Free Fridays
“Valente’s latest novel contains the richness and inscrutability of fable and allegory, infusing her storytelling with a lyrical intensity reminiscent of the literature of India and the Middle East.”
– Library Journal
This week’s Free Fridays title, The Habitation of the Blessed by Catherynne M. Valente, is a fascinating twist on the Prester John legend. For those unfamiliar with the story, Prester John was said to have ruled over an ancient utopia, inspiring hundreds of explorers to seek out his lost kingdom.
In The Habitation of the Blessed, Valente re-imagines this stunning community, presenting a spellbinding world that will capture your imagination in the same way the original legend captivated Medieval daydreamers. Set in 1699, a missionary stumbles on this fabled Eastern kingdom, finding many of the splendors it promised—the fountain of youth and a tree that produces books instead of fruit—but even more unexpected secrets await. It’s soon clear that even the most magical place on Earth has a dark side.
Readers who enjoy escaping to a mystical land in the pages of a book will be enthralled by Valente’s tale. The Prester John series continues this fall with The Folded World.
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