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Trash Sex Magic
Jun. 3rd, 2008 10:34 pmI must have totally missed the buzz about Jennifer Stevenson's book Trash Sex Magic when it came out in 2004, because there surely must have been buzz about it! I'd rate it one of the best books I've read in a long time. The writing is beautiful and sensual, the characters both charming and infuriating, and the whole book is infused with healthy doses of, yes, trash, sex, and magic. I think I need to own a copy of this book so I can reread it whenever I want to. Her descriptions of nature were particularly startling and evocative. I should go back and try to find some passages to quote, because my words sound so flat compared to the richness of the book.
I've also just read and enjoyed An Opening Act of Unspeakable Evil by Jim Munroe, which employs, in typical Munroe fashion, a sort of reverse magical realism. It's a fun romp with some fairly artsy late 20-/early 30-somethings in Toronto and on the road. I could hardly believe there were stacks of these at Wiscon not being snapped up immediately, though one person told me he didn't take one because he thought it was horror. Given the title, I can see that, but trust me, it's not. If you like this one, read Munroe's earlier novel Flyboy Action Figure Comes With Gasmask for a similar feel. Angry Young Spaceman is also unexpectedly sweet.
Guess it's time for me to go back to reading War and Peace for our book group meeting in a week and a half, though I have a copy of Flora Segunda (by Ysabeau Wilce) calling out to me. It's YA, surely it won't take me long to read. But The Orphan's Tale: In the Cities of Coin and Spice (by Catherynne Valente, co-winner of last year's Tiptree for The Orphan's Tale: In the Night Garden) I had better save until after I'm caught up, though it's a treat I'm dearly looking forward to.
I've also just read and enjoyed An Opening Act of Unspeakable Evil by Jim Munroe, which employs, in typical Munroe fashion, a sort of reverse magical realism. It's a fun romp with some fairly artsy late 20-/early 30-somethings in Toronto and on the road. I could hardly believe there were stacks of these at Wiscon not being snapped up immediately, though one person told me he didn't take one because he thought it was horror. Given the title, I can see that, but trust me, it's not. If you like this one, read Munroe's earlier novel Flyboy Action Figure Comes With Gasmask for a similar feel. Angry Young Spaceman is also unexpectedly sweet.
Guess it's time for me to go back to reading War and Peace for our book group meeting in a week and a half, though I have a copy of Flora Segunda (by Ysabeau Wilce) calling out to me. It's YA, surely it won't take me long to read. But The Orphan's Tale: In the Cities of Coin and Spice (by Catherynne Valente, co-winner of last year's Tiptree for The Orphan's Tale: In the Night Garden) I had better save until after I'm caught up, though it's a treat I'm dearly looking forward to.
