The Past Is Red

The Past Is Red scores major points for its imaginative vision of a post-apocalyptic future. Valente's novel is rife with lengthy descriptions of a world that isn't anchored in recognizable landmarks, and the humor of the narrator serves as much-needed comic relief to any disorientation the reader may feel. Behind the tough exterior of both the protagonist and the world she lives in, there are treasures to be found, but the reader must show patience in wading through what feels a little like a short story that was made slightly too long in the attempt to be a novel.