Books are Food for the Soul

Elizabeth Hand is a writer of tremendous power. Both her fantasy and straight fiction works are the product of her unique, almost mystical ability to create and sustain strange and singular characters and enviroments. Radiant Days is no exception and I believe, her best fantasy. Although this is marketed as a YA book, it is hard for me to imagine it attracting a wide audience as the plot concerns characters involved in the the punk art/music world of the early 70's overlapping the world of the so called 'rock poet', Arthur Rimbaud circa 1870's France. Like all the best fantasy, there is a lot of food for thought here. I have been a fan of her work since her first book 'Winterlong' and each of her books brings something new to the party.