HOT OFF THE PRESSES!
Yaassss! A new Catherine Lacey novel hits the world today. I adored her earlier novels The Answers and Nobody Is Ever Missing as well as her short story collection, Certain American States. In Pew, the main character lives rough and is found sleeping in a church pew in a small, Southern town and the townspeople come together to help to shelter them. Pew chooses not to talk much with folks, and their appearance is androgenous, causing some folks consternation in trying to label them (the neutral pronoun is mine, the character is referred to by various pronouns in the book). The characters and the storyline are developed by reflection: the people and places are only presented as Pew encounters them. Pew shows up in town the week proceeding the annual “Forgiveness Festival” which is eerily foreshadowed throughout the novel. And, Pew is seen, again, in reflection, as the characters she meets see in them what they individually wish to see. A brilliant and creepy read.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Well-Read Neck 