Or What You Will
Jul 9, 2022
Review of a novel by Jo Walton
Bizarre, inspirational fun.
The story takes place on two levels. There’s a story being written by author Sylvia that takes place in a world similar to Renaissance Florence, populated in part by historical figures who once lived there, but who are now hundreds of years old and will live forever unless they choose to die. And there is also the world of the author, including her backstory, and an unnamed entity in her mind who gives life to characters in her books by in some sense, temporarily, becoming those characters.
The artificial story includes echoes of Shakespeare’s Tempest and Twelfth Night. The account by the unnamed entity is intriguing and insightful, reflecting on the nature of the creative process in unique ways.
