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. ( )

Young Primavera lives in a paradise, soft, lush, suffocating. She longs for hard, brittle adventure. So, into the desert and the cities she rides.

The story of Persephone in a post apocalyptic world where radiation has created mutant centaurs and mermaids and Primavera, who when she sings makes the world bloom flowers.

A classic journey from innocence into adulthood with all the attendant descents into the abyss and climb into the sun. What’s interesting about this version is that we not only read Primavera’s perspective, but that of her parents Calliope and Dionisio's and of several other characters.

The prose is strewn with razor candy flowers and wounded Rivers, plucking their own feathers in the city of the lost. Not really a light read, but if you’re in the mood for dense rich, brew up a pot of tea and enjoy. ( )

A sequel to 'Ecstasia' (though I read them in the wrong order anyway). Not just a sequel – for the most part this is a retelling of the same events through the eyes of another character. Rather pointless, then. ( )

The sequel to "Ecstasia". Keeping with the same dark and magical theme, this book completes the "lack of ending" of the first book.

One of my favourite things about Block's work is that it's both accessible and mysterious. Her books read like poetry; there's a surface story there, to be sure, and the reader feels as though all the information they need is before them, but it's up to each individual to piece together just what the story means. I found this book both wonderful and maddening for just that reason. I know I'll want to reread it at least once more, and that I'll spend quite a bit of time thinking over the ideas and themes she's introduced here.

As is often the case with Block's novels, I also found it both beautiful and horrifying. Primavera's story is gorgeous and poetic, but there are some truly heartwrenching scenes. I felt deeply for all involved, and was swept up in their story.

One word of caution to the squeemish: there are some parts containing what might be interpreted as bestiality. I believe Block's saying that people are people no matter what their outer appearance, but some might find these portions offensive. ( )