[zzzeek]

ORMs aren't about saving one the need to know how to write SQL, they are about automating the task of constructing all the redundant SQL needed to marshal data to and from domain objects, as well as all the redundant automation involved in the actual marshaling of data from database client libraries into domain objects.

I think you are exaggerating quite a bit when you refer to SQLAlchemy's patterns adding "mind-bending complexity". Object relational mapping is a complex affair to start with. Have you much experience with modern versions of SQLAlchemy directly (and if not, how fair are comments like that) ?