I finished Valente's Orphan's Tales series! It'll probably be low-key in my head for a while.
It's four deeply nested stories, made largely of traditional mythic/fantasy elements on the surface, but with way more understanding gained by hearing each other's stories than usual.
It's the kind of series that feels to me like it must've been influential, and I have no idea how much of that is just that it's an Arabian Nights -esque pastiche. Google's hits for "Manikarnika" are all a recent movie.
Weird aside: I was recommended this series years ago, when I lived in Philadelphia. Someone in Delaware messaged me; we talked a bunch over AIM about life (and Utena). She was also big into David Lynch movies.
I wish we'd kept in touch better, person whose name I think was Sam.
Oh gosh I know this feel so much.
I hate that the internet provides people basically two choices-- be super public and findable, or lose track of each other. Imagine if this were the 80s and you could just call up anyone you knew and be like "Hey it's been years, but I finally read that book"...
Klara in the hidden land
zodiark x hydaelyn otp