RaveMomentThe novel sprawls, rejoicing in its narrative that burrows and fractures like separate paths in an ant farm, absurd spectacles and dreamlike revelations ... Koestenbaum’s overwhelming attention to detail through his winding sentences results sometimes in headache, but most often they shine with brilliance.
PositiveThe Brooklyn RailPlayful ... Genuine ... Second Skin goes down easy—like a rubber glove adhering to every corner of your skin ... A wholly welcoming romp through modern sexual glitches ... But this egalitarian view leads to some overly excited analysis ... Fedorova is prone to overhyping ... Exploration, rather than analysis, would have helped ... A couple of overconfident sentences aside, Second Skin makes the case for the broad understanding of what Fedorova likes to call \'extended sexuality.\'
RaveOur CultureCash is a natural and smart storyteller, and her Franzen-esque family novel unfolds with confidence and playfulness ... It feels like the narrative was always there, waiting for a talented writer to come along and imagine it. Believe the hype.
RaveLos Angeles Review of BooksWickedly liberating ... I was positively charmed by Theo; he had me feeling coy, like how I imagine Emily Henry’s novels make hearts palpitate ... Gross’s strength lies in leaning in; she understands that sex is murky and messy, strange and shameful ... [Olive\'s] delusions are entertaining, with the sickly twist of being somewhat agreeable ... It’s refreshing how easily the novel marries sex and disgust ...
Thank god for Jessica Gross and her strange, unforgettable women. Open Wide is as disgusting as it is sexy, as nauseating as it is arousing.
MixedPopMattersIt’s fine for a character with means to be a little low-energy, but he veers close to bland ... At its most gripping, Great Black Hope investigates these ideas head-on rather than gesturing at them ... Franklin is certainly a beautiful stylist, but often his sentences feel like they’re trying very hard to make you think so ... The momentum Great Black Hope starts with, the idea that Smith is usually protected because of his family, but not because of his race, and the far-reaching corners of addiction, all but fizzles out in its last few pages.
