Song for the Basilisk

by Patricia McKillip

I’m going to be honest: for the first two chapters, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I was so frustrated after rereading the beginning three times that I actually looked up a summary online. Of course, I didn’t look at what happened later in the book, but it was unbelievably helpful to have a clue where the story was starting.

After that I loved the book. I mostly read it on my break at work, and it was hard to switch back to employee mode every time: not because I was so interested in what would happen next (although I was), but because I felt so involved in the story. Involved to the point where I was exhausted, completely drained, by the time I finished reading. I don’t think I’ve ever read something that took up all of my emotions like that.

For that reason, I probably won’t read it again for a while. Not until I’ve recovered.