This book is pure poetry, and at the same time full of characters that are alive, complex, and human. So much is said in remarkably few words. This is a story that takes unexpected turns whenever it seems to follow well-known paths. Very moving, sometimes also very funny. An absolute gem.
The famous cover paintings by Kinuko Y. Craft, used for many of McKillip’s books in the 90s, are really beautiful and I am very fond of the copies I have. But there is also an ‘earthiness’ to McKillip’s writing, a sense of wilderness and realism even among her most poetic descriptions, that is far from ornate. Song for the Basilisk, in particular, strikes this balance extremely well.















