Welcome to Litsy!

Well, shucks. So many promising angles to the premise, the world-building, the messaging, but - I hesitate to call it messy - it just feels like it kept cutting itself off. One plot line would be interrupted by another, in theory a new development, the same characters, but it often felt like the characters were privy to more than the reader was, and not in a way that was purposefully mysterious, and later revealed. 1/?

Points for provoking a WTF upon encountering the unfamiliar phrasing.
Evidently hadal is primarily used in reference to the hadal zone of the ocean, “The region extending from 6,000 to 11,000 meters is called the hadal, or hadalpelagic, zone after Hades, the Greek god of the underworld.“ Which tracks with “so far under the surface that no light penetrates.“
So an extra sinister way to say 'a tone of deep regret'?!
Upon reflection, I LIKE. 😈

I‘m only 25 pages into THE SAINT OF BRIGHT DOORS, but it feels like it‘s gonna be special. Charlie agrees.

Grand simile.

New (to me) word alert!
Horripilate: “undergo horripilation, in which the hairs stand erect from the body due to cold, fear, or excitement.“

This week‘s library haul is mostly stuff I‘ve had on suspended hold for a loooooong time, plus a 1987 Jeannette Winterson novel I requested when my original 1987 pick proved, shall we say, less than engaging.

I think I‘m most eager for the tagged book, since I hadn‘t even heard of it until it was nominated for the Hugo. I like going into things with no real expectations.

I'm not entirely sure how to describe this one. It struck me as somewhat Borgesian in how its world is constructed, but also there are sections that read like contemporary litfic? Like, it is epic fantasy and also... not? Interesting, though. And novel, at least for me. Never read anything quite like it.

@Leniverse - it was weird. And a bit epic. And meandering. And I'm not sure I understood it all.

Low pick.

Next

I wanted to love this book. There are moments from it that are seared into my brain in the best possible way. The quality of the writing is excellent and the world is unique. A deeply political allegory set in a parallel reality with mobile phones and magic side by side. Fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, NK Jemisin and China Mieville should give it a go.

Ultimately I just couldn't connect with the MC. For those who do, likely it will be a 5*

This was very interesting as the satirical elements deal with a culture I'm not really familiar with but I enjoyed the ride anyways. I read a review that said this is a retelling of a story from the Buddhist tradition but again I'm not that familiar enough to verify that.

Making good progress on my current read while doing a little porch reading. Rolo just wants to sunbathe while performing his reading buddy duties.
#DogsOfLitsy

Porch reading with the pup.
#DogsOfLitsy

Starting this tonight even though I can‘t remember where I heard about this and why decided to place a library hold on it.

This story was so masterfully written it's hard to believe that it's the author's first novel. I hardly have anything to compare it to. Chandrasekera created an entire world rich in cultural lore, politics, religious ideologies and all in under 400 pages. The writing style is immersive, bright, rich, textured. It was like getting swallowed into another world and just leaving everything else behind. Read this if you enjoy Bardugo, Jemisin, Schwab.