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A review by songwind
The Habitation of the Blessed by Catherynne M. Valente
4.0
[b:The Habitation of the Blessed|8144399|The Habitation of the Blessed (A Dirge for Prester John, #1)|Catherynne M. Valente|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1283556269s/8144399.jpg|12942786] is a complex work full of rich language and many themes.
The book consists of four interwoven storylines. In one, a Byzantine monk confesses his "sins" of thought and deed during the transcribing of the other three. The three books he plucks from a miraculous tree are an autobiography of Prester John, another of his wife, and a collection of stories told to the children of an ancient queen of Prester John's country.
It's difficult to decide what to mention without ruining surprises for other readers. The three storylines from the tree intertwine considerably. Some of the same events are witnessed by the authors, and the storybook contains tales that forewarn us what the subjects of the other two tomes have coming to them.
The book is full of the poetic language and keen observation I expect from Ms. Valente's work. In HotB, she has not yet found that balance between beauty and accessibility that she struck so well in [b:Deathless|7787987|Deathless|Catherynne M. Valente|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1290458486s/7787987.jpg|10733651], but the text isn't truly difficult, either.
Students of classical or Medieval history will recognize themes, myths, legends and fantastic creatures. The historical (and legendary) structure around the Letter of Prester John makes an excellent framework from which to hang this novel's themes.
The book consists of four interwoven storylines. In one, a Byzantine monk confesses his "sins" of thought and deed during the transcribing of the other three. The three books he plucks from a miraculous tree are an autobiography of Prester John, another of his wife, and a collection of stories told to the children of an ancient queen of Prester John's country.
It's difficult to decide what to mention without ruining surprises for other readers. The three storylines from the tree intertwine considerably. Some of the same events are witnessed by the authors, and the storybook contains tales that forewarn us what the subjects of the other two tomes have coming to them.
The book is full of the poetic language and keen observation I expect from Ms. Valente's work. In HotB, she has not yet found that balance between beauty and accessibility that she struck so well in [b:Deathless|7787987|Deathless|Catherynne M. Valente|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1290458486s/7787987.jpg|10733651], but the text isn't truly difficult, either.
Students of classical or Medieval history will recognize themes, myths, legends and fantastic creatures. The historical (and legendary) structure around the Letter of Prester John makes an excellent framework from which to hang this novel's themes.