Going cosmic

Your faithful bookwyrm is going to the depths today… as to whether it’s the sea or space, who knows? (both, it’s both actually)

so, we’re gonna be talking about imperfect commentaries by ruthanna emrys, a collection containing not only fiction but also some poems! the stories ranges pretty much through all the speculative gamut (sf, fantasy and a lot of neo-lovecraftian/new weird) with a definitely sapphic/queer and feminist spin. (actually more than a spin, i’d say a turnaround) there’s also a story that particularly draws from jewish imagination/culture. the latter, as it turns out, i had already read, along with two or three other stories, from my more online reading days and these are:

• Seven Commentaries on an Imperfect Land
• The Litany of Earth
• Those Who Watch
• The Word of Flesh and Soul

i don’t do much rereads but it was a pleasure to read these again!

and so yeah, thematically speaking, there’s a lot about family/belonging here (in all forms) which is nice! plus, among other things:

• mad scientists lesbians falling in love xD (def need more of those, yeah!)
• xenopsychology
• neurodivergence and disability
• growing alienation from academia
• librairies and bookshops also, did we mention books already? here, have some books!
• aliens :p

anyways, j’ai adoré ce recueil, très confort reading for me. c’est empreint de poésie, rempli de queerness à souhait :p il y a des aliens, ça parle parfois de bouquins et on en apprend un peu sur l’autrice avec les commentaires à la fin des histoires. sinon, mes trucs préférés sont la berceuse/lullaby lovecraftienne, the deepest rift (une histoire qui mériterait d’être développée, je trouve) the litany of earth et those who watch (j’adore les histoires de librairies et de bibliothèques n_n ça se voit tant que ça? ) j’ai aussi beaucoup aimé exposure therapy (l’idée de base est particulièrement intéressante) et the taste of prayer, the smell of snow! (sur une divinité enfant) et puis the word of flesh and soul mériterait elle aussi d’être développée…

sinon, j’ai vraiment hâte de retrouver Aphra Marsh dans les deux romans que je ne manquerai pas de lire plus tard! (voir the litany of earth)

niveau d’emmerdement: 0 à 1 / 10

note générale: 8 à 9 / 10