This is the second of this older series by Gene Wolfe. It’s weird because I read the back of the book and I look through various material and I know there’s something more going on here in the text than I am seeing or realizing, but I have not yet found the text to have explained much beyond the story. It’s one of those things were I can’t tell if I’m missing it or if people are transferring later known quantities about the text on the early parts of the series because they occur later. What I do know is that they’re not being listed as spoilers so either they’re known and I missed them or what.
Anyway, I am also not sure they matter much either because knowing these things haven’t changed much in my experience.
So book two is just as syrupy and opaque as book one. A lot occurs and much time passes in some sections and in other sections they feel like they slow to a crawl. The prose is stilted and uneven, but by design I think, because as we’re told throughout, this is meant to be seen as a translated text. This makes for a mixed reading experience, and one that I feel is incredibly deft and talented, but not all that much fun to read so far. It’s a curious and super interesting book, and a brilliant execution, but gagh, it can be frustrating. It’s also the kind of book I know I would love as an audiobook.
(Photo: https://www.amazon.com/Claw-Conciliator-Book-New-Vol/dp/0671413708/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1574518662&sr=8-1)