This was a fantastic debut collection! I loved the way it fused literary fiction with horror elements and focused on predominantly female and queer characters.
Turkewitz is a natural story teller with a strong ear for witty banter, a great feel for pacing, and deep insight into the emotional worlds of her characters. The stories are well-ordered with good variation in length, style, and point of view so the reading experience never feels repetitive. (I loved that the collection included a story written from the "we" perspective, another rendered in vignettes, and several flash pieces.) Even the minor characters are memorable, and the stories pack a strong emotional punch. My favorite part was the way Turkewitz alternated between stories with more traditional horror elements (ie ghosts) and stories about real-world horrors, particularly the many violences facing girls, women, and queer communities. That juxtaposition made the stories about real violence hit especially hard. The collection made me think deeply about the social function of horror and the many horrors of contemporary life.
All the stories were good but two that especially stood out for me were both about queer relationships. In "The Attic," two teenage girls begin a secret romance right as one of them is about to move. Turkewitz made these characters so real and vulnerable. She has such a good understanding of high school social dynamics and speech patterns, and I was devastated for the main character and her mom. In "Here in the Night," we meet a queer couple driving home from visiting family the same day as the Pulse night club shooting. The women have different backgrounds and personalities and thus have very different approaches to coping with the tragedy. Turkewitz does an excellent job revealing the subtle tensions in their relationship and building the story's suspense so that the ending feels absolutely terrifying.
If you like Carmen Maria Machado, definitely give this a read! These stories are exquisitely crafted in terms of language and character but never slow or difficult to read. It would be a great pick for book clubs, schools, and libraries. I'm excited to read what Turkewitz writes next.
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more
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