Valente, Catherynne M.: Deathless
Deathless (2011)
Written by: Catherynne M. Valente
Genre: Fantasy/Folklore
Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
Why I Read It: Valente's one of those must-read authors. Admittedly, I still have some of her titles in my TBR pile, but that's because those titles are LONG and INTIMIDATING. Thanks to the final round of the 2012 Theme Park Book Club, I was finally able to rescue Deathless from the TBR pile and give it a much-needed go. Let's see how 2012's final book club pick worked out, shall we?
The premise: ganked from BN.com: Koschei the Deathless is to Russian folklore what giants or wicked witches are to European culture: the villain of countless stories which have been passed on through story and text for generations. Valente's take on the legend brings the action to modern times, spanning many of the great developments of Russian history in the twentieth century.
Deathless, however, is no dry, historical tome: it lights up like fire as the young Marya Morevna transforms from a clever peasant girl to Koschei's beautiful bride, to his eventual undoing. Along the way there are Stalinist house elves, magical quests, secrecy and bureaucracy, and games of lust and power. All told, Deathless is a collision of magical history and actual history, of revolution and mythology, of love and death, that will bring Russian myth to life in a stunning new incarnation.
Spoilers, yay or nay?: Nay. Despite this being a book club pick, I really can't bring myself to spoil the details of this book. HOWEVER, the comments may be rife with spoilers, so don't say I didn't warn you. Feel free to keep reading, unless you're in a major hurry, and in that case, just skip to "My Rating" and you'll be just fine.
The one fact I can never escape from is just how damn good Valente's writing is. I love using the word lovely just to be contrary (the author hates that word, because it always seems to be applied to women's writing and not men's, which isn't true when I review stuff, but hey, there is a point), but there's something deeper than that. I think of all the authors I read, especially the ones I read regularly (as in, I get to read something of theirs at least once every 1-2 years), Valente is the master wordsmith. She knows how to put words together in a way that's both musical and describes something that reaches beyond intellect, beyond even emotion, and touches one right down to the very soul. In short, when I read her prose, her descriptions, I can't believe that anyone would describe whatever SHE is describing in any other way. Her prose captivates me, which is why I return to it, over and over. It's so I can fall in love all over again.
It feels like forever since I've read something of hers that wasn't part of a series, though truth be told, it wasn't that long ago: December 9th of 2011 had me reading her Hugo-nominated novella Silently and Very Fast, but before that, it was 2010 with her Hugo nominated novel Palimpsest (will someone give Valente a Hugo already? I mean, seriously…. ). Everything I've read otherwise has been a part of a series in some form or fashion. I'm not complaining, only pointing out that despite the cover and synopsis, I wasn't sure what I was getting this go-around.
And can I grump for just a minute? Do not enough people read Valente? Did not enough people read Deathless? Obviously, I didn't read it until now, but I wasn't eligible to nominate for the Hugo last year. And what kills me is that while she was on the long list of nominees, she didn't have enough to beat out Miéville or Martin, two big name fan favorites who wrote books that, even according to some of their fans, weren't their best work. I know, I know… I shouldn't turn this into a fandom grump-fest. It's just that Valente is (or should be) a BIG NAME AUTHOR now, so if you have the ability to nominate, you should damn well read her work.
But she has been nominated in the past. And as people pointed out when she lost for best novella, her prose is hit-and-miss with readers. Some readers, like myself, are completely in love with it. Others bounce off bad. But it's frustrating from my point of view: I'm not saying she would've beat out Walton's Among Others, but I do believe Deathless deserved one of those slots.
Obviously, this book was a winner for me. Hell, the prose alone made it a winner to me. When I started out reading, I was taken by how Fairyland-ish the book felt. A little girl dying for a peak of magic, you know? But it didn't take long for the book to slap me gently and say, "This is an adult book, you know." And it is. It most certainly is. The themes are mature. The actions of the characters are mature. The gravity of the world-building and storytelling are mature.
Mind you, I don't say the scariness is mature. Because being scared is a vital part of YA fiction, and it's certainly a part of the Fairyland books. But perhaps one will allow that the fears revealed here in Deatlhless are far more adult than, say, those revealed in Fairyland. Or maybe it's the same fears, just dressed up a little bit differently.
In terms of what I got out of this book, I honestly can't tell you. It's not one of those I can read and start spouting intelligent criticism. For starters, I don't know Russian folklore near well enough to do so. But also, there's so much to absorb, to internalize, that I'd need at least a second read-through before really sinking my teeth into some criticism, you know? What I can say right now are faint thoughts, observations, and a boatload of admiration.
Observation: Valente's use of Russian culture to craft and create her novel makes Leah Bardugo's downright appalling. Of course, the writers are writing for two different audiences, and of course, Bardugo's is a secondary-world fantasy inspired by Russia, not a historical fantasy set in Russia and its folklore. So it's unfair to compare the two, I suppose, but I'd love to hear some thoughts from people who 1) have a right to declare cultural appropriation when appropriate (I really don't think it applies to Valente, but what the hell do I know?) and 2) have possibly read, or attempted to read, both books and can discuss the pros and cons of culture usage.
Moving on: I thought I saw a puddy-tat… I mean, I thought I saw allusions and nods to other works. For example, I definitely got an Alice in Wonderland vibe, but more subtly, I thought I saw sharp rebuttal to C.S. Lewis' The Last Battle, which also brought to mind Neil Gaiman's story "The Problem of Susan." The following isn't going to make sense unless you understand that Narnia has been barred to the older sister due to the fact she essentially grew up and became a woman, a woman who was more interested in womanly things, such as lipstick. I'm grossly oversimplifying, but if you're a determined Googler, you can find all kinds of discussion on the internets. ANYWAY, here, Valente makes quite the defense of lipstick, the art of makeup and how it doesn't make one silly or girly and therefore sinful or someone to be dismissed. If I had my druthers, I'd quote the entire section, but I don't want to spoil it for you. I will say, however, you can read the rebuttal, given through Lebedeva, on page 142-143 in the hardcover.
Beyond that, all I've got is admiration for this novel. The story itself is cyclical in its way, and it begs re-reading, especially when one considers the role repetition plays in the tale, repetition and prophecy. Things I missed before, I want to catch the second time around, you know?
So instead of babbling like an idiot, I shall share some passages with you. Here, on pages 9-10, I fall in love with Valente's use of verbs. Some are normal, allowing you to read without being stunned, but others pop off the page delightfully.
The boy stood sniffling, snot and tears dripping down his chin. He tried to knuckle it away, rubbing his nose red and scratching his belly with the other scuffed-up hand. His hair was colorless, his age vague, though no fuzz showed on his face, no squareness set his jaw, and his ribs would have been narrow even if they had meat on them. His eyes drooped, too tired to squint in the autumnal light. The sun slashed his pupils, stirring shadows there.
And here is the end of a chapter that is frankly just so wonderful I want to quote it in its entirety. I won't do it. Rather, I'll give you a little tease. Page 113, when Baba Yaga is talking to Marya Morevna (whose name I adored):
"Don't look so shocked -- after an eon or two of being a wife you'll want one of your own, too. Fiendishly convenient things, wives. Better than cows. They'll love you for beating them, and work 'til they die."
And lastly, a little tidbit that describes my naps so well I'm in awe of the turn of phrase (page 337):
"Sometimes a nap lands on you and you just can't get out from underneath."
My Rating: Excellent
It's a wonderful book. It's a wonder it didn't make the Hugo ballot, so if you're a fan of this book and feel it's an injustice this book didn't get nominated, then you, like me, really need to purchase yourself a membership so you can nominate in 2013, because that's how books like this stand out from the usual crowd, you know?
Aside from that, I enjoyed every bit this book had to offer. The moments where it lulled me into a comfortable familiarity only to jolt me with passages that make me startle and start over, just to make sure I read them correctly. Valente's use of language is, as always, sheer poetry, and the focus on Russian folklore in this historical (?) fantasy is something rather unique and well-done. At least, it is from my American perspective, which only goes so far. Still, it's a book that I see myself re-reading over and over, just to pick up the details I missed before and to admire the construction of the tale. Valente remains a favorite, and a must-read. Good thing I still have two titles of hers in my TBR pile!
Cover Commentary: I've always liked this. The coloring and art really stands out, and it definitely brings to mind Soviet Russia to me, so I'd say the cover's pretty successful. It's also quite different from Valente's usual covers, which is kind of cool.
Further Reading: With the theme of Second Chances, coming up with a reading list is a wee bit daunting. Instead of offering titles, I'm offering the author names we've read in alphabetical order. It's up to YOU to decide if you want to give any of these authors a second chance! Mind you, some of these authors, like Octavia E. Butler, N.K. Jemisin, and Catherynne M. Valente, we HAVE given second chances to, but I wanted to list each and every single author we've read for Calico's Book Club since its inception in 2009, so here you go:
Beagle, Peter S.
Brooks, Max
Bujold, Lois McMaster
Bull, Emma
Butler, Octavia
Cherryh, C.J.
Goodman, Alison
Grant, Mira
Griffith, Nicola
Heinlein, Robert A.
Hopkinson, Nalo***
Huff, Tanya
Hurley, Kameron
Johnson, Alaya Dawn
Kay, Guy Gavriel
Kress, Nancy
Jemisin, N.K.
Langan, Sarah
Lord, Karen
Marr, Melissa
McKinley, Robin
Ness, Patrick
Okorafor, Nnedi
Pearson, Mary E.
Riggs, Ransom
Robson, Justina
Rowland, Diana
Sedia, Ekaterina
Shelley, Mary
Stephenson, Neal
Valente, Catherynne M.
Walton, Jo
Whitfield, Kit
Willis, Connie
Yancey, Rick
Yu, Charles
*** = Hopkinson edited an short story collection that we read (well, a FEW of us read it, crying shame, that), and if you want to see all the authors featured in the anthology, just click here.
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.
blythe025: Review Here
nephtis5: Review Here
quietselkie: Review Here
starlady38: Review Here
starmetal_oak: Review Here
temporaryworlds: Review Here
This is How She Fight Start: Review Here
Book Club Poll: Just so you know, I'm not tracking participation points, but I do want to have some idea of how popular or unpopular a book club selection is, hence, the poll. If you're not on Live Journal, you can still vote using OpenID! Just go to Live Journal's home page and in the upper right-hand corner, log in using said OpenID address, and then you can vote on this page!
Poll December Participation
If you started the book 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 with this, 2012's Theme Park Book Club is officially over! In 2013, you know that Calico's Dares has been resurrected, and in just a few days (okay, in a week), I'll be announcing my first dare to you! Stay tuned for more details about 2013's Theme, and if you don't want to miss out on a single bit of Daring news, just sign up for monthly notifications HERE!