I appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was classified as sci-fi/fantasy, and I didn't really get that sense from the First Look. Yes, there was some beautiful "magical" language, but nothing supernatural had happened in the first 20 or so pages. As I got further into the book, I found myself confused about this "magic."
So I have read my share of fantasy, and I do enjoy a good story. My problem with this book was that there wasn't really a plot. And the magic didn't really add to the storyline. For example, when Luli gives 20 years of her life to Hezibah, it's understood to be a Faustian deal, but we don't really see the consequences of that. Unlike, say, in The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue, where the deal she makes with the devil IS the basis of the story. The magic was used more symbolically, as a descriptive tool, and this was what I found confusing (the "lions" that came to life, the peeling off of people's skin, etc.) Greta is another strange "creature" that is exploited by Hollywood, but other than being a symbol of her otherness, there is no use for her tail.
That being said, the language is beautiful, and I think tackling writing about being an outsider (from gender, race, and sexuality perspectives) is quite an achievement. I would say this book is for people who enjoy a poetic style (which unfortunately is not me).
So I have read my share of fantasy, and I do enjoy a good story. My problem with this book was that there wasn't really a plot. And the magic didn't really add to the storyline. For example, when Luli gives 20 years of her life to Hezibah, it's understood to be a Faustian deal, but we don't really see the consequences of that. Unlike, say, in The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue, where the deal she makes with the devil IS the basis of the story. The magic was used more symbolically, as a descriptive tool, and this was what I found confusing (the "lions" that came to life, the peeling off of people's skin, etc.) Greta is another strange "creature" that is exploited by Hollywood, but other than being a symbol of her otherness, there is no use for her tail.
That being said, the language is beautiful, and I think tackling writing about being an outsider (from gender, race, and sexuality perspectives) is quite an achievement. I would say this book is for people who enjoy a poetic style (which unfortunately is not me).