Valente, Catherynne M.: Palimpsest
Palimpsest (2009)
Written by: Catherynne M. Valente
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 367 (Trade Paperback)
Ever since I read The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden, Catherynne M. Valente has been a must-author for me. I might not read her books right away, but I do snatch them up as soon as possible so I can enjoy them at my leisure. And it's funny: I don't have every title in her bibliography. She's written novels, poetry, and of course, many many short stories. I don't have everything, nor do I want everything (except for novels and short story collections, I want those), so is it odd that I still consider her a must author in my personal library?
However odd, I have a good reason for putting Palimpsest off as long as I have. Author Ekaterina Sedia published an anthology back in 2008 called Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy, which is actually fantasy stories collected together that take place in a city, thus bringing back a more literal definition of the subgenre urban fantasy: a fantasy that takes place in an urban setting. This means we don't have stories of the Buffy-Lit variety, but rather types of stories that initially carried the genre name.
Long story short: the last story of this anthology is called "Palimpsest," and you guessed it, the author of that story is Catherynne M. Valente. I'd always wanted to read the story before the novel, even though I know the story simply served as an inspiration for the novel and therefore not necessary to the novel, but my brain was convinced I had to read it first, and I never did, so I never got around to the book. Until now.
And in case you're wondering, I still haven't read that short story. :)
The premise: ganked from BN.com (I think): Between life and death, dreaming and waking, at the train stop beyond the end of the world is the city of Palimpsest. To get there is a miracle, a mystery, a gift, and a curse--a voyage permitted only to those who've always believed there's another world than the one that meets the eye. Those fated to make the passage are marked forever by a map of that wondrous city tattooed on their flesh after a single orgasmic night. To this kingdom of ghost trains, lion-priests, living kanji, and cream-filled canals come four travelers: Oleg, a New York locksmith; the beekeeper November; Ludovico, a binder of rare books; and a young Japanese woman named Sei. They've each lost something important--a wife, a lover, a direction in life--and what they will find in Palimpsest is more than they could ever imagine.
Review style: Oh, where to begin? I want to talk about structure and patterns, poetry and its place in prose, and of course, where would be we without discussing sensual content? We'll talk about where this book ranks (if it does at all) when it comes to sex in comparisons to romance, erotica, and other types of fiction. Also, since this is the final weekend before the Hugo winner is announced, I want to talk about where this book ranked among the other nominees I've read. You may be surprised by my findings. :) Spoilers, NO, so no need to skip to "My Rating" unless you just want to.
Can I just start by saying this is a beautiful book? Because it really is. That being said, I'm not entirely convinced this is a good jumping point for newbies to Valente's prose. Because while the writing is beautiful, it can also be overwhelming, and it's easy for readers to drown in images and phrases and sensations, especially when they don't seem to go together. Lucky for me, I'm already familiar with Valente's prose thanks to The Orphan's Tales as well as her debut Labyrinth. So this was more of a case of getting re-acclimated to the author's style.
However, even Palimpsest pushes the envelope a bit. Reading Valente is like having a very lucid dream, and everything's so bright and vivid you're not sure what to hold on to. Starting with Palimpsest can be overwhelming if you're not used to the style, so I'm going to say it here and now: if you haven't yet read Palimpsest, wait and read The Orphan's Tales first. Once you get those two volumes under your belt, you'll have done two things: acclimate yourself to the loveliness that is Valente's storytelling and prose, and also familiarize yourself with her untraditional methods of storytelling.
Because for those of you who HAVE read The Orphan's Tales may have noticed how those two volumes inspired this one. After all, don't we, in some regard, get stories within stories? Are characters not popping up in different yet unrelated portions of the narrative? Are we not getting a story that seems to have no specific direction forward yet is held together by some internal structure?
The Orphan's Tales is certainly an "easier" read but no less gorgeous, and but it's a great primer for Palimpsest. For those of you who read Palimpsest first but HAVEN'T read The Orphan's Tales, do you feel you had trouble getting through the book? Do you wish you'd started with a different Valente title instead?
Despite all the luscious, gorgeous, and somewhat overwhelming prose, there is structure here. At first, we see the city and then meet the dreamers in their real lives before going back into the city. We move along at that pattern for half of the book before starting in the city for a particular dreamer and then going back to "real" life.
And forgive me: I know both existenences are real and I know our cast really aren't considered "dreamers" but it gives me a good method of description, so I'm using it, despite knowing it's technically wrong. Also, I'm on pain medication: I think I'm allowed to be intentionally wrong. :)
At any rate: there is a pattern here, and grasping that pattern helped me work my way through the book. In some places toward the beginning, the storytelling even became predictable. Every "real" chapter for each "dreamer" would end with said dreamer having sex with someone else stamped with the city, and if not sex, then at least some hint of a sexual encounter that would lead to passage there.
And there's something else to be said of the absolute richness of the prose: some books you'll read and put down and realize you've read FAR more pages than you realized, and some books you read and put down and realized you've read far LESS than you realized. The latter is usually a bad thing, and while Valente definitely fills the bill for the latter, it's not a bad thing. To me, it's like taking my time with a very exquisite meal that's so rich in flavor that I don't want it to end, a meal that I'd never be able to finish if I tried to eat it all at once. Why not savor it?
And trust me, this prose is meant to be savored. I've already talked about how rich and luscious it is, but it's also incredibly sensual, and it should be, given the content. Oh, how people turned their noses up at this premise! A city that's passed around like a literal STD? Oh, how it must be an excuse for soft-core porn!
Okay, I'm going to be upfront and honest here, and it's only part of the pain meds talking. There are sexual situations in this book that may make readers uncomfortable, depending on their biases and hot-button issues. But there is no rape and there is no porn. Anyone who reads this and thinks so (or just dismisses the book because you don't believe it could be anything else but porn) is a prude. Or really close-minded. And/or not very well read when it comes to romance, let alone sex scenes and erotica and knowing the difference between all of them. And guess what? Erotica isn't porn. And this book isn't erotica either. It's sensual, yes, but it's not erotica. Or porn. Or any of those other terms people use as a barrier.
And let me be clear: I'm no expert in the romance genre, let alone erotica. That being said, I've got friends who are, and I actually enjoy a good dose of romance and/or sex in my reading when it's well done. Here's the kicker: it has to be well done. All sensual prose should turn the reader on a little bit, that's what it's supposed to do--whether it's fantasy or science fiction or romance or mystery or whatever. If a sex scene doesn't turn you on somehow, either it's not doing it's job or you're just not into it. Either is valid. After all, I'm pretty picky when it comes to romances, because while I want the relationships and I want to see how delightful it is when a couple finally gives in to each other, I don't want it to be predictable, and I don't want it to simply be a string of sex scenes that don't mean anything to me as a reader.
So when I say that Palimpsest is not one of those stories, pay attention. Because this book isn't about sex, it's about addiction. And it's not a book about addiction to sex, it's a book about addiction to a place, addiction to the need of finding out who and what you really are and the sacrifices you're required to make in order to keep what you learn. The vehicle for this story just happens to be sex. Period. And so yes, there's some sensual scenes and quite a few of them where our four main characters hook up with partner after partner in order to get back to this secret city of Palimpsest, but it's because all of those people have different reasons for being there and those reasons drive them above everything and anything else.
You want character-driven fiction? You want characters with strong motivations and clear desires and obvious goals? You want fiction where people are desperately flawed in their humanity and they're looking for some kind of redemption, some kind of clean slate? Do you want beautiful writing on top of all that, a fantasy that doesn't exactly follow the paint-by-numbers we're so accustomed to?
Then read Palimpsest. I'm not saying you'll love it, but it certainly delivers on the above promises.
This year, there's six nominees for best novel for the Hugo. I've now read three of them: Cherie Priest's Boneshaker, Paolo Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl, and Catherynne M. Valente's Palimpsest, and I have to say, if I were just voting on the three of them, Valente would win by a mile. Don't get me wrong, I love the other two authors: both penned books that are pretty darn unique and doing something awesome in their genres, but in terms of emotional engagement? Priest and Bacigalupi left me surprisingly cold, and whereas I was fully engaged with the Valente. So that's my pick for the Hugo this year.
My Rating
Keeper Shelf: But this is a misleading rating: I still stress that if you've never read Valente's work before, don't start with Palimpsest. Start instead with The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden, which is still beautiful (and actually, better than Palimpsest), but a little more accessible to readers who are not familiar with Valente's style. Which is lush and gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but it can be overwhelming for readers not familiar with her work (and for readers familiar with her work too, but at least if you've read her work before, you're acclimated then), so in short: start with The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden. Once you've done that and read the second volume, In the Cities of Coin and Spice, you'll really be able to appreciate how those two books influenced the style and structure of Palimpsest, which really pushes the envelope stylistically. Despite the premise, this book is not about sex, nor is it an excuse to write soft-core porn. Instead, it's a story about addiction, about people who are willing to sacrifice anything and everything to get what they want, and it just so happens that sex is the vehicle in which to do so. There is a point to this story, though it takes half the book to realize it will come together (or fall apart) based on one particular plot point, but the ride up until that point is surreal and beautiful, with the kinds of details that are wonderfully imaginative and tantalizing (the Brauria). This is no stereotypical fantasy in any shape, form, or fashion, and readers who want something different would do well to give Valente's work a shot. I still say you should start with a different book than Palimpsest, but once you're ready, Palimpsest is a beautiful book and well-worth the read. It's my pick to win the Hugos.
Cover Commentary: I don't know why, but it took me a long time to figure out WHAT I was looking at on the cover. I like it and it's eye-catching, but for a long time I worried that the shadow in the center of the back was an orifice on the part of a body I shouldn't be seeing on a book cover! Silly of me, I know, especially since I now look at it and see it's OBVIOUSLY a bare back. Oh well. I do like the cover, with the compass rose imprinted there, though I found myself wishing that the model on the cover had an actual black Palimpsest tattoo. Those images fascinated me, and I wish we'd see one of them on the cover.
Further Reading: I've already pimped The Orphan's Tales to death, but what do you expect when I love those books so much? Here's a list of all of her books (including her forthcoming works) if you click here, but don't forget to explore the website a little more: she also writes poetry! All of my reviews for her work may be found here.
As far as the theme, 2010 Hugo Nominees, all you need to do for THAT reading list is click here, which gives you the list of all Hugo winners and nominees since the award was founded. :) Keep in mind that all of these books are different, and just because you liked the Valente doesn't mean you'll like anyone else nominated, okay?
Speaking of nominees, here's a poll! And while it SHOULD be obvious, let me make it clear: don't vote in this particular poll if you haven't read Palimpsest, okay?
Poll 2010 Hugo Nominees
More Reviews: check out the reviews book club participants have posted! If you reviewed this book but are not featured here, please comment below with a link to your review and I'll add it below.
Dirty Sexy Books: Review Here
Dreams and Speculation: Review Here
juushika: Review Here
mondyboy: Review Here
phoenixfalls: Review Here
shel99: Review Here
starlady38: Review Here
starmetal_oak: Review Here
talekyn: Review Here
talkstowolves: Review Here
temporaryworlds: Review Here
Book Club Poll: this is the only way I can really track participation, so if you follow this journal, answer, okay? :) If, however, you participated but do not have an LJ account, please simply leave a comment saying so. :)
Please note: there's a new option if you've read the book prior to the challenge, so if you'd read the book prior to the challenge, but read it AGAIN for the challenge, please select the right option. :)
Poll August Participation
If you started but couldn't finish it, please comment and talk about the reasons why. What turned you off from the book? How far did you go before throwing in the towel?
And as you already know, the September Book Club selection is So Long Been Dreaming, edited by Nalo Hopkinson. Some of you may have started it already, but if need additional details on the title, just click here. Be sure to sign up on September 1st!