Beasts is a brief, gripping YA novel set in a world where most of the population has been devoured by “beasts”. Thirteen-year-old Abdi’s mother has gone missing, leaving Abdi to look after his five-year old sister, Alva. No longer safe in their home, situated in a neighborhood where people quickly turned on each other, Abdi … Continue reading Review: Beasts, by Ingvild Bjerkeland (trans. Rosie Hedger)
Review: Girls, by Annet Schaap (trans. Laura Watkinson)
I adored this translated YA collection of feminist takes on folk tales and fairy stories from Dutch author Annet Schaap, translated by Laura Watkinson. Schapp kicks things off with Mr Stiltskin, and it’s a terrific start. We follow the path of the traditional tale, but the surprise ending is absolutely perfect. Wolf, a twist on … Continue reading Review: Girls, by Annet Schaap (trans. Laura Watkinson)
Review: Sour Cherry, by Natalia Theodoridou
Sour Cherry is a modern retelling of the legend of Bluebeard, and is absolutely devastating. Our narrator is telling her son about his father, and his long, long past. The destruction that followed him, and the many wives he buried. The reader observes these women, knowing their ultimate fate, and is slowly reduced to an … Continue reading Review: Sour Cherry, by Natalia Theodoridou
Review: The Sirens, by Emilia Hart
I adored Emilia Hart’s debut Weyward, and I’m so glad that a lot of people agreed. So Hart’s follow-up, The Sirens, was an absolute must-read for me. Similar to Weyward, The Sirens juggles timelines. In 1800, sisters Mary and Eliza are aboard a convict ship to Australia, following a self-defense motivated injury to a man. … Continue reading Review: The Sirens, by Emilia Hart
Review: The Antidote, by Karen Russell
I am a huge fan of Karen Russell’s short stories (Orange World is one of my favorite collections). So I had very high expectations of The Antidote. The eponymous Antidote is a witch, who has the ability to absorb people’s memories from them, and return the memories upon demand. Unfortunately, The Antidote wakes up one … Continue reading Review: The Antidote, by Karen Russell
Review: Northern Nights, edited by Michael Kelly (Undertow)
I have mentioned this many times before, but a new release from Undertow Publications is a cause for celebration. Northern Nights, a new anthology of Canadian fiction, is of the incredibly high caliber I have come to expect from Undertow’s output. Lovingly edited by Michael Kelly, this is a collection of uncanny darkness. Award-winning young … Continue reading Review: Northern Nights, edited by Michael Kelly (Undertow)
Review: The Bog Wife, by Kay Chronister (Counterpoint)
Meet the Haddesley family of West Virginia. Three girls, two boys, an ailing father, and a mother who has been absent for a decade. Oh, and a bog, to which they sacrifice the patriarch of the family, in exchange for a bride, for the eldest son. As the time for the sacrifice draws near, daughter … Continue reading Review: The Bog Wife, by Kay Chronister (Counterpoint)
Review: Devils Kill Devils, by Johnny Compton (Tor Nightfire)
I adored Johnny Compton’s previous novel, The Spite House. His emphasis on character development and plot, resulted in an incredibly impressive, and terrifying debut. Compton’s follow-up, Devils Kill Devils, is straight-up, bat poop crazy, in an amazing way. Our protagonist, Sarita, has a literal guardian angel, Angelo. He first surfaced when she almost drowned as … Continue reading Review: Devils Kill Devils, by Johnny Compton (Tor Nightfire)
Review: Canoes, by Maylis de Kerangal, translated by Jessica Moore (Archipelago)
Maylis de Kerangal’s novel Eastbound was a recent favorite of mine, and a real surprise. This beautiful collection is translated from French to English by Jessica Moore. In Bivouac, a trip to the dentist reminds a woman of a visit to Paris. It’s a great introduction to Kerangal’s vivid writing, and how she establishes a … Continue reading Review: Canoes, by Maylis de Kerangal, translated by Jessica Moore (Archipelago)
Review: Abortion, by Jessica Valenti (Crown)
I will start by saying that I could only manage one chapter of this book per night, as it made me so incredibly angry. Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win is an offshoot of Jessica Valenti’s “Abortion, Every Day” Substack, and is full of infuriating, upsetting, and incredibly vital … Continue reading Review: Abortion, by Jessica Valenti (Crown)
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