Alissa

Probably the language play was above me (and I'm not speaking about the quirky French and Spanish phrases, which were funny). I followed the story all right, but several of the lore references and the oblique meanings evaded me.

I liked it? I think so, it was fascinating, this estrangement feeling, in a confusing kind of way; the characters - all of them - were singularly intriguing; the cross-sensorial descriptions, truly delectable. The book is short, slightly over 200 pages and considering the plot, the worldbuilding and complex prose it was a fine choice on the author's part.

My reading pace never suffered, even when I stopped to wonder if my wondering were actually immersion in the story or plain I'm-missing-something-here. Maybe it's just me. Or the book. Okay, I'm satisfyingly puzzled, the ending was fitting and if over-the-top smart storytelling is your preference, give this a try and see for yourself.

Of all words, none more purely distills the futility of human hope, mortal dreams. Did we but know the end is foreordained and soon, who could go on making such tender plans—someday I shall run my fingers through my lover’s hair—when the very next step we take shall pitch us into the sinkhole, there to be crushed to nothingness, smothered in an instant, by a thousand tonnes of earth?

“Someday.” Ha!