Paranormal Romance Pick of the Week: Love is Strange

When I first heard about Love is Strange, my reaction went something like this: “Wait... Bruce Sterling wrote a romance novel? Umm... What?” Soon afterward, I read Warren Ellis's review of the book, which describes it as a weird, lumpy, sometimes uncomfortable comedy that is fun and evil. Then I ran out into the world (figuratively speaking) and grabbed a copy for myself.

Many know Bruce Sterling as the author of such science fiction masterworks as Islands in the Net and The Difference Engine (co-written with William Gibson), but Love is Strange is a new animal altogether for the cyberpunk pioneer. Part genuine romance novel and part genre parody, the book tells the story of the colliding lives of Farfalla and Gavin. She's a hardworking Italian who grew up in Brazil; he's a wealthy white guy from Seattle. What do they have in common? They can both predict the future.

Voodoo, time travel, Capitalism, wacky novelists, philosophy, Futurist conferences – Love is Strange truly has it all and Sterling delivers it in such a way that is sure to appeal to both male and female readers with unique tastes. This is truly the most original paranormal romance I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

It's currently available as an e-book and well worth the price.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com.