An imaginative mix of horror and fairy-tale. The vivid descriptions were a bit long-winded, but I liked the synopsis of the book. The ending left me feeling like there should be more.

While this isn't my favorite Francesca Lia Block novel, Ecstasia was still an engaging read for me, filled with beauty and passion and music and colors and textures. Beneath its vibrant glittery surface and gilt edges is a deeper message one must not fail to listen to. ( )

This was...a strange book. It switched perspective often, which didn't bother me as much as it usually does. The plot reminded me somewhat of The Giver, but without the explanations to back up why Elysia is the way it is or even how it works. The book feels incomplete. ( )

I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I do Block's Weetzie Bat series, and was pleasantly surprised to find myself sucked in. It's much more lucid than her other stories, and I enjoyed the many references to, and plays on, Greek mythology. The "lyrics" that preceed each chapter suffer from the fate of most "lyrics" unaccompanied by melody--they seem rather amateur and overwrought, but there are surprising bits of true poetry every now and then nevertheless. I had come to care about all of the main characters by the "Ecstasia's" end, although I wish more (read: any) time had been devoted to explaining how the three worlds (Elysia, Under, and the Desert) were maintained, given the circumstances surrounding their respective inhabitants. Perhaps this will be touched on in the sequel, "Primavera." At any rate, "Ecstasia" is worth a read for anyone who's a fan of the author, especially since it's finally back in print.