I checked copies of In the Night Garden and In the Cities of Coin and Spice out from the library.

About In the Night Garden:

Secreted away in a garden, a lonely girl spins stories to warm a curious peculiar feats and unspeakable fates that loop through each other and back again to meet in the tapestry of her voice. Inked on her eyelids, each twisting, tattooed tale is a piece in the puzzle of the girl’s own hidden history. And what tales she tells! Tales of shape-shifting witches and wild horsewomen, heron kings and beast princesses, snake gods, dog monks, and living stars–each story more strange and fantastic than the one that came before. From ill-tempered “mermaid” to fastidious Beast, nothing is ever quite what it seems in these ever-shifting tales–even, and especially, their teller. Adorned with illustrations by the legendary Michael Kaluta, Valente’s enchanting lyrical fantasy offers a breathtaking reinvention of the untold myths and dark fairy tales that shape our dreams. And just when you think you’ve come to the end, you realize the adventure has only begun….

Review:

In a far-off garden, cloistered away from the Sultan’s harem, lives a girl with exotic tales tattooed on her eyelids. No one is supposed to speak to her, but the young prince loves to sneak away and listen to her stories. In the Night Garden is a compilation of those very same stories, as well as that of the lost girl and enraptured prince. I absolutely love this book (books, really). I can’t say that enough. If I hadn’t wanted to be an author before reading it, I sure would have after. It grabbed my attention, held it, and then shook it for all it was worth. I wanted it to go on forever, to find one more amazing character or vivid local. This book is full of them. It’s like literary velvet. The prose is beautiful, the stories engaging, and (though some have complained about the complexity) I loved the way they all interlock. It is simply fabulous, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves mythology, folk stories, and/or high fantasy. Approach it with patience; it is convoluted but so worth it.

About In the Cities of Coin and Spice:

Her name and origins are unknown, but the endless tales inked upon this orphan’s eyelids weave a spell over all who listen to her read her secret history. And who can resist the stories she tells? From the Lake of the Dead and the City of Marrow to the artists who remain behind in a ghost city of spice, here are stories of hedgehog warriors and winged skeletons, loyal leopards and sparrow calligraphers. Nothing is too fantastic, anything can happen, but you’ll never guess what comes next in these intimately linked adventures of firebirds and djinn, singing manticores, mutilated unicorns, and women made entirely of glass and gears. Graced with the magical illustrations of Michael Kaluta, In the Cities of Coins and Spice is a book of dreams and wonders unlike any you’ve ever encountered. Open it anywhere and you will fall under its spell. For here the story never ends and the magic is only beginning. . . .

Review:

Valente’s Oprhan’s Tales are simply amazing. Continuing with the same theme as In the Night Garden, In the Cities of Coin and Spice follows the tales spun from the inked eyelids of a displaced Orphan. This book oozes imagination and creativity. It permeates it in much the same way that a rich spice flavors your favorite dish. If you have a penchant for strange and mythical creatures, then this is a one-stop shop. They spring out at you on every page, winged skeletons, loyal leopards, hedgehog warriors, sparrow calligraphers, firebirds, djinns, manticores, unicorns, and glass women. The book kept me turning the pages fast enough to risk paper-cuts, all just to see what came next. Plus, the prose is beautiful, the writing fluid, and the stories unforgettable. I really can’t recommend it highly enough.