Nocturnal Book Reviews

Kirsten Imani Kasai's books are so weird and unique, they stay with you for a long time. I've mentioned already that Ice Song was a very mad, visually bizarre, wild ride, but I quite liked it.

You certainly can not shove Ice Song series into any one catergory. There is a generous part of fantasy, a bit of dystopia with a sprinkle of sci-fi and even erotica present all of which confound and lure you deeper into the intricate plot. Very visual and quite dark, Tattoo just like its predecessor explores the corporate greed and the world of vice in a setting similar to Alaska during Gold Rush.

The characters feel like they just stepped out from Rocky Horror Show - vivid, dramatic and always askew:

Sorykah who is desperately trying to reject her curse and live a normal life; her selfish , impulsive and naive male counterpart - Soryk. Chen, Matuk's son, drowning his emptiness in drugs, slowly dying Sidra The Lovely, the queen of the hidden forest kingdom of mutants...

The writing is complicated and doesn't flow very well, it took me awhile to get through it. Kirsten's work is not for everyone, and you won't be able to understand the second book without reading the first (even then it's not guaranteed), but there is a certain beauty in its madness, which I found unforgettable.