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The "sensuous and evocative" debut of the Nebula Award–winning author of Waking the Moon: A dystopian journey through a world unburdened by moral taboos (Library Journal).Set in the surreal, post-apocalyptic City of Trees, Winterlong centers on Wendy Wanders, a girl who can tap into the dreams and emotions of the people around her, and her long-lost twin brother, Raphael, a seductive, sacred courtesan to the City's decadent elite. During their voyage, they encounter man-made and godlike show more monstrosities—both hideous and gorgeous—in their effort to stop an ancient power from consuming all.
Blending science fiction and fantasy, Winterlong is a dark fairy tale about a land where societal and sexual taboos have disappeared, and what's left is a world that is both lyrical and terrifying, familiar and striking.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Elizabeth Hand including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.
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I had not previously read any of Hand's early books. I really like the Cass Neary books and Waking the Moon. Winterlong is okay, but not likely to reread it. Post-apocalypse is not my favorite genre. The split narration, with alternating sections of first-person by the two protagonists, is also not a technique that resonates with me. Much of the action is set in Washington DC, with recognizable remnants of many places: the Smithsonian buildings (where Hand worked as an archivist), the Washington monument (the "obelisk"), the National Cathedral. The goddess in various guises and Dionysus (both recurrent themes in many of Hand's works) appear frequently. The book has its moments, but iis sometimes wearing; I much prefer her later books.
Fiction, American Literature
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Author Information
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1990-10
- People/Characters
- Wendy Wanders; Raphael; Justice; The Boy in the Tree
- Important places
- The City of Trees
- Epigraph
- When he'd begun to rattle deep down in his throat, I asked him: "What are you thinking about?" I always like to know what a dying man is thinking about. And he said: "I'm still listening to the rain." It gave me gooseflesh. "... (show all)I'm still listening to the rain." That's what he said.
--Bertolt Brecht, "Baal." - Dedication
- For Paul Whitcover.
We know without knowing there is reason for what we bear...
Whoever the searchlights catch, whatever the loudspeakers blare,
We are not to despair. - First words
- Our heart stops.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.
--And thence we came forth, to see again the stars. - Blurbers
- Gibson, William
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 515
- Popularity
- 58,353
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.65)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 3
