Palimpsest

Four strangers (Oleg, November, Ludovico, and Sei) who have each suffered a significant personal loss find themselves transported to the dreamlike city of Palimpsest. Access to this city is gained through sexual encounters with those already marked by its map. As they navigate this surreal landscape of lion priests and living tattoos, they must decide if they belong in the waking world or the dream. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals extensively with death, mourning, and sexual intimacy. The approach is highly metaphorical and lyrical, treating the physical body as a canvas for memory and magic. While secular in its cosmology, it has a mythic quality. The resolution is bittersweet and realistic regarding the nature of moving on from grief. EMOTIONAL ARC: The narrative begins in a place of heavy, isolating sorrow and builds into a lush, sensory exploration of belonging. It is not a gentle read; it is intense and atmospheric, moving toward a complex understanding of how we carry our pasts. IDEAL READER: An 18 year old high school senior who feels like a misfit, loves dark fairy tales, and is perhaps grieving a major life change or identity shift. PARENT TRIGGER: The primary trigger is the explicit connection between sexual intimacy and the magical world building. A parent might see their teen becoming withdrawn or obsessive about 'escapist' media. PARENT PREP: This is an adult novel marketed as 'crossover.' Parents should read this alongside their teen or preview it entirely due to the 'erotic spell' mentioned in the description. AGE EXPERIENCE: An 18 year old will appreciate the themes of identity and the artistry of the prose, whereas a younger reader (for whom this is not recommended) would likely be overwhelmed by the mature content. DIFFERENTIATOR: It is unique for its 'palimpsest' metaphor: the idea that we are written over by our experiences and that our bodies tell the story of where we have been.