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Waking Beauty
An extraordinary world of terrible beauties and awesome terrors comes alive through the courage of two very different women and is saved by the sacrifice of a man foolish enough and bold enough to love them both. A first novel.
419 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1997
3 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Paul Witcover
93 books35 followersThe author of Waking Beauty, Paul Witcover has also written a biography of Zora Neale Hurston and numerous short stories. He is the co-creator, with Elizabeth Hand, of the cult comic book series Anima and has served as the curator of the New York Review of Science Fiction reading series. His work has also appeared on HBO. He lives and writes in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 14, 2013
This book is very different. lol
I think you will either hate it or love it. I found it tedious, sometimes frustrating, but then I also found it fascinating. Witcover’s world is beautiful, decadent, suffocating and monstrously cruel. Witcover knows how to make a reader cringe in ways I never thought possible. I worried that I would never care about any of the characters, because it was so hard to relate to them. Yet at the end, I did care. Everyone is trapped within their own caste, unable to escape, and their beliefs and religion smother any kind of creativity or individuality. I longed to see the powers in charge be overthrown.
Did I like the book? I admit while I was reading it, I grew restless in the middle. Yet when I was done, my mind was buzzing and it stuck with me for days afterward. I even had dreams about it. I think if you can stick with the book, you’ll find that if stays with you a long time. This is no light easy read. It has dense prose, lots of fantastical world building, and it's thought provoking. I don’t think I shall ever forget it.
I think you will either hate it or love it. I found it tedious, sometimes frustrating, but then I also found it fascinating. Witcover’s world is beautiful, decadent, suffocating and monstrously cruel. Witcover knows how to make a reader cringe in ways I never thought possible. I worried that I would never care about any of the characters, because it was so hard to relate to them. Yet at the end, I did care. Everyone is trapped within their own caste, unable to escape, and their beliefs and religion smother any kind of creativity or individuality. I longed to see the powers in charge be overthrown.
Did I like the book? I admit while I was reading it, I grew restless in the middle. Yet when I was done, my mind was buzzing and it stuck with me for days afterward. I even had dreams about it. I think if you can stick with the book, you’ll find that if stays with you a long time. This is no light easy read. It has dense prose, lots of fantastical world building, and it's thought provoking. I don’t think I shall ever forget it.
June 20, 2013
This book has the most inaccurate blurb ever. This book isn't even about what it says it's about.
What it's really about is a sexist society, hierarchy, gods, prostitutes, lesbians and later puppets.
What it's really about is a sexist society, hierarchy, gods, prostitutes, lesbians and later puppets.
May 24, 2010
Not to be confused with the other Waking Beauty. Different story, different authors.
Insterting a more complete review.
This is one of those books which have stayed with me over the years and I doubt I could ever forget. It's a fascinating tale with several layers as the story progesses. The writting is brilliant. Each chapter actually transends the previous.
Unfortunately, the publisher promoted the book like some kind of major erotic story. Though there is a fair amount of erotica, it's so far removed from pornography. Everything that happens in the book, happens for a very good reason - even the erotica.
In essence, the intricate fantasy world is all about finding the truth in life. Who created this world? Who is the omnipotent figure behind it all? And why are the people in the lower levels of this society suffering from not knowing?
The aspect which fascinates me the most about Waking Beauty, is the way the "truth" is interpreted in the lower levels of this fantasy society. The futher away from the truth the characters are, the more superstititous they become and quick to believe anything.
And the truth sets them free.
Insterting a more complete review.
This is one of those books which have stayed with me over the years and I doubt I could ever forget. It's a fascinating tale with several layers as the story progesses. The writting is brilliant. Each chapter actually transends the previous.
Unfortunately, the publisher promoted the book like some kind of major erotic story. Though there is a fair amount of erotica, it's so far removed from pornography. Everything that happens in the book, happens for a very good reason - even the erotica.
In essence, the intricate fantasy world is all about finding the truth in life. Who created this world? Who is the omnipotent figure behind it all? And why are the people in the lower levels of this society suffering from not knowing?
The aspect which fascinates me the most about Waking Beauty, is the way the "truth" is interpreted in the lower levels of this fantasy society. The futher away from the truth the characters are, the more superstititous they become and quick to believe anything.
And the truth sets them free.
October 20, 2010
I first read this novel years ago, when it came out, I believe. I've read it more than once and then loaned it out. As with loaning books, I didn't get it back but was able to find it again. I enjoyed it when I first read it and I enjoyed reading it again.
I suppose, for some, it could be confusing. I know years back I was confused with the ending or felt that it lacked something. This time it was much more satisfying. Perhaps that's because I've read a few things a good deal stranger and certainly more confusing (like, oh, Vellum by Hal Duncan) since then. What I like most about Witcover's world, as I don't think it's Earth, is the mix he uses of fairytale, mythology, and theology. I suppose even more than that as it strikes me now that perhaps there are allusions to history as well.
The back of the cover states that it's an erotic novel. I'm not exactly sure on that account. Yes, there's a good deal of subservience, but it's also something of a cultural set up. There is a lot on the beauty of total submission, but for me it wasn't simply in a sexual content. Sure, that's there too, but it reaches a bit farther as well. It is, as well, rather men against women in the roles they're supposed to play, but it's also about breaking those roles as well.
But even if there is submission, I think that Witcover follows the sad tradition of passive female heroines that populate fairytales. Not that his version is sad in that way as his character evolve from passivity to activity. It's a bit slow, but I think that's due to point of view and wanting to Rose and Rumer find their power faster, to escape from the roles bred into them, to become angry at their situations.
Regardless of that, it's a lovely read. Witcover's descriptions are really rather beautiful. I don't know if it's a novel for everyone, but I know that it's influenced me over the years in what I write and the idea of breaking the traditional tales and going back to their origins where girls are clever and it's not just their beauty that gets them by.
I suppose, for some, it could be confusing. I know years back I was confused with the ending or felt that it lacked something. This time it was much more satisfying. Perhaps that's because I've read a few things a good deal stranger and certainly more confusing (like, oh, Vellum by Hal Duncan) since then. What I like most about Witcover's world, as I don't think it's Earth, is the mix he uses of fairytale, mythology, and theology. I suppose even more than that as it strikes me now that perhaps there are allusions to history as well.
The back of the cover states that it's an erotic novel. I'm not exactly sure on that account. Yes, there's a good deal of subservience, but it's also something of a cultural set up. There is a lot on the beauty of total submission, but for me it wasn't simply in a sexual content. Sure, that's there too, but it reaches a bit farther as well. It is, as well, rather men against women in the roles they're supposed to play, but it's also about breaking those roles as well.
But even if there is submission, I think that Witcover follows the sad tradition of passive female heroines that populate fairytales. Not that his version is sad in that way as his character evolve from passivity to activity. It's a bit slow, but I think that's due to point of view and wanting to Rose and Rumer find their power faster, to escape from the roles bred into them, to become angry at their situations.
Regardless of that, it's a lovely read. Witcover's descriptions are really rather beautiful. I don't know if it's a novel for everyone, but I know that it's influenced me over the years in what I write and the idea of breaking the traditional tales and going back to their origins where girls are clever and it's not just their beauty that gets them by.
March 31, 2019
This was a high fantasy with complex and unique lore/world building that was very different from anything I've ever read before. I particularly liked the simularters. That said, it is also pretty intense; I'm the kind of person who isn't really fazed by what they read, but if you are you may not like this. There's sexual violence, torture, pedophilia, self-mutilation, etc.
One thing that I did really struggle with was how incredibly sexist the culture in this world was. I almost DNF'ed it a couple times because of that, although the other reviews were good enough that I stuck with it in hopes of redemption. The sexist culture was undermined in the latter half of the book, although I would have liked slightly more emphasis on how wrong the sexism in particular was.
The writing style was also a bit dense. There were a lot of infodumps and periods where characters took some time out to tell stories of their culture's lore. The information was kind of needed, as the plot calls back to and builds upon that lore, but I think there might have been a better way to incorporate it.
Another thing about the writing that was strange to me was that sometimes it would give summaries of events that had happened earlier in the book, much in the way that a sequel would if it referred to something from Book 1. I wasn't sure if this was done because there was just so much going on that beta readers got confused and needed reminded, but to me it felt repetitive.
I also noticed an inconsistency in one scene with Sylvestris. He is in a dangerous situation and expresses concern about hurting his hands, as they're the most delicate part of him. Then, when someone approaches, he's described as putting his hands up to protect himself, which is illogical if that's the part of him that needs protecting. I'm sure it was just an oversight, but I noticed it.
In any case, it was an interesting book. It probably isn't for a lot of people, but if you like unique and complex fantasy it might be for you. Also, this might appeal to fans of horror that involves puppets (especially marionettes), but that is only a small part of the story so don't go into the book expecting it to be about that primarily.
One thing that I did really struggle with was how incredibly sexist the culture in this world was. I almost DNF'ed it a couple times because of that, although the other reviews were good enough that I stuck with it in hopes of redemption. The sexist culture was undermined in the latter half of the book, although I would have liked slightly more emphasis on how wrong the sexism in particular was.
The writing style was also a bit dense. There were a lot of infodumps and periods where characters took some time out to tell stories of their culture's lore. The information was kind of needed, as the plot calls back to and builds upon that lore, but I think there might have been a better way to incorporate it.
Another thing about the writing that was strange to me was that sometimes it would give summaries of events that had happened earlier in the book, much in the way that a sequel would if it referred to something from Book 1. I wasn't sure if this was done because there was just so much going on that beta readers got confused and needed reminded, but to me it felt repetitive.
I also noticed an inconsistency in one scene with Sylvestris. He is in a dangerous situation and expresses concern about hurting his hands, as they're the most delicate part of him. Then, when someone approaches, he's described as putting his hands up to protect himself, which is illogical if that's the part of him that needs protecting. I'm sure it was just an oversight, but I noticed it.
In any case, it was an interesting book. It probably isn't for a lot of people, but if you like unique and complex fantasy it might be for you. Also, this might appeal to fans of horror that involves puppets (especially marionettes), but that is only a small part of the story so don't go into the book expecting it to be about that primarily.
August 12, 2008
I am so annoyed with the book that I don't think I will even finish it. I think I got it at a used bookstore years ago. So I picked it up the other night and within the first page and even after a few pages it is losing me. It is talking about all these places, people, and things that have no meaning to me because the author is not explaining them....at first. He begins to but not complete enough to make me -get it- at all and become a part of the book. The book is divided not only into chapters but parts. So I am reading part 1 and trying to be patient hoping they explain what all the names of their gods, legends and so forth mean. The title of the book Waking Beauty comes from a legend of their community/world/whatever....and the men get strapped down at night, nose plugged and tubes put in their throat - because otherwise they will be intoxicated by the call of Beauty. The men's wives/mothers look after them while they sleep. Men can smell Beauty and basically be so intoxicated by her smell that they follow her anywhere. She from the sounds of it kills them to gain power. I really can't tell you if that is for certain as the book just was so confusing to me.
But I do kind of get caught up into what seems like the 2 main characters Cy and Rose. They are about to married. Where they live - men are in charge (despite them being tied down at night). Cy at one point says that Rose is so pretty that all the men seem to give into her so he was going to have to take a firm hand to her. So as I said I got caught up in seeing where Cy and Rose go in the story...well that lasted 1 night. I am doing a spoiler....
Rose didn't strap Cy down on their wedding night and Beauty came and got him. So the town calls for her to be taken away and banished from their sight as she no long exists because she failed her husband. They have a man come in shave her hair off (something she was known for) and then chain her up leading her out of town. And from what I could tell she was being taken to another town where she would be a prostitute. Okay there ends part 1. I started reading part 2 and ALL NEW NAMES, ALL new legends, all new stories and no where am I finding Rose. I finally figure out Rose basically has a new name/title ((Cat - that is what they call prostitutes in the book)) but I can't follow what the heck is going on so I gave up I have closed the book and I am not picking it up again.
But I do kind of get caught up into what seems like the 2 main characters Cy and Rose. They are about to married. Where they live - men are in charge (despite them being tied down at night). Cy at one point says that Rose is so pretty that all the men seem to give into her so he was going to have to take a firm hand to her. So as I said I got caught up in seeing where Cy and Rose go in the story...well that lasted 1 night. I am doing a spoiler....
Rose didn't strap Cy down on their wedding night and Beauty came and got him. So the town calls for her to be taken away and banished from their sight as she no long exists because she failed her husband. They have a man come in shave her hair off (something she was known for) and then chain her up leading her out of town. And from what I could tell she was being taken to another town where she would be a prostitute. Okay there ends part 1. I started reading part 2 and ALL NEW NAMES, ALL new legends, all new stories and no where am I finding Rose. I finally figure out Rose basically has a new name/title ((Cat - that is what they call prostitutes in the book)) but I can't follow what the heck is going on so I gave up I have closed the book and I am not picking it up again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2008
Paul Witcover, Waking Beauty (Harper, 1997)
After three long months of wrestling with this monstrosity, I finally gave up. "Ponderous" is the best word to describe Witcover's style, which plods along with no consideration for the reader whatsoever, and little more for the characters therein. Things happen to the characters, all of which are described in lush detail, but somehow the detail never manages to convey any emotion whatsoever. If you've managed to learn to care about what happens to anyone in this book within the first fifty pages, you're doing a whole lot better than I did. And it never gets better. (zero, of course)
After three long months of wrestling with this monstrosity, I finally gave up. "Ponderous" is the best word to describe Witcover's style, which plods along with no consideration for the reader whatsoever, and little more for the characters therein. Things happen to the characters, all of which are described in lush detail, but somehow the detail never manages to convey any emotion whatsoever. If you've managed to learn to care about what happens to anyone in this book within the first fifty pages, you're doing a whole lot better than I did. And it never gets better. (zero, of course)
September 19, 2014
The weirdness of this book is beyond desciption. I had vague memories of reading it as a young teenager and completely not getting it. I reread it when I was somewhat older and realized that, while I had, in fact, missed some of the weirder gender-dynamic elements, my inability to figure out what was going on had nothing to do with age and everything to do with this incresibly confusing and, despite everything, oddly compelling (in the Kevin Sonney sense of the term) text. I kinda want to read it again and see if it makes more sense this time around.
March 24, 2011
This book was daring, visceral and absorbing dark fantasy novel...until about 3/4 of the way through. Then it felt like the author totally lost the thread out of his cave of drug-induced imaginings. I loved the world-building and the characters and frankly, I enjoyed much of the writing of the book, but the incoherent ending and failure to wrap up many of the questions left me confused, frowning, and wishing for something more.
April 25, 2011
I made it halfway through this book before I gave up on it. I realized that I didn't care what happened to any of the characters, I had no idea where the plot was, and that the twisted darkness of the culture as a whole was pretty revolting to me. Decided that I didn't want to waste the time it would take to finish it.
June 12, 2007
This is one of my favorite books of all time. The story telling is beautiful, and the themes are universal. It is truly an imaginative and wonderful novel, one I can read again and again.
April 24, 2009
Very good book! Valentine you should read it!!
February 28, 2010
This review sums up what I thought of the book FAR more competently than I ever could: http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/i/...
March 13, 2011
Don't remember too much beside this was pretty good. Ill give it 3 and a half Baloneys
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November 14, 2015Soooooo tedious! Not worth the time it took to read one third of it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews