PositiveThe New York Times Book Review... ambitious ... As Silvina’s sublime or unhinged master plan reveals itself, VanderMeer makes the case—viscerally, unflinchingly—that we would do well to envision ourselves at this existential inflection point alongside Jane, exploring possible destinies for life on our planet ...Hummingbird Salamander, though less wildly inventive, is potent for being more familiar, far closer to our current reality. This is climate fiction at its most urgent and gripping.
Deb Olin Unferth
RaveThe New York Times Book ReviewThis assemblage of down-and-out moments is delivered with a wit and concision reminiscent of Lydia Davis and Diane Williams, a wry intelligence and keen irony that don’t prevent Unferth’s prose from offering deep emotional intimacy. Sharply exposing her characters’ shortcomings, she’s just as meticulous in revealing their suffering. We may laugh at them, but ultimately we ache along with them ... Unferth’s book is rich with surprises, small and large. She is equally adept at deadpan realism and postmodern playfulness, deploying stories that take the form of lists, plot summaries and dirty jokes. Her miniature stories are often wickedly insightful ... Again and again in these pages, Unferth swerves from the mundane to the extraordinary, from biting to soaringly celebratory, often in a single sentence.
