  Things that make me giggle they are so well told are a bit hard for my 9 year old to grasp.  She just wants dialogue and action and whimsy.  The exquisite way Valente has with words is a bit tougher for my own younger audience to swallow.  And that is hard because I want to share this world with her SO MUCH!  We’re reading it and we’re enjoying it and I’m hoping that this book will have her appreciate this type of language and how it really is meant to be used. 

So it seems that I have decided to share my wonderful secret after all.  This is a secret that needs to be shared and loved and hugged by many many more people.  Enjoy.

Recommended Age:  12+ for comprehension
Language: One or two words and not one of the REALLY bad ones
Violence: Nothing gory
Sex: None

Find this delicious book here:
THE GIRL WHO SOARED OVER FAIRYLAND AND CUT THE MOON IN TWO

And here are the first two books in this terrific series:

THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING
THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH FAIRYLAND AND LED THE REVELS THERE

Do you know where these are from? “Follow the yellow brick road”, “There’s no place like home” or even “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore Toto.” How about we try another one? If I were to talk to you about going down the rabbit hole would you know what I meant? What if I asked you about the Mad Hatter? You would wouldn’t you?

Why am I bringing these up at the beginning of this review? It’s simple. The story of the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland have permeated our culture. There have been dozens of retellings of them in movies and cartoons and comic books. I can’t count how many different versions I’ve seen of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion marching merrily off to Oz. Heck there’s another movie about Oz coming out in just a few months. The reason I bring this up is that I think what Catherynne Valente is doing with her Fairyland books--of which THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH FAIRYLAND AND LED THE REVELS THERE is the second--are something special, something amazing, something that hopefully someday will permeate our culture to the extent that Oz and Wonderland have. We should be able to talk to anyone about a Wyverary named A through L. There should be version after version of September (our protagonist) available to look at and see as she goes through her merry (and sometimes not) adventures. These books are the modern fairytales that we should all share and have in common.

I have made no secret in the past of my love of Valente’s work. I’ve been reviewing it here on Elitist for a few years and even before that I would tell everyone I knew about her brilliant work The Orphan’s Tales (still my favorite of hers). And while I still prefer the Orphan’s Tales to her Fairyland books, I do think these are her most accessible books out there and they are so filled with magic and joy that to not read them is to deprive yourself of something wonderful. Why would you do that to yourself? I digress, let me tell you about the books.

This is the blurb from amazon:

September has longed to return to Fairyland after her first adventure there. And when she finally does, she learns that its inhabitants have been losing their shadows—and their magic—to the world of Fairyland Below. This underworld has a new ruler: Halloween, the Hollow Queen, who is September’s shadow. And Halloween does not want to give Fairyland’s shadows back.

But that doesn’t really do it justice. There are numerous characters that come in and out of the story. There are smaller sub plots that September has to deal with. I feel really awkward really, because I can’t do it justice here.

September as a character is fun to watch and read about. When she goes to fairyland she revels in the fact that she is in a fantastical world. Fairyland is amazing and she loves it and longs to return again and again. There are problems for sure, but it never gets in the way of the magic. The voice of the books is also a delight. The narrator frequently pulls back the curtain to talk to you, the reader, to either warn you of something ahead or lament a decision September has made. It feels like you are reading the book with a friend or rather that a friend is telling you this story. The magic in these books is second to none. It is bright and fantastical and weird and wonderful.

I could go on and on, but I’ll let you discover them for yourself. Or better yet, go find someone to read these with and share it.

If you haven't already, go pick up the first book THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING. You can read EBR's review of it here. These books are simply a delight to read, and are some of the best modern fairytales you can find.

Age Recommendation: As soon as you think they are ready
Language: Nothing I can recall
Sex: Nope
Violence: Nothing harsh, some mild peril

Here are you links to grab these novels:

THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING
THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH FAIRYLAND AND LED THE REVELS THERE

I feel kind of like a broken record here. Once again we have another book by the amazing Catherynne M. Valente is out. Once again the book is wonderful. Once again the prose is beyond the capacity for mere mortals to absorb without crying. Once again I am left enraptured at the end of her tales wanting more. How many times can I say that Valente is writing flat out brilliant stuff and you guys should go out (and I mean the DAY a book of hers is released) and buy it? You need me to say it once more? Very well. If you insist. Buy it! Buy it now!

THE FOLDED WORLD is second book in the Dirge for Prestor John series. It picks up where the last book, THE HABITATION OF THE BLESSED, left off. Of course this is Catherynne M. Valente and stories rarely flow in an uninterrupted straight pace. So when I say that this book picks up where the last book left off, it’s true and then it’s not true. The last book contained three separate stories. The stories were copied from books plucked off of a tree. The books needed to be copied quickly as the book fruit was starting to rot. The stories wove in and out of each other introducing us to characters in various stages of their lives. This book follows in that vein as three more books are plucked from the tree.

We get another tale of Hagia, the blemmye wife of Prester John, this time much earlier in her life as she goes to war. We have the tale of Vyala, a lion charged with raising John’s deformed daughter (my favorite character thus far in the series). And we get the tale of another John Mandeville thrust into another part of the kingdom of Pentexore.

Some of the stories take place before the events in Habitation and others take place after. This time the tales focus on war, the effects of it on inhabitants who will live forever, and it’s consequences. The book felt more focused here for me than the last one. Both books serve to continue the story of Pentexore, and of John’s reign while he is there, but this one in particular had more a focus, and would stand alone better in my opinion.

In the end, however, the world is the big winner here. There are some wonderful characters. There are those whom we met previously who are more sketched out in this volume. There are those we meet for the first time here. As usual they are weird and a little unsettling, and entirely wonderful. Yet all of it serves as a backbone to this wonderful place, Pentexore, that the stories are taking place in. As enchanting as the stories are (and they are), it’s the world that I go back to visit each time.

I won’t say much more about THE FOLDED WORLD beyond that. Anything I write here won’t do justice to the tale that Valente is writing. Let it suffice to say that these (THE HABITATION OF THE BLESSED and THE FOLDED WORLD) are great books. These two novels are different, hard to describe, and hard to compare to anything else out there. And they are completely wonderful.

Age Recommendation: 16+ not based so much on anything here, but the last volume contained some sex and other things, and I think you should read the books together.
Language: None to my recollection
Violence: A few scenes here and there. One in particular, but not too gory.
Sex: Mentioned a few times. Not shown in this book.


If you aren't reading this series, you are insane. Here are your links to pick up these amazing novels:

THE HABITATION OF THE BLESSED
THE FOLDED WORLD

The first thing I want to do is apologize for shortening the title of this review. The full title of Cathrynne M. Valente's latest novel is THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING. A title like that--though completely fantastic--just doesn't fit well on the title line of our blog entries.

This was my first foray into the works of Cathrynne M. Valente. It seems like whenever I would turn around someone (usually our resident reviewer, Shawn) would be saying how incredible a storyteller and writer Valente is. A guy like me can only take so much of that kind of hype before he gives in. Unfortunately reading an author's work based off that kind hype can also lead to letdowns--it has happened to me more times than I can count. I was worried. Luckily for me (and for all you discerning readers out there), it seems that everything people are saying about Valente is true. She is amazing.

With THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING (originally an online-only work), I knew within two pages that I was going to love the book. It's just one of those things, and I know that other people have experienced this just like I have. With THE GIRL WHO..., I automatically felt like I was reading a comfortable, classic fairytale. I was reminded of Grim's Fairytales, The Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland all at once.

THE GIRL WHO... is about a twelve year-old girl named September who is whisked away to Fairyland. Her initial quest is to retrieve a witch's spoon from Fairyland's new dictator, the Marquess. As the story progresses, however, September questions what kind of fairytale she is actually in. She questions what part she is actually playing in the story.

I'll be honest here, I feel completely inadequate even attempting to explain how amazing of a writer Valente is. After the first page, I wanted to read this book aloud--just the style of if makes me want to rush out and buy an audio version. Not only does Valente's writing make 95% of the other authors in the world seem downright average, but the voice she gives to the narrator of the story is absolutely perfect. I am still a bit stunned by just the way the novel was told, and by how clever the writing is in THE GIRL WHO... She can switch effortlessly from whimsical to disturbing. This Fairyland isn't all gumdrops and kisses. It has that Grim's Fairy Tales dark undercurrent.

And the thing is, this is supposedly a YA novel.

If THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING really is YA, it is probably the most well written YA novel ever, and probably the best YA novel I have ever read. I personally felt like this was an adult novel hiding behind the best YA disguise ever created. And really, doesn't that kind of appeal make this novel even better? This is a novel that instantly makes you want to curl up in your favorite chair, drink some hot chocolate, and completely lose yourself.

I wish more than anything that I could talk about the ending of this story. I think it is the ending that really shows Valente's skill for writing. This isn't just a fairytale. It is so much more than that. Treat yourself to a hardcover copy of THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING, and put it right next to those classic works of Lewis Carroll and L. Frank Baum.

Will I read another novel by Valente? Yes. All of them.

Recommended Age: 15+
Language: None
Violence: True fairy tales have some grim and disturbing stuff in them. Valente's fairytale is no different
Sex: None


Drop by Valente's site and let her know how awesome she is:

http://www.catherynnemvalente.com/


Also, I'd be doing the novel, Valente and her illustrator a disservice if I didn't mention the amazing Ana Juan illustrations. A fairytale like this deserves illustrations, and Ana Juan's are absolutely spot-on. Every chapter of the novel begins with a new illustration. The inclusion of illustrations make everything about this novel better.

http://www.anajuan.net/

I actually finished reading this book quite a while ago and have been trying to think of how I would review it. Is it a good book? Of course it is. It's written by Catherynne M. Valente, and I'm convinced now that she has some sort of magical pen that turns everything she writes into gold (and if she doesn't use a pen then it must be a magical computer. Wish I knew where to get one like it). Does it contain beautiful writing, weird and wonderful characters and imagery that makes you weep it's so gorgeous? Yes and for the same reasons as above. Yet still I'm not sure how to talk about it.

So let's just dive right in, shall we?

DEATHLESS is based on old Slavic folklore. I was interested enough in what Valente was playing with that I tried to learn a bit more about Koschei the Deathless. According to Wikipedia (the source of all wisdom) Koschei is an archetypal male antagonist that runs off with the hero's wife. The only other information that it mentions is that the only way to kill Koschei the Deathless is to break a needle, which is hidden in an egg, which is in a duck, which is in a hare, which is in an iron chest buried under an oak tree on an island in the middle of the ocean. Sounds perfect for Valente to go to work with. And she does. The story centers on Marya Morevna who is stolen away to be Koschei's bride. She learns to live in the land of the dead, deals with the Babba Yagga (another delightful folktale) and various other exploits. All of this is set against war-time Russia. I know I'm missing several things about it, but you get the idea.

Let's get this straight from the start. Like all of Valente's work, it's gorgeous. It's not a book (for me at least) that I would get so lost in the story that I lost track of time and suddenly it was four hours later. This is the type of book that you read slowly, delicately, savoring and devouring each sentence. You are very conscious that you are reading, but you are enthralled with the beauty of it.

Second, Valente's imagination is second to none. The images and characters on display in any of her books are like candy for the brain. For a living I draw characters for video games. It's what I do day in and day out, draw draw draw (when I'm not reading that is), and every time I open a Valente book I'm tempted at each page to visually bring to life the weird and wonderful creatures Valente describes. Go ahead and try it. Open one of her books to a random page and you'll be hard-pressed not to find something fantastical, whimsical, and wonderful.

Something that I found strange about the book was the way it was written. It started at the beginning of the story and went sequentially until the end. Why is that odd? Because it's Catherynne M. Valente writing it. In all of her previous works that I have read the story meanders, in the past and present, sliding sideways or off on tangents altogether. It was an interesting experience to be told a story so simply by Valente.

Really the major problem I had with the book were the characters, and it was mostly the regular old humans that I couldn't relate to. When weird creatures enter the story I don't expect to relate to them, they are creatures. But when a human is in a book, I expect to understand them, to understand their decisions and I really didn't get that here. Maybe I just don't get the Russian mindset. I don't know. For whatever reason, there were several instances where Marya would do something and I had no idea why she did it. Her actions were as random as any of the wild fairytale creatures that populated the rest of the story. It made it hard for me to care for Marya or get too attached to her.

It's a small quibble really. Thinking about it, and writing this review I realize just how much I enjoyed DEATHLESS, like all of Valente's work. Sorry this took so long to get to you guys. Let's all make up for it by reading some of Valente's work. Pick one, they're all good.

Recommended Age: 16+ for some sexual situations and really high vocabulary level
Language: Honestly don't recall. Which means it probably wasn't much or I would remember
Violence: A little, not much
Sex: A bit of sexual talk, a few situations. Nowhere near as much as PALIMPSEST

Let's get this out of the way right at the beginning. Catherynne M. Valente is made of magic. She is composed entirely of some strange magical awesome that I would love to have just a fraction of. Are we clear on that? Good. Let's move on.

This particular brand of awesome is THE HABITATION OF THE BLESSED, Volume One of A Dirge for Prester John. The work is based loosely on the legends of Prester John--stories told between the 12th and 17th centuries in Europe. These legends told of a Christian King ruling a lost land full of countless wonders. From this Catherynne M. Valente weaves her own unique narrative to bring those legends and that man to life.

The story is told from the PoV of Brother Hiob, a missionary in search of John's fabled kingdom. What he finds is a tree that bears fruit in the shape of books—readable, fascinating books that wither away and spoil like fruit. He is allowed only three books and spends the whole of the novel reading them (one hour at a time so as not to let one sit and spoil and be lost forever). The three books are John's own tale of his adventures, the tale of John's blemmye wife (a blemmye being a humanoid creature that carries their face on their chest) and the stories of Imtithal, nanny to the royal family.

If that sounds confusing, don't worry too hard. It IS confusing. It's also absolutely wonderful. You are taken on a strange journey through this magical land just as Brother Hiob is. The stories unfold and slowly, you, the reader, build up this world with its weird and strange inhabitants. The stories weave in and out of each other like a tapestry, often character from one story commingling with the others. Slowly, through the telling of all three stories a greater tale emerges. I don't want to give it away, I'll let you read it for yourself.

The strong points for this book come in the imagination and beautiful prose of the book. This in not the type of whiz-bang magic that feels cheap and flashy. This is real magic here. It is strange, dark, gritty and completely mesmerizing. On top of that Valente's language is second to none. I know from Valente's blog that she doesn't necessarily like it when her prose is compared to poetry, as if she's pulling a fast one on you (Ha, you thought you were going to read a novel and I got you to read poetry!) The only thing is, her writing IS so beautiful and poetic that it makes most other books look like crap. If other books are a pencil drawing then Valente's work is a masterpiece of oils, an explosion of color. Valente is an artist and her words are her medium. There is definitely a story there to follow with fun and interesting characters, but often times I would have to sit back and reread a sentence (and possible reread it again) because it was so beautiful.

However, this is not a book that proceeds at a breakneck pace. The book actually feels very even throughout, but that pacing isn’t like what you’d expect from, say, a Sword & Sorcery tale. It doesn't build up to some large climax at the end. The good news is that it starts off beautiful and ends the same way. The tale is told like a real life, there are ups and downs, but it's not resolved neatly in a nice package at the end. There are writers who write all about the ending, the destination at the end. Valente writes about the journey and the moments in between. To those expecting a strong easily identifiable story arch, you won't find it here—remember, this is just Volume One. To be honest I'm still not sure where the overall story is going. It follows some fun characters, talks about a fascinating world, but I really have no clue what's going to happen next or what the end goal will be.

And you know what, I don't care. All I know is that I'll be there for every step of the journey.

This book is magically delicious. I pick up Valente's work as soon as it comes out and so should you. This is something special. Let's all go buy her books so she can keep writing more.

Age Recommendation: 16+ for a bit of sexual reference
Language: A bit here and there, but not much.
Violence: Not much to speak of.
Sex: A bit. One of the main characters, a female, has eyes on her breasts and it's mentioned quite a bit. A few other small scenes as well.

I was first introduced to the work of Catherynne M. Valente a few years ago when my brother bought me THE ORPHAN TALES: IN THE NIGHT GARDEN. Based entirely on that one present he is now my favorite brother. That book was amazing. I almost cried when it was over because there wasn’t any more of that fascinating story to read. I never wanted it to end. Needless to say when Valente’s PALIMPSEST was released I picked up a copy immediately hungry for another beautiful story.

PALIMPSEST is the tale of a sexually transmitted city.

For some of you that may be all you need to know, and I won’t say I blame you. When I find sex in a book I usually try to skim the scene for vital information but generally skip it. Just not my cup of tea. Those of you who want to know more about the book read on.

PALIMPSEST follows the lives of four different characters: a bee keeper, a locksmith, a book binder from Italy, and a Japanese girl obsessed with trains. Each of these characters finds their way to Palimpsest by having sex with someone who has already been there. As these four enter the city, they are bonded together and able to share impressions with each other both in Palimpsest and the waking world. In addition, when they awake they have been marked with a strange tattoo-like mark in the form of a map of the piece of the city. The book follows these characters in alternating chapters first as they wander around the real world trying desperately to find a way back to the fantastic city, and then follows them in turn during their stay in the city.

The city of Palimpsest itself is a character full of wonderful and weird denizens. I relished the time I spent in that city through the eyes of the various characters. It is truly a beautiful place. Fascinating, magical, haunting, flawed and at times creepy. In other words, it felt real. Not a real city, not somewhere you’ve ever been, but it had an air of believability. This isn’t Wonderland or Oz--here there be monsters. I was surprised also to find myself intrigued as much with the real world as the imaginary one. The characters Valente has sketched for us are weird and wonderful. Each has their own quirks and problems and I found myself caught up in their lives and their interactions with the world (both real and Palimpsest).

The best part about this book for me was the language. I find myself inadequately prepared to describe in words the beauty of Valente’s prose. This book is a feast, where others are an appetizer. If her words were brush strokes on a canvas, her name would be whispered in the same breath as Michelangelo and DaVinci. It’s that beautiful. This is not a quick read (not if you do it right). This is a book that lives with you. I often found myself reading and rereading sentences just to enjoy the word play.

The only problem I had with the book was the sex. There was A LOT of it. Each time a character goes to Palimpsest, they need to have intercourse with someone else who has been to the fabled city to get there. None of the scenes are particularly long, most of them just a paragraph or two, but like I said, there’s a bunch of them. The problem is…I understand what she's trying to do. When two people get together and form a relationship, something new is formed, something more than just a mix of the two, something bigger. Palimpsest is a symbol of that union, be it good or bad. The metaphor works well, as the only way that any one can get to Palimpsest is to give themselves to another. Each person contains a bit of the city in them, and depending on whom you sleep with will vary the location of where you go. But like I said I don’t like sex scenes. After awhile it got really old and it seemed to me that Valente had a checklist of sexual scenarios to run through during the course of the book. She checked them all off her list by my account.

Is the book brilliant? Absolutely. Is it well written and an interesting story? Yes. Is it worthy of the Hugo nomination it got? For sure. Is it good enough to win? I think it may. Is this a book for everyone? Absolutely not. The thick language could be a deterrent for some (not me, I loved every minute of it), but I’m sure that what will keep most people away is the sex. Read at your own discretion. If you want a brilliant read that I have no reservations giving, read both of the books in the Orphans Tales series. It doesn't get better than that.

Recommended Age: 18+. Maybe you missed it, but there’s a lot of sex in here.
Language: A bit, but if the sex doesn’t put you off, the language won’t.
Violence: Not much, a few gruesome moments here or there.
Sex: Uh, yeah.