Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Orphan's Tales - In the Night Garden - Catherynne Valente

2006; 483 pages. Genre : Fantasy Mythpunk (huh?). Awards : 2008 Mythopoeic Award for Adult Literature; nominated for the 2006 James Tiptree Jr. Award; nominated for the 2007 World Fantasy Award. New author?: Yes. Overall Rating : 8½*/10.
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It's always a treat to go to my local library. Their selection of books is different from what you find at Borders or even at a used-book store. I've been looking for something by Catherynne Valente for quite some time. Turns out, the library has three or four of her works.
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My review in 50 words or less...
Told in 1001 Arabian Nights/Chaucerian style, Ms. Valente invents a whole new mythical world. But it's the tales themselves that star here. Consisting of two overall adventures, they are intricate and labyrinthine, yet they wrap up nicely. Rich in imagery; a captivating book. First of a duology.
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The liminal link to the full-blown review is here.

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