Akiva Reads

by Catherynne M. Valente

A high two stars for this one. The pace finally picks up the way I had been hoping for about 75% of the way through, and then I had to finish the rest in one sitting. And that was pretty good! But it's a slog to get there, with tons of interesting ideas poetically over-described for (what felt like) hundreds of pages. I get the impression everything was the author's darling she couldn't bear to cut, and you have to read a book like that to realize why writers have to cut so much of the good stuff.

There are dozens of characters who I frequently couldn't keep straight, and they all have mythologically significant names. A good sprinkling of bi and gay characters.

I cared more about Severin before we got to the final few chapters; the ending felt a little cheap. When it still looked like she had died horribly and tragically young, instead of turning into a disembodied omniscient being. And how did Percy learn all that stuff about callowhales anyway---just further scientific advancements, since it's like 40 years after the main action? And no, Severin's fate isn't particularly ambiguous---the author is clearly putting her finger on the scale for one reading, while also technically leaving it "open to interpretation." Whatever, man.

Probably would make a neat film, with the advantage that you wouldn't have to read all the damn descriptions. I would also read the book Valente has set up for 6 generations down the line, with genetic and social changes and when the averted colonial-powers conflict finally hits, but I don't think I trust Valente with story-via-documents anymore.