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)
Review: Model Home, by Rivers Solomon (Macmillan Audio)
I cannot resist an innovative haunted house book. In recent years I’ve been so impressed by Alison Rumiftt, Clarissa Orlando, and Johnny Compton for their unique takes on a sometimes-oversubscribed genre. Now here comes Rivers Solomon, with an incredibly disturbing, intelligent interpretation of familial horrors in Model Home. When the Maxwell siblings don’t hear from … Continue reading Review: Model Home, by Rivers Solomon (Macmillan Audio)
Review: Dearest, by Jacquie Walters (Mulholland Books)
Flora has welcomed a baby girl into her family, and she’s settling into parenthood. There’s just one problem; her husband is still deployed, and she’s struggling to keep sane figuring things out by herself. Things look hopeful when Flora reaches out to her estranged mother, and her mother shows up on her doorstep, ready to … Continue reading Review: Dearest, by Jacquie Walters (Mulholland Books)
Review: A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell (Hogarth)
I love Mariana Enriquez so much, I’m attempting to learn Spanish so I don’t have to wait for her work to be translated. Her latest collection, A Sunny Place for Shady People, is her strongest, most disturbing collection yet. There are several strong themes in this book. The first is spirits attached to places of … Continue reading Review: A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell (Hogarth)
Review: Haunt Sweet Home, by Sarah Pinsker (Tor Nightfire)
Like many of us, Mara is drifting through life, trying to figure out what she actually wants to “do”. Sick of sarcastic comments from her family members, she accepts a job from her cousin, working on his TV show, Haunt Sweet Home, where HGTV meets Ghost Hunters. Mara gets stuck with the night shift, creating … Continue reading Review: Haunt Sweet Home, by Sarah Pinsker (Tor Nightfire)
Review: The Night Guest, by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor Nightfire)
The Night Guest is a short, sparse story set in Reykjavík, Iceland. Iðunn, our central character, wakes up each morning exhausted and covered in mysterious injuries. It is only when she starts tracking her steps that she realizes she is not only sleepwalking, but covering miles every night. Iðunn also begins an ill-advised relationship with … Continue reading Review: The Night Guest, by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor Nightfire)
Review: Flowers from the Void, by Gianni Washington (Clash Books)
I am not exaggerating when I say about five stories into this collection, I reached out to the writer, Gianni Washington, and told her the stories in Flowers from the Void were “Stephen King-level great”. This is one collection worth getting excited about, my fellow short story lovers. One of the many things I loved … Continue reading Review: Flowers from the Void, by Gianni Washington (Clash Books)
Review: Vague Prophecies and Predictions, by Daisuke Shen (Clash Books)
Yay for weird short story collections! Daisuke Shen’s debut collection is full of uncanny oddities. Here are some of my favorites: The Pasture - This opening story truly kicks the door down. A group of awful young boys commit mild terror. They encounter a strange pasture of women, and it does not end well. Such … Continue reading Review: Vague Prophecies and Predictions, by Daisuke Shen (Clash Books)
Review: Mothballs, by Sole Otero (Fantagraphics)
Mothballs is a powerful graphic novel about secret family histories, conflicts between generations, and forming one’s own identity despite societal expectations. Nineteen-year-old Rocio’s grandmother Vilma dies, and Rocio inherits her house. Rocio’s relationship with her grandmother was strained; Rocio’s interest in photography, as well as other things, angered Vilma. As Rocio considers her own future, … Continue reading Review: Mothballs, by Sole Otero (Fantagraphics)
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