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Saturnalia
The Saturnalia carnival marks three years since Nina walked away from Philadelphia’s elite Saturn Club—with its genteel debauchery, arcane pecking order, and winking interest in alchemy and the occult. In doing so, she abandoned her closest friends and her chance to climb the social ladder. Since then, she’s eked out a living by telling fortunes with her Saturn Club tarot deck, a solemn initiation gift that Nina always considered a gag but has turned out to be more useful than she could have ever imagined.
For most, the Saturnalia carnival marks a brief winter reprieve for the beleaguered people of the historic city, which is being eroded by extreme weather, a collapsing economy, and feverish summers—whose disease carrying mosquitos are perhaps the only thing one can count on. Like Thanksgiving or Halloween, Saturnalia has become a purely American holiday despite its pagan roots; and nearly everyone, rich or poor, forgets their troubles for a moment.
For Nina, Saturnalia is simply a cruel reminder of the night that changed everything for her. But when she gets a chance call from Max, one of the Saturn Club’s best-connected members and her last remaining friend, the favor he asks will plunge her back into the Club’s wild solstice masquerade, on a mysterious errand she cannot say no to.
Tonight, Nina will put on a dress of blackest black, and attend the biggest party of the year. Before it’s over, she will discover secret societies battling for power in an increasingly precarious world and become custodian of a horrifying secret—and the target of a mysterious hunter. As Nina runs across an alternate Philadelphia balanced on a knife’s edge between celebration and catastrophe, through parades, worship houses, museums, hidden mansions, and the place she once called home, she’s forced to confront her past in order to take charge of her own—and perhaps everyone’s—future.
For most, the Saturnalia carnival marks a brief winter reprieve for the beleaguered people of the historic city, which is being eroded by extreme weather, a collapsing economy, and feverish summers—whose disease carrying mosquitos are perhaps the only thing one can count on. Like Thanksgiving or Halloween, Saturnalia has become a purely American holiday despite its pagan roots; and nearly everyone, rich or poor, forgets their troubles for a moment.
For Nina, Saturnalia is simply a cruel reminder of the night that changed everything for her. But when she gets a chance call from Max, one of the Saturn Club’s best-connected members and her last remaining friend, the favor he asks will plunge her back into the Club’s wild solstice masquerade, on a mysterious errand she cannot say no to.
Tonight, Nina will put on a dress of blackest black, and attend the biggest party of the year. Before it’s over, she will discover secret societies battling for power in an increasingly precarious world and become custodian of a horrifying secret—and the target of a mysterious hunter. As Nina runs across an alternate Philadelphia balanced on a knife’s edge between celebration and catastrophe, through parades, worship houses, museums, hidden mansions, and the place she once called home, she’s forced to confront her past in order to take charge of her own—and perhaps everyone’s—future.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2022
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June 30, 2024
My complete review of Saturnalia is published at Grimdark Magazine.
The slow-motion collapse of modern civilization is reason to party in Saturnalia, the new sci-fi horror by Stephanie Feldman, which takes place in a near-future Philadelphia amid growing climate disaster. As the world gradually succumbs to increasingly severe hurricanes, droughts, and killer mosquitos, the newly paganized City of Brotherly Love lets loose with Saturnalia, the riotous multi-day celebration of the winter solstice honoring the Roman god of abundance.
The protagonist of the story, Nina, is a tarot card reader formerly associated with the prestigious Saturn Club, the go-to venue for Philadelphia’s elite society and a thinly veiled center for alchemical experiments and other occultist practices. Nina knows that her fortunetelling is rubbish, but her cards may reveal more truth than she realizes.
The plot of Saturnalia focuses on Nina’s attempts to infiltrate her former club and unravel its mysteries. Nina finds the perfect opportunity to sneak into the Saturn Club unnoticed during its masquerade party, which opens the winter solstice celebration. Nina deftly navigates the labyrinthine club and discovers the horrifying secret lying beneath the façade of the Saturn Club’s debauchery.
Stephanie Feldman’s writing perfectly captures the disorienting feel of Nina’s experiences both in and out of the Saturn Club. Reading Saturnalia feels like a fever dream, full of discordant imagery that draws the reader into this hedonistic world and its bizarre social order. Combined with its nonlinear narrative structure, the novel has a disorienting quality that accurately portrays the chaos of a young woman just trying to live her best life amidst a world of apocalyptic revelry.
As a resident of Pennsylvania, I particularly enjoyed Feldman’s choice of her native Philadelphia as the setting for the novel, which is filled with references to local geography and culture. The juxtaposition of Pennsylvania’s Quaker roots with its recent embrace of paganism is particularly well done in Saturnalia.
There are many compelling facets to Saturnalia, particularly its feverish storytelling as we gradually put together the pieces of Nina’s backstory and learn the truth of the Saturn Club. Still, the plot never really takes off to the full extent I was anticipating. I was hoping for more layers to the Saturn Club’s mysteries and greater insights into the people behind the club itself.
Overall, Saturnalia offers a unique take on an apocalyptic future, striking a good balance between elements of sci-fi and horror while warning of the social impact of our impending ecological disaster.
The slow-motion collapse of modern civilization is reason to party in Saturnalia, the new sci-fi horror by Stephanie Feldman, which takes place in a near-future Philadelphia amid growing climate disaster. As the world gradually succumbs to increasingly severe hurricanes, droughts, and killer mosquitos, the newly paganized City of Brotherly Love lets loose with Saturnalia, the riotous multi-day celebration of the winter solstice honoring the Roman god of abundance.
The protagonist of the story, Nina, is a tarot card reader formerly associated with the prestigious Saturn Club, the go-to venue for Philadelphia’s elite society and a thinly veiled center for alchemical experiments and other occultist practices. Nina knows that her fortunetelling is rubbish, but her cards may reveal more truth than she realizes.
The plot of Saturnalia focuses on Nina’s attempts to infiltrate her former club and unravel its mysteries. Nina finds the perfect opportunity to sneak into the Saturn Club unnoticed during its masquerade party, which opens the winter solstice celebration. Nina deftly navigates the labyrinthine club and discovers the horrifying secret lying beneath the façade of the Saturn Club’s debauchery.
Stephanie Feldman’s writing perfectly captures the disorienting feel of Nina’s experiences both in and out of the Saturn Club. Reading Saturnalia feels like a fever dream, full of discordant imagery that draws the reader into this hedonistic world and its bizarre social order. Combined with its nonlinear narrative structure, the novel has a disorienting quality that accurately portrays the chaos of a young woman just trying to live her best life amidst a world of apocalyptic revelry.
As a resident of Pennsylvania, I particularly enjoyed Feldman’s choice of her native Philadelphia as the setting for the novel, which is filled with references to local geography and culture. The juxtaposition of Pennsylvania’s Quaker roots with its recent embrace of paganism is particularly well done in Saturnalia.
There are many compelling facets to Saturnalia, particularly its feverish storytelling as we gradually put together the pieces of Nina’s backstory and learn the truth of the Saturn Club. Still, the plot never really takes off to the full extent I was anticipating. I was hoping for more layers to the Saturn Club’s mysteries and greater insights into the people behind the club itself.
Overall, Saturnalia offers a unique take on an apocalyptic future, striking a good balance between elements of sci-fi and horror while warning of the social impact of our impending ecological disaster.
February 15, 2023
I was on the verge of giving this a 3-star review on the basis that it's competent enough, just not my cup of tea. But every time I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt, it would just find a new way to annoy me.
Some ways it annoyed me:
Kudos to whoever designed the book cover. It's quite deceptive. The cover makes this look like an actual literary work for adults, but to be very clear, this is a Young Adult book. Author, Stephanie Feldman throws in some adult-ish content to hide the fact that it's actually a YA book, but after the first ten pages, it is very clear that this is a YA book.
It's like the author secretly wrote a fan fic while she was in high school about the adult lives of her high school buddies. Every once in a while, the book hints that these characters are supposed to be adults, but none of them ever act like adults. They all act the way the emo kids thought they looked to everyone else. They're all mysterious and aloof and tragically hip. They're all obsessed with joining Secret Societies, and even though they just seem like normal teenagers in need of some healthy self-reflection, they somehow all end up as the Kings and Queens of the Secret Societies they want to join. It just reeks of wish-fulfillment writing, which is a cardinal sin in my book.
The book wastes its so-called premise. The book kind of sells itself as some kind of near-future almost-dystopia where climate changes is destroying the planet. But this book in no way feels dystopian and the climate change angle is only paid lip-service for 95% of its page count, and only becomes a factor at the last possible moment to prop up what Feldman thought was a cool ending that doesn't have any thematic connection to anything that happened prior.
It would be more accurate to describe the setting as "an alternate universe Philadelphia where everyone is obsessed with Secret Societies". I probably wouldn't have wanted to read that book. But it really does feel more like an alternate universe than a dystopian future. There isn't anything futuristic here. Everything is exactly as it is now, just with more Secret Societies which are named after all the various deities Feldman learned about in an Introduction to World Religion class somewhere. None of these Secret Societies serve any real function in the plot. Feldman could easily have swapped out the Saturn Club for any of the dozens of other deities she name-drops, and it wouldn't have changed the plot one bit. It's just like, she loved the idea of having Secret Societies as a premise, then picked world religion as a theme, and to establish how important they are, she has all her characters yearn to join them, then they do and become the Kings and Queens. It made me roll my eyes the way I roll my eyes at Japanese video game characters when they carry around giant swords that are twice as big as the kewl badazz characters wielding them. Like, the creators clearly thought they were cool, and there is apparently an audience for that, so knock yourself out I guess. Anyway, such were the Secret Societies.
Author, Stephanie Feldman, made some outlandish comments on her GoodReads author's page. After less than 50 pages, I became convinced that Stephanie Feldman was a precocious and angsty 17-year old, and I went to her GoodReads page to verify my hypothesis. It turns out I was wrong about her age, but it wasn't a wasted trip as I did stumble upon a post where she humblebrags about how she's heard people compare Saturnalia to Jeff VanderMeer's "Southern Reach Trilogy". So, first of all, shame on anyone who said that out loud to Stephanie Feldman. Maybe you were just trying to be nice and you didn't realize she would cite you in a public forum. And second of all, shame on Stephanie Feldman for posting such a ridiculous statement. There are only three reasons I can imagine why she would do this. 1) She hasn't read "The Southern Reach Trilogy" and therefore doesn't realize how wildly off-base the comparison is, 2) she hasn't read her own book and therefore doesn't realize how wildly off-base the comparison is, or 3) she has read both books and thinks the comparison is valid. I think #1, but if I ever find out it's #3, I'm docking this down to 1-star.
For reference: Saturnalia is to "The Southern Reach Trilogy" as Goosebumps #24: Phantom of the Auditorium is to In the Mountains of Madness.
"The Southern Reach Trilogy" is Jeff VanderMeer's damned fine go at putting into words all the inscrutable madness that Lovecraft built a reputation out of not trying to describe because you couldn't or you'd go mad. Saturnalia is goth teenagers joining Secret Societies while chasing an occult macguffin. Minus the f-bombs, Saturnalia is perfect for an 8th grade book report. "The Southern Reach Trilogy" is perfect for a list of books a conservative parent wants banned from the library for being satanic even though it's not satanic, that's just the label they put on things they don't understand, and to be fair, understanding "The Souther Reach Trilogy" can be a pretty tall order.
In conclusion, like I said before, I kind of feel like I got tricked into reading this by the deceitful cover art and inaccurate book description. But I will wholly admit that someone with the reading interests of a 14-18 year old might love this. Judging from some of the reviews, they love it indeed. But if you're looking for something a bit more substantive, then this book can be pretty obnoxious.
For the second time in the last month or so, I find myself wanting to recommend Nalo Hopkinson's Brown Girl in the Ring, which is a vastly superior book that is actually set in a dystopian future and features a teenager who gets caught up in occult Secret Society schemes but actually does something with the premise and feels like it has something to say besides, "Aren't Secret Societies kewl??"
Some ways it annoyed me:
Kudos to whoever designed the book cover. It's quite deceptive. The cover makes this look like an actual literary work for adults, but to be very clear, this is a Young Adult book. Author, Stephanie Feldman throws in some adult-ish content to hide the fact that it's actually a YA book, but after the first ten pages, it is very clear that this is a YA book.
It's like the author secretly wrote a fan fic while she was in high school about the adult lives of her high school buddies. Every once in a while, the book hints that these characters are supposed to be adults, but none of them ever act like adults. They all act the way the emo kids thought they looked to everyone else. They're all mysterious and aloof and tragically hip. They're all obsessed with joining Secret Societies, and even though they just seem like normal teenagers in need of some healthy self-reflection, they somehow all end up as the Kings and Queens of the Secret Societies they want to join. It just reeks of wish-fulfillment writing, which is a cardinal sin in my book.
The book wastes its so-called premise. The book kind of sells itself as some kind of near-future almost-dystopia where climate changes is destroying the planet. But this book in no way feels dystopian and the climate change angle is only paid lip-service for 95% of its page count, and only becomes a factor at the last possible moment to prop up what Feldman thought was a cool ending that doesn't have any thematic connection to anything that happened prior.
It would be more accurate to describe the setting as "an alternate universe Philadelphia where everyone is obsessed with Secret Societies". I probably wouldn't have wanted to read that book. But it really does feel more like an alternate universe than a dystopian future. There isn't anything futuristic here. Everything is exactly as it is now, just with more Secret Societies which are named after all the various deities Feldman learned about in an Introduction to World Religion class somewhere. None of these Secret Societies serve any real function in the plot. Feldman could easily have swapped out the Saturn Club for any of the dozens of other deities she name-drops, and it wouldn't have changed the plot one bit. It's just like, she loved the idea of having Secret Societies as a premise, then picked world religion as a theme, and to establish how important they are, she has all her characters yearn to join them, then they do and become the Kings and Queens. It made me roll my eyes the way I roll my eyes at Japanese video game characters when they carry around giant swords that are twice as big as the kewl badazz characters wielding them. Like, the creators clearly thought they were cool, and there is apparently an audience for that, so knock yourself out I guess. Anyway, such were the Secret Societies.
Author, Stephanie Feldman, made some outlandish comments on her GoodReads author's page. After less than 50 pages, I became convinced that Stephanie Feldman was a precocious and angsty 17-year old, and I went to her GoodReads page to verify my hypothesis. It turns out I was wrong about her age, but it wasn't a wasted trip as I did stumble upon a post where she humblebrags about how she's heard people compare Saturnalia to Jeff VanderMeer's "Southern Reach Trilogy". So, first of all, shame on anyone who said that out loud to Stephanie Feldman. Maybe you were just trying to be nice and you didn't realize she would cite you in a public forum. And second of all, shame on Stephanie Feldman for posting such a ridiculous statement. There are only three reasons I can imagine why she would do this. 1) She hasn't read "The Southern Reach Trilogy" and therefore doesn't realize how wildly off-base the comparison is, 2) she hasn't read her own book and therefore doesn't realize how wildly off-base the comparison is, or 3) she has read both books and thinks the comparison is valid. I think #1, but if I ever find out it's #3, I'm docking this down to 1-star.
For reference: Saturnalia is to "The Southern Reach Trilogy" as Goosebumps #24: Phantom of the Auditorium is to In the Mountains of Madness.
"The Southern Reach Trilogy" is Jeff VanderMeer's damned fine go at putting into words all the inscrutable madness that Lovecraft built a reputation out of not trying to describe because you couldn't or you'd go mad. Saturnalia is goth teenagers joining Secret Societies while chasing an occult macguffin. Minus the f-bombs, Saturnalia is perfect for an 8th grade book report. "The Southern Reach Trilogy" is perfect for a list of books a conservative parent wants banned from the library for being satanic even though it's not satanic, that's just the label they put on things they don't understand, and to be fair, understanding "The Souther Reach Trilogy" can be a pretty tall order.
In conclusion, like I said before, I kind of feel like I got tricked into reading this by the deceitful cover art and inaccurate book description. But I will wholly admit that someone with the reading interests of a 14-18 year old might love this. Judging from some of the reviews, they love it indeed. But if you're looking for something a bit more substantive, then this book can be pretty obnoxious.
For the second time in the last month or so, I find myself wanting to recommend Nalo Hopkinson's Brown Girl in the Ring, which is a vastly superior book that is actually set in a dystopian future and features a teenager who gets caught up in occult Secret Society schemes but actually does something with the premise and feels like it has something to say besides, "Aren't Secret Societies kewl??"
October 21, 2022
3.5 stars
There were a lot of things I liked about this book: the exclusive clubs, rivalries and betrayals, the use of alchemy and magic, and the fact that it all takes places on one night during a wild Saturnalia festival.
There’s actually quite a lot happening in this book, possibly too much. The world is also on the brink of collapse due to what is essentially a climate apocalypse. There’s mass flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes wrecking the world, and soon there will be no habitable land left. I think there was perhaps a bit too much happening and I would have taken an element or two out or have made the story longer. I also would have liked to focus more on the alchemy and magic elements which I found were the most interesting. Alchemy has always fascinated me and there was some unique ideas in here pertaining to divination.
The ending was a bit confusing for me and I didn’t know what to make of the iconography that was referenced. Overall, Saturnalia is an entertaining read with a lot of great elements but some aspects definitely could have been explored further.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book: the exclusive clubs, rivalries and betrayals, the use of alchemy and magic, and the fact that it all takes places on one night during a wild Saturnalia festival.
There’s actually quite a lot happening in this book, possibly too much. The world is also on the brink of collapse due to what is essentially a climate apocalypse. There’s mass flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes wrecking the world, and soon there will be no habitable land left. I think there was perhaps a bit too much happening and I would have taken an element or two out or have made the story longer. I also would have liked to focus more on the alchemy and magic elements which I found were the most interesting. Alchemy has always fascinated me and there was some unique ideas in here pertaining to divination.
The ending was a bit confusing for me and I didn’t know what to make of the iconography that was referenced. Overall, Saturnalia is an entertaining read with a lot of great elements but some aspects definitely could have been explored further.
Read
December 24, 2022About 50 pages in, I decided this wasn’t appealing to me but it might be for you. Speculative/Literary, a secret society, post college age young people in powerful roles, mythology
January 8, 2023
3.5 stars
February 4, 2024
I picked up Saturnalia in the library because the cover caught my eye. I think it is important to regularly choose library books on a total whim, for enrichment. The setting is very intriguing: a decaying Philadelphia afflicted by Trump on his third term as president, environmental disasters, and mosquito-borne disease. The city's apparent response to these catastrophes is great enthusiasm for pagan festivals and occult cabals. The protagonist Nina is a former member of one such cabal and the novel covers her very stressful experiences over the 24 hours of winter solstice. A former friend from the occult cabal gives her a paid errand to run during the festival, which drags her into danger.
I have to say, the plotting felt a little clumsy at times. There were quite a few info-dumps and due to the short timescale of events the characters didn't much chance to develop. On the other hand, the world-building was pleasingly strange and no time was wasted explaining alchemy from first principles. The engine of the plot seemed very similar to that in Perilous Times: rich people attempt to save themselves from climate change using old magic. However Saturnalia uses this (great) concept a lot less coherently than Perilous Times. It felt a bit scattershot overall, although there were plenty of details that I liked. I think it would have worked better for me as a longer novel that gave the plot and characters more space in which to unfold.
I have to say, the plotting felt a little clumsy at times. There were quite a few info-dumps and due to the short timescale of events the characters didn't much chance to develop. On the other hand, the world-building was pleasingly strange and no time was wasted explaining alchemy from first principles. The engine of the plot seemed very similar to that in Perilous Times: rich people attempt to save themselves from climate change using old magic. However Saturnalia uses this (great) concept a lot less coherently than Perilous Times. It felt a bit scattershot overall, although there were plenty of details that I liked. I think it would have worked better for me as a longer novel that gave the plot and characters more space in which to unfold.
September 21, 2022
This one took me by surprise. I definitely wasn't expecting it to go where it went and ended up reeeeaaally enjoying it!
Set in an alternate version of Philadelphia, where climate change has ravaged the world, we meet Nina, who's barley keeping her head above water, when she recieves a call from an old friend with a request that she can't turn down. He needs her to sneak into the Saturn Club - a super elite social club she broke away from three years earlier - and retrieve something for him. The timing is perfect, the city is celebrating Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival that has become a trendy 'mardi gras' like block party, and it will provide her the perfect cover.
At first it's all carnival masks and flashbacks to when she was part of the upper echelon and discovering the reason she turned her back on it all... but once she learns exactly what she it is she has stolen, all the wheels fall off the bus and we find ourselves on one roller coaster of a ride. Out of nowhere, we're suddenly thrust into a strange underworld of mayhem and magic and alchemy and secrets darker than anything Nina could have ever imagined.
And it's just.... so.... good! If this wasn't on your radar, it is now, and now you've got no excuse!
Set in an alternate version of Philadelphia, where climate change has ravaged the world, we meet Nina, who's barley keeping her head above water, when she recieves a call from an old friend with a request that she can't turn down. He needs her to sneak into the Saturn Club - a super elite social club she broke away from three years earlier - and retrieve something for him. The timing is perfect, the city is celebrating Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival that has become a trendy 'mardi gras' like block party, and it will provide her the perfect cover.
At first it's all carnival masks and flashbacks to when she was part of the upper echelon and discovering the reason she turned her back on it all... but once she learns exactly what she it is she has stolen, all the wheels fall off the bus and we find ourselves on one roller coaster of a ride. Out of nowhere, we're suddenly thrust into a strange underworld of mayhem and magic and alchemy and secrets darker than anything Nina could have ever imagined.
And it's just.... so.... good! If this wasn't on your radar, it is now, and now you've got no excuse!
January 8, 2023
2.5 This was like a fever dream and very hard to follow. There’s secret societies/cults, dark magic, apocalyptic environmental disasters, plagues/disease, dystopian future etc. that all takes place over one night and the author does not take the time to explain or develop any of it.
December 13, 2022
Way too often I start to think “maybe I could like literary fiction.” Too many of my friends/family members read it! I want to be in the conversation with them, I want to discuss books we’ve all read, I know they aren’t going to read ANYthing genre so I’m like “hmm maybe? Maybe I’ll try THIS piece of literary fiction and it will be good?”
That? That’s the sound of me sighing. Needless to say this book was NOT the exception to the rule.
I read the first two sections of this book before I gave up - about 40%. The writing was intriguing and vivid, the concept had potential (American Gods meets The Purge - doesn’t that sound like it should be fun?). But as per usual with this type of book in this type of genre… there was no point, or at least no point that I could relate to.
The premise is that the protagonist was climbing up the social ladder with her college friends until *something* happened, leaving them still on the come-up and her in disgrace. When another friend asks her to sneak into the social club they all used to belong to, the Saturn Club, on a Halloween-esque holiday called Saturnalia and steal something from her college friends and their club, she agrees. Why? …As far as I can tell, she doesn’t want to crawl back to her parents like a student loan-saddled failure, and she vaguely wants an excuse to confront/get back at her now much-more-successful-than-her college friends.
Look, call me an asshole but for a near-futuristic spec fic story that talks as much as this one does about how terrible the world is because of climate change, I really feel like the stakes should be higher than “I’m embarrassed my degree and social connections haven’t launched me into a higher social class/tax bracket like I expected they would.”
I just don’t see the value of this type of story, which is SO common in literary fiction. I don’t relate to these characters who only want social/material/class success, even though they understand on some level the hollowness of it. Or I do relate to having that impulse, which I think is totally human, but I’ve already acknowledged it and processed it and addressed it directly in my own life and through my own career choices. I suppose for some readers there must be a kind of release in empathizing with a character who is throwing their values to the side in exchange for success - it’s a chance for them to confront the usually-buried part of themselves that wants to do the same thing. Or maybe it’s “At least I’m better than them.” The security of knowing you must be okay because at least you’re not as bad as someone else.
To me, though, your life must be incredibly boring if this is the secret shame you seek catharsis for. It’s so banal! Is “I wish I were more privileged” really the best you can do? And if it is… why do you choose literary fiction, a genre that seems committed to not committing to anything? Honestly name me one literary fiction book that ends with a call to action, literally or emotionally. Even if the author thinks they’re critiquing the desire for class privilege, they don’t offer anything else. It just feels like such a *conservative* genre.
As I said, I hit my saturation point for this story around 40ish%. I have read too many pieces of literary fiction where I keep reading way past when I started wanting to stop because I’m hoping against hope that they WILL have good endings, that the authors WILL be trying to say something meaningful. In this particular book, the pace of the action is definitely a strong point, but the characterizations of the side characters seemed flimsy - more geared toward helping the protagonist along her journey rather than standing in their own right. That was a big red flag to me - an indication that the author was more interested in her prose than in writing a strong story.
So I, of course, looked up some spoiler-marked reviews to see if I was being to harsh to this book. And found out that the *big reveal* about what caused the protagonist’s falling out with her college friends was…. she was raped by one of them. Yep, this book gets the bonus for also including my most hated contemporary fiction trope - sexual assault as plot twist.
So I skipped to the end of my copy of the book and confirmed the big climax is the main character and her friend being tempted to make the “wrong” choice because they want privilege (“This is what we’ve always wanted. A leg up. No more worrying. No more working so hard all the time just for a chance.”), making the “right” choice, and then… nothing meaningful, as far as I can tell. The supernatural shows up to save the day, the protagonist is honest with her friend because in a society so warped by privilege only the people you personally know matter and you should just forget about the broader world, the end.
Seriously, what was the point?! Idk, a part of me is still thinking “I’m being too harsh, maybe if I read it all the way through it would be good!” And of course there is value in telling a story about how important our connections are with other people. But if that was all the author wanted to say, why tell this whole story about climate change and paganistic social clubs and Purge days and tarot cards? It feels more to me like the author had one half of two books - one near-future dystopian spec fic about climate change and one contemporary fiction about how class affects the relationships between a group of friends from college - and tried to shoehorn them together. (And that’s my charitable read.)
Basically I’ve been down this dead-end lit fic road too many times before haha. I just gotta cut myself off here.
That? That’s the sound of me sighing. Needless to say this book was NOT the exception to the rule.
I read the first two sections of this book before I gave up - about 40%. The writing was intriguing and vivid, the concept had potential (American Gods meets The Purge - doesn’t that sound like it should be fun?). But as per usual with this type of book in this type of genre… there was no point, or at least no point that I could relate to.
The premise is that the protagonist was climbing up the social ladder with her college friends until *something* happened, leaving them still on the come-up and her in disgrace. When another friend asks her to sneak into the social club they all used to belong to, the Saturn Club, on a Halloween-esque holiday called Saturnalia and steal something from her college friends and their club, she agrees. Why? …As far as I can tell, she doesn’t want to crawl back to her parents like a student loan-saddled failure, and she vaguely wants an excuse to confront/get back at her now much-more-successful-than-her college friends.
Look, call me an asshole but for a near-futuristic spec fic story that talks as much as this one does about how terrible the world is because of climate change, I really feel like the stakes should be higher than “I’m embarrassed my degree and social connections haven’t launched me into a higher social class/tax bracket like I expected they would.”
I just don’t see the value of this type of story, which is SO common in literary fiction. I don’t relate to these characters who only want social/material/class success, even though they understand on some level the hollowness of it. Or I do relate to having that impulse, which I think is totally human, but I’ve already acknowledged it and processed it and addressed it directly in my own life and through my own career choices. I suppose for some readers there must be a kind of release in empathizing with a character who is throwing their values to the side in exchange for success - it’s a chance for them to confront the usually-buried part of themselves that wants to do the same thing. Or maybe it’s “At least I’m better than them.” The security of knowing you must be okay because at least you’re not as bad as someone else.
To me, though, your life must be incredibly boring if this is the secret shame you seek catharsis for. It’s so banal! Is “I wish I were more privileged” really the best you can do? And if it is… why do you choose literary fiction, a genre that seems committed to not committing to anything? Honestly name me one literary fiction book that ends with a call to action, literally or emotionally. Even if the author thinks they’re critiquing the desire for class privilege, they don’t offer anything else. It just feels like such a *conservative* genre.
As I said, I hit my saturation point for this story around 40ish%. I have read too many pieces of literary fiction where I keep reading way past when I started wanting to stop because I’m hoping against hope that they WILL have good endings, that the authors WILL be trying to say something meaningful. In this particular book, the pace of the action is definitely a strong point, but the characterizations of the side characters seemed flimsy - more geared toward helping the protagonist along her journey rather than standing in their own right. That was a big red flag to me - an indication that the author was more interested in her prose than in writing a strong story.
So I, of course, looked up some spoiler-marked reviews to see if I was being to harsh to this book. And found out that the *big reveal* about what caused the protagonist’s falling out with her college friends was…. she was raped by one of them. Yep, this book gets the bonus for also including my most hated contemporary fiction trope - sexual assault as plot twist.
So I skipped to the end of my copy of the book and confirmed the big climax is the main character and her friend being tempted to make the “wrong” choice because they want privilege (“This is what we’ve always wanted. A leg up. No more worrying. No more working so hard all the time just for a chance.”), making the “right” choice, and then… nothing meaningful, as far as I can tell. The supernatural shows up to save the day, the protagonist is honest with her friend because in a society so warped by privilege only the people you personally know matter and you should just forget about the broader world, the end.
Seriously, what was the point?! Idk, a part of me is still thinking “I’m being too harsh, maybe if I read it all the way through it would be good!” And of course there is value in telling a story about how important our connections are with other people. But if that was all the author wanted to say, why tell this whole story about climate change and paganistic social clubs and Purge days and tarot cards? It feels more to me like the author had one half of two books - one near-future dystopian spec fic about climate change and one contemporary fiction about how class affects the relationships between a group of friends from college - and tried to shoehorn them together. (And that’s my charitable read.)
Basically I’ve been down this dead-end lit fic road too many times before haha. I just gotta cut myself off here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2023
Re-read review: 2023 is the year I've become a re-reader (I mostly blame The Rabbit Hutch and certain friends on BookTok). I was afraid to re-read this because I loved it so much the first time, but I really wanted to read it near The Longest Night, Winter Solstice, when the book is set.
I enjoyed my second reading just as much, if not more, than the first. It is the perfect balm to my homesickness. It's not a book without flaws, but I have romped through the same streets, buildings, and cemeteries of Philadelphia as the characters of Saturnalia do.
I took in the bits about climate change a lot more this time around. The tornadoes that rip through West Philly seemed a lot more realistic, even only a year later. The rich and privileged escaping to Northern Canada, the last sanctuary in North America, too. It's not a future far from our reality.
I will be on the edge of my metaphorical seat to see what Feldman writes next!
And remember that very soon, tomorrow will be a little longer than today .
Original review: I loved this weird little book so much! The creepy late night streets of a future Philadelphia, alchemic mysteries and cults, raw emotion and meaning behind the story.
Would like to write a review for this gem, but until now let me say that this hit all the spots I needed it to, and then some.
Please note: content warning for sexual assault.
I enjoyed my second reading just as much, if not more, than the first. It is the perfect balm to my homesickness. It's not a book without flaws, but I have romped through the same streets, buildings, and cemeteries of Philadelphia as the characters of Saturnalia do.
I took in the bits about climate change a lot more this time around. The tornadoes that rip through West Philly seemed a lot more realistic, even only a year later. The rich and privileged escaping to Northern Canada, the last sanctuary in North America, too. It's not a future far from our reality.
I will be on the edge of my metaphorical seat to see what Feldman writes next!
And remember that very soon, tomorrow will be a little longer than today .
Original review: I loved this weird little book so much! The creepy late night streets of a future Philadelphia, alchemic mysteries and cults, raw emotion and meaning behind the story.
Would like to write a review for this gem, but until now let me say that this hit all the spots I needed it to, and then some.
Please note: content warning for sexual assault.
February 19, 2023
update: carmen wasn’t lying, this shit slapped.
whenever i see carmen maria machado's blurb on the cover of a book, it's instantly added to my list
whenever i see carmen maria machado's blurb on the cover of a book, it's instantly added to my list
December 22, 2022
This novel is well-written and very very creepy. There's dangerous magic at the end of the world.
Keep an eye on this talented author.
Keep an eye on this talented author.
September 25, 2023
Saturnalia, Stephanie Feldman's second novel, stands out from other books with #darkacademia vibes by intermingling a tale of an occult society with the quasi-supernatural impact of climate change on an alternative Philadelphia, where mosquitoes spread 'Summer Fever' and floods pollute the water supply. It's set over a single night and follows Nina, who quit the elite Saturn Club three years ago but is now drawn back into her former circle, only to be chased across the city by monsters unknown. I would have liked more on the apocalyptic weather and less on the political manoeuvrings within the Saturn Club; Nina's motive for leaving the club, which is revealed halfway through, is also disappointing (why do female protagonists have to keep playing out the same stories?). Nevertheless, Feldman's writing is fluid and evocative, and this was original enough to keep me going. 3.5 stars.
May 10, 2022
Feldman’s latest novel gives us the funhouse version of the city we know and love. She stretches the climate crisis, politics, and the uncanny in just the right way to lull the reader into familiarity before clobbering them with the apocalyptic environment and lavish debauchery. Saturnalia is a topsy turvy adventure of magic, science, and the lengths humanity will go to obtain power and acceptance. There is so much magic, mayhem, and beauty in the pages of this intricately crafted novel. It feels like a carnival ride you’ll keep coming back to, no matter the price. I devoured this book, enjoying every delicious, unsettling bite.
March 4, 2023
Read this in your favorite corner, by candlelight, with the Dark Academia playlist going, wrapped up in your blackest black crushed velvet robe, crowned by a wreath of golden antlers, under a bundle of dried herbs and smoky smudged incense.
I loved this gorgeous story about a trip through a Saturnalia night in our parallel world, our apocalyptic generation. What an amazing year for magical realism in writing! I’m going to own this book and revisit Saturnalia often.
I loved this gorgeous story about a trip through a Saturnalia night in our parallel world, our apocalyptic generation. What an amazing year for magical realism in writing! I’m going to own this book and revisit Saturnalia often.
April 18, 2023
I thought this was literary fiction set in a dystopian world… turns out it’s more of a we’re-in-a-secret-society-so-mysterious-edgy-kids-wearing-the-blackest-black YA thriller with supernatural elements. The plot twist was… a choice, to put it mildly. Pretty decent prose, though, minus the f-bombs which tried to make the writing sound… adult?? Whoever put Southern Reach and Saturnalia in the same sentence, this isn’t the case.
July 16, 2023
i almost returned this to the library when it was due but read the first sentence before doing so and was immediately drawn in, and i’m SO glad i did because !!!!!! loved this dearly.
May 21, 2024
This was a well-told fever dream of a book with a main character I could root for, but ultimately, I think I wanted more from it.
December 28, 2022
It started out so good but the more I read the less I liked it. I feel like if you’re going to write an entire novel around one night then you have to pack it full of plot so it moves quickly but this book felt like a lot of Nina going different places and not much actually happening. Also she was so stupid I was kinda hoping she died. And although I’m a misandrist I was hoping for a little more substance than “men suck”. The prose irritated me a bit as well. It was very hard to understand what was happening, where characters were going, what the monsters were doing. I love a metaphor but not that much.
May 26, 2023
hm. 3.5, perhaps?
there were a lot of things i liked here, like the very dystopian alternate philly and these creepy ass secret societies and idiot ivy leaguers doing alchemy. the prose was generally good and i think this was well paced until the end (when it felt too fast, honestly) and i think feldman did a good job at creating tension and atmosphere. still, i just didn't particularly care for any of the characters and at times found nina to be wildly annoying, so. well. there's that. loved the vibes, but it did fall a little flat.
there were a lot of things i liked here, like the very dystopian alternate philly and these creepy ass secret societies and idiot ivy leaguers doing alchemy. the prose was generally good and i think this was well paced until the end (when it felt too fast, honestly) and i think feldman did a good job at creating tension and atmosphere. still, i just didn't particularly care for any of the characters and at times found nina to be wildly annoying, so. well. there's that. loved the vibes, but it did fall a little flat.
December 6, 2022
From all the great reviews I have read of this, it seems like my perspective is the minority one. However, this was not my cup of tea at all. The premise sounded intriguing but I found this to be overly convoluted and ultimately boring. There’s a lot going on here but it doesn’t present to me as a harmonious whole.
April 1, 2023
a lot that is interesting in here and some good prose but overall it's rushed and has way too many things going on
January 19, 2024
SATURNALIA by Stephanie Feldman falls into a category of literary horror that I find very appealing - near-apocalyptic fiction. People just existing and trying to make it through while things are slowly collapsing but the sense of slow resignation permeates throughout. In this world, people begin resorting to older customs and rites, and the Winter Solstice festivals become especially prominent celebrations, as a way of combating the gathering dark. And Saturnalia has become commercialized - like Halloween - and grants permission for a night of debauchery and delight.
In this world of growing decay, Nina is a jilted member of the exclusive Saturn Club. When we meet her, she is making due as a tarot card reader with a stolen Saturn Deck which is supposedly a true conduit for divination. At least, the reputation of the cards and the club they hail from is enough to bolster Nina's steady stream of customers. It's Saturanalia, or the winter solstice, and while most of the city seems ready to prepare for the festivities, Nina is planning on staying in. That is, until she gets a call from an old friend and a member of the Saturn Club, asking her for a favor that she can't refuse.
The ask is simple. Get into the Saturn Club...steal a box...and be paid handsomely.
As Nina gears up to follow through with the heist, she reflects on her time at the Saturn Club and the events that led to her abrupt and sudden departure three years ago. The plot unfolds in multiple timelines from the present, the events of the night three years ago, and older memories of what led Nina to the Saturn Club in the first place. We quickly learn that Nina is a deeply traumatized individual who has been living in a state of suspension for several years waiting to exhale and find a way to move on. And as the longest night turns, a return of the sun also marks Nina's return to self.
I adored the world around these characters. The idea of a fading society at the end of the age of man. Our return to ancient customs as a way to still feel like we have any control once the Doomsday Clock moved past midnight. How the rich continue to profit off the labor and suppression of the poor and marginal. How the human spirit still must "carry on" because what else can one do? Not to mention a glorious amount of mysticism, cultists, and alchemy to keep things interesting. However, the "mystery" surrounding the major plot point of this story was painfully lacking. It seemed like the author wanted to write a pulpy mystery novel with a clever setting, but the double whammy of poorly developed and unlikeable characters with a compressed timeline, made this not-quite-horror and not-quite-sci-fi story, a middling and messy thriller at best.
There is a lot to take in here since we're only following Nina around for one night, through this Saturnalia. Yet, even though Feldman tried to give us more background to show character development in a rather poetic way, it still came across to me as repetitive and lacking for substance. I found my attention wandering multiple times as the story progressed, and just when I was about to drift away in some mundane and niche aspect of Nina's feelings, the author successfully pulled me back through exposition about the world Nina occupied.
This isn't a bad book. It's written well and is thoughtful. However, more developmental work and tooling out difficult plot points would have made it that much stronger. Or maybe I just didn't get it and I can sod right off.
In this world of growing decay, Nina is a jilted member of the exclusive Saturn Club. When we meet her, she is making due as a tarot card reader with a stolen Saturn Deck which is supposedly a true conduit for divination. At least, the reputation of the cards and the club they hail from is enough to bolster Nina's steady stream of customers. It's Saturanalia, or the winter solstice, and while most of the city seems ready to prepare for the festivities, Nina is planning on staying in. That is, until she gets a call from an old friend and a member of the Saturn Club, asking her for a favor that she can't refuse.
The ask is simple. Get into the Saturn Club...steal a box...and be paid handsomely.
As Nina gears up to follow through with the heist, she reflects on her time at the Saturn Club and the events that led to her abrupt and sudden departure three years ago. The plot unfolds in multiple timelines from the present, the events of the night three years ago, and older memories of what led Nina to the Saturn Club in the first place. We quickly learn that Nina is a deeply traumatized individual who has been living in a state of suspension for several years waiting to exhale and find a way to move on. And as the longest night turns, a return of the sun also marks Nina's return to self.
I adored the world around these characters. The idea of a fading society at the end of the age of man. Our return to ancient customs as a way to still feel like we have any control once the Doomsday Clock moved past midnight. How the rich continue to profit off the labor and suppression of the poor and marginal. How the human spirit still must "carry on" because what else can one do? Not to mention a glorious amount of mysticism, cultists, and alchemy to keep things interesting. However, the "mystery" surrounding the major plot point of this story was painfully lacking. It seemed like the author wanted to write a pulpy mystery novel with a clever setting, but the double whammy of poorly developed and unlikeable characters with a compressed timeline, made this not-quite-horror and not-quite-sci-fi story, a middling and messy thriller at best.
There is a lot to take in here since we're only following Nina around for one night, through this Saturnalia. Yet, even though Feldman tried to give us more background to show character development in a rather poetic way, it still came across to me as repetitive and lacking for substance. I found my attention wandering multiple times as the story progressed, and just when I was about to drift away in some mundane and niche aspect of Nina's feelings, the author successfully pulled me back through exposition about the world Nina occupied.
This isn't a bad book. It's written well and is thoughtful. However, more developmental work and tooling out difficult plot points would have made it that much stronger. Or maybe I just didn't get it and I can sod right off.
October 23, 2023
Secret Societies, climate change, dystopia, alchemy and the occult, magical realism…
Oof so where to start. First of all, this cover and the artwork within is absolutely stunning. Sadly the rest didn’t quite achieve what it set out to, and this ended up being a ‘just ok’ book that took me forever to read (admittedly that’s probably partly my own book-slump mood so please take this review with a pinch of salt).
There’s a LOT happening in this book, and it suffers because of it. It feels to me like there are one or two more threads here than are entirely necessary, and it detracts from the whole. That time would have been better spent going in more depth developing the other ideas. This book has reach, it has goals, and although for me it didn’t fully achieve them, I do give it credit for trying.
Where I struggled the most was with the writing, this is marketed as an adult novel, and I do think it IS an adult novel, but it reads YA, and me and YA have a rocky relationship at best.
I think this had a great premise, and it has a lot of good conversation starters, I only wish it took its time with it - another 200 pages and this could have been fleshed out into something special. I had hoped for more sadly, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for what the author releases next.
Thanks so much to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
Oof so where to start. First of all, this cover and the artwork within is absolutely stunning. Sadly the rest didn’t quite achieve what it set out to, and this ended up being a ‘just ok’ book that took me forever to read (admittedly that’s probably partly my own book-slump mood so please take this review with a pinch of salt).
There’s a LOT happening in this book, and it suffers because of it. It feels to me like there are one or two more threads here than are entirely necessary, and it detracts from the whole. That time would have been better spent going in more depth developing the other ideas. This book has reach, it has goals, and although for me it didn’t fully achieve them, I do give it credit for trying.
Where I struggled the most was with the writing, this is marketed as an adult novel, and I do think it IS an adult novel, but it reads YA, and me and YA have a rocky relationship at best.
I think this had a great premise, and it has a lot of good conversation starters, I only wish it took its time with it - another 200 pages and this could have been fleshed out into something special. I had hoped for more sadly, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for what the author releases next.
Thanks so much to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
October 31, 2022
Saturnalia is a weird dive into secret societies and the occult. Trying to divine the secrets of life by trying to create the ultimate alchemical wedding of the elixir of life.
The story follows Nina who is a former member of the Saturn House, an elite secret society that houses many secrets. Some of their practices could be considered unsavory to those on the outside. Remaining in touch with one of the members of the house named Max, he contacts Nina one day for a seemingly simple job. He just wants her to obtain a box from a room in the Saturn house on the night of Saturnalia while everyone is distracted by ongoing celebrations.
At first she hestitates and says no because she doesn't want to drag up old hurtful memories and to have to see people from her past. But Max offers her money and she is currently in need of that generosity so she reluctantly accepts the job.
What ensues is a spellbinding tale of strange occult happenstance that was gripping and hard to put down. This book had me entranced from beginning to the end.
The story follows Nina who is a former member of the Saturn House, an elite secret society that houses many secrets. Some of their practices could be considered unsavory to those on the outside. Remaining in touch with one of the members of the house named Max, he contacts Nina one day for a seemingly simple job. He just wants her to obtain a box from a room in the Saturn house on the night of Saturnalia while everyone is distracted by ongoing celebrations.
At first she hestitates and says no because she doesn't want to drag up old hurtful memories and to have to see people from her past. But Max offers her money and she is currently in need of that generosity so she reluctantly accepts the job.
What ensues is a spellbinding tale of strange occult happenstance that was gripping and hard to put down. This book had me entranced from beginning to the end.
February 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this. A bit heavy-handed at times, but also genuinely compelling and well-paced. At its core, this is a story about solidarity and compassion in the midst of disaster. Feldman imbues that with a sincere macabre that dances delicately with a declaration of the banality of real evil. Phenomenal world-building in the span of a relatively brief novel, wrapped in a love letter to the present and future Philadelphia.
March 22, 2023
3.6/ Philadelphia is not a fun place to be in this near-future dystopian gothic novel.The story is small and primarily takes place over the course of one night, during the Saturnalia festival. It reminded me a bit of Emily St. John Mandel with more of a horror/occult bent. A bit uneven, but a satisfying read overall-- the present-ness of the narrative is the works largest asset IMO.
December 22, 2022
Look, I loved it. It was bizarre, scary and delicious.
February 16, 2023
I came for the cover, but stayed for the excellent story.
October 12, 2022
Set in an unsettling, near-future Philadelphia, SATURNALIA takes place during the Saturnalia carnival, a night of wild revelry and debauchery. The story centers around Nina, a former member of the highly sought-after Saturn Club until a traumatic event drove her to leave her friends and the club behind. Nina is barely scraping by telling fortunes with her tarot deck when one of her last remaining friends asks her to steal a small box from the club during Saturnalia. Nina reluctantly agrees in exchange for a hefty payout but when she figures out what’s in the box, she finds herself in a horrifying game of cat and mouse on winter’s longest night of the year.
This book was menacing, chilling and gripping in equal measure. In this eerie, dystopian Philadelphia, Feldman amplifies the horrors of our current world—the dangers of climate change, infectious diseases, the refugee crisis, political warfare, corruption and power struggles. I can’t believe this story is set over the course of one single night because it is packed with an unbelievable amount of action, adventure and mind-boggling twists. The characters are well-crafted and unforgettable, brimming with hopes, dreams and flaws. Feldman keeps us on our toes as we follow Nina through this dark world of secret societies, magic, alchemy, and power-hungry monsters. SATURNALIA is an absolute page-turner and I can’t recommend it enough. Thank you so much @unnamedpress for my gifted copy. 🪐
CW: sexual assault, animal cruelty
This book was menacing, chilling and gripping in equal measure. In this eerie, dystopian Philadelphia, Feldman amplifies the horrors of our current world—the dangers of climate change, infectious diseases, the refugee crisis, political warfare, corruption and power struggles. I can’t believe this story is set over the course of one single night because it is packed with an unbelievable amount of action, adventure and mind-boggling twists. The characters are well-crafted and unforgettable, brimming with hopes, dreams and flaws. Feldman keeps us on our toes as we follow Nina through this dark world of secret societies, magic, alchemy, and power-hungry monsters. SATURNALIA is an absolute page-turner and I can’t recommend it enough. Thank you so much @unnamedpress for my gifted copy. 🪐
CW: sexual assault, animal cruelty
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