Hi there friends!
Back again with another title to tantalize, tease, and perhaps grab the open spot on your never ending TBR. This time, it comes to us via W. W. Norton & Company and features the first Fiction release from author Jenna Clake. Potential trigger warning for some readers in regards to mental and physical abuse, though the on page description does not go into details, but be warned nonetheless. Diving right into things, here comes today's book of choice...
About the book...
A spellbinding, genre-bending debut follows a woman’s attempt to heal from an abusive relationship―with the help of black magic.
As the sun sets on a feverishly hot July evening, a young woman spies on her teenage neighbor, transfixed by what looks like an occult ritual intended to banish an ex-boyfriend. Alone in a new town and desperate to expel the claustrophobic memories of her own ex that have followed, the narrator decides to try to hex herself free from her past. She falls in with the neighbor and her witchy friend, exploring nascent supernatural powers as the boundaries of reality shift in and out of focus. But when the creaks and hums of her apartment escalate into something more violent, she realizes that she may have brought her boyfriend’s presence―whether psychological or paranormal―back to haunt her.
With astonishing emotional depth and clarity, Disturbance explores the fallout of abuse. Propulsive and wry, this razor-sharp debut twists witchcraft and horror into a powerful narrative of one woman’s struggle to return to herself.
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We've a woman trying to escape her past, but in some ways holding on to it firmly with an iron grip. We've the introduction of youth with all their hopes and dreams, and yet they're being viewed more as a mirror than a window. We've a touch of dark arts dabbling, yet whether or not it's actually DOING anything, affecting her surroundings or situation, is more up to the reader than actual evidence.
So reading this for me left me in a conundrum. I couldn't NOT finish once I began in the hopes that my trepidation was resolved along the way, and yet I couldn't know if it would actually happen, making this probably one of the shortest books that has taken me the longest to read. Some may applaud her efforts, and take some delight from the rituals attempted. Others, such as myself, may find greater relief once she finally admits to herself what's not working, and seeks something else.
Long story short, while it may not be for everyone (because no book truly is whether we would like it to be or not), it may be for you. If it appeals, give it a go... and feel free to stop back or catch me on social media to share your thoughts!
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About the author...
Jenna Clake is the author of two collections of poetry, Museum of Ice Cream and Fortune Cookie, which received an Eric Gregory Award and was shortlisted for a Somerset Maugham Award. She lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
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Special thanks to Gina at W. W. Norton & Company for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title celebrated its paperback release July 4th, so seek thee out a copy at your local brick and mortar, or your favorite online retailer.
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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