Helpful Score: 1
The sequel to "Ecstasia," written in Block's customary style, resembling the work of the late, great Angela Carter in the second half. Primavera is a girl on the brink of womanhood who can make flowers grow when she sings. She feels torn by an excess of love from her mother, a lack of understanding from her father, and the impossibility of winning the man she desires. She sets out on a journey to Elysia, the cruel, magical city of her parents' youth, but her path does not end there, leading through some unexpectedly dark and exhilirating places. A book not afraid to see the beauty in the grotesque.
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't really care for this book. I found the author's style somewhat ethereal, the poetry more annoying than helpful to the flow of the book, and the story somewhat hard to follow at times. If it was any longer than it was, I probably wouldn't have bothered finishing it, but at under 200 pages, I was willing to stick it out.
From the very moment she was born, Primavera's songs made water flow and flowers blossom. She brought new life to the desert where her family lives. But even in Paradise there are dreams that cannot be fulfilled. Primavera is in love with a man who can never be hers--so when a handsome stranger offers her the gift of a horse-headed motorcycle, Primavera leaves home in search of the magical city of Elysia, the city once ruled by her parents' band, Ecstasia. But in Elysia, Primavera discovers that she has left behind everything she truly needs, everyone she truly cares about--and, if the city has its way, she will never find her way back home.
This seems to be the sequel book to Ecstasia, although I struggled to find any info on that anywhere. I haven't read that book, but this story stood on its own fine. It's written in Block's very beautiful, yet somewhat ambiguous style. Reading Block's books always feels a bit like floating through a dream: beautiful, magical, a bit blurry, and sometimes hard to focus on.
This is the story of Primavera who leaves paradise to visit the city her parents used to live in, Elysia. Along the way she stumbles across as much death and horror as she does beauty and magic and ends up struggling to find her way back home.
There are definitely references to mythology in here...both to the Orpheus and Persephone myths. Paradise suffers greatly when Primavera, their Spring, leaves. One of the characters seeks out the drug Orpheus, which allows her to see her dead loved ones but eventually ends in her death.
Many magical creatures show up throughout the story and lend it a very fantasy feel.
My main complaint is the one I always have with Block's works...they are super sweet but sometimes a bit hard to digest. The story isn't very cohesive at times and wanders. I still ended up enjoying it though because the writing style is beautifully descriptive and does a great job with imagery.
Overall this was okay but not great. I do love Block's beautiful imagery but struggled some to stay focused on this ephemeral story. I'd recommend if you are a fan of Block's writing style or if you like ambiguous but beautifully written fantasy.
This is the story of Primavera who leaves paradise to visit the city her parents used to live in, Elysia. Along the way she stumbles across as much death and horror as she does beauty and magic and ends up struggling to find her way back home.
There are definitely references to mythology in here...both to the Orpheus and Persephone myths. Paradise suffers greatly when Primavera, their Spring, leaves. One of the characters seeks out the drug Orpheus, which allows her to see her dead loved ones but eventually ends in her death.
Many magical creatures show up throughout the story and lend it a very fantasy feel.
My main complaint is the one I always have with Block's works...they are super sweet but sometimes a bit hard to digest. The story isn't very cohesive at times and wanders. I still ended up enjoying it though because the writing style is beautifully descriptive and does a great job with imagery.
Overall this was okay but not great. I do love Block's beautiful imagery but struggled some to stay focused on this ephemeral story. I'd recommend if you are a fan of Block's writing style or if you like ambiguous but beautifully written fantasy.
