"La Serenissima" by Catherynne M. Valente

[keilexandra]

"La Serenissima" by Catherynne M. Valente is gorgeous. The plot meanders dreamily at first, but by the end it all makes perfect sense. Magic is woven throughout in the thread of words and I love the revised Church. I don't think I understand it but I admire and revel. Valente's short-form pieces seem to be working much better for me than her poetry or novel; I've read snippets of both and they fit together like made-in-China jigsaw pieces, unfortunately shaped the same and thus impossible to complete.

Comments

[diatryma.livejournal.com]

Did you try The Orphan's Tales from the beginning, or in pieces? It's good enough in pieces, but stunning if you start at one end and read to the other. Something about the frame story made the entire thing come together for me.