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Deathless (2011)

by Catherynne M. Valente(Favorite Author)

4.12 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0765326302 (ISBN13: 9780765326300)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Tor Books

series

Deathless

review 1: I am thinking 3.5 star. But really, that is probably not a true reflection of my thoughts because this is such an unusual book. I am still thinking about it. It is like Russian fairy tales get turned every which way in the context of revolutionary and Stalinist USSR. It often takes the tone of an oral storyteller or a traditional fairy tale where things happen again and again that are repetitive yet mysterious and magical. Here is where I felt a little frustrated--not being very acquainted with Russian fairytales I found myself often befuddled. It is difficult to appreciate variations on a fairytale when you don't know the original versions. I felt I was so lacking in cultural context. Some of the character types I had to google, and a few I just couldn't get an ima... morege in my mind's eye what it was supposed to be. Russian history of the 20th century I know a lot about, so I understood the history a little better. By the end, I felt like it was almost more of an allegory reflecting Russian history more than anything else, which does indeed make it very interesting. Some day I may tackle this book again, but first I would read up on Russian Fairy tales (which are really quite culturally different than the Grimm Brothers or other European takes).
review 2: I really, really, really admire this book. Valente write the hell out of her sentences. The first chapter hit me like a ton of bricks, simply because her sentences were so perfectly weighted. But... as much as she incorporates, turns inside out, and re-imagines Russian folklore in the novel... and does it with style and aplomb... for me? I didn't enjoy the characters. Maybe I'm not as up on my Alexander Afanasyev as I should have been. But the power relationship between the two main characters, while fascinating, did not illuminate for me the nature of love, BDSM, or power. This is an impressive novel, just not my type. less

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