PositiveLitReactor...with the many modern authors riffing on him, the Lovecraft well has nearly gone dry, but to stretch this metaphor there may still be a little water at the bottom. La Farge has clearly done his research, and it shows. The novel takes place over a century and jumps all over the east coast of the United States. It covers everything from fandom high and low to anthropology and complex questions about morality. It even manages to weave in such historical cameos as Isaac Asimov and William S. Burroughs, yet doesn’t feel pandering in the process. The research and air of authenticity is so impressive as to leave me wondering where the reality ends and fiction begins. But most importantly, it’s entertaining. Marina’s perspective is meticulous and insightful, and the inclusion of letters, annotated journals, old Lovecraft entries and even pictures lends the whole endeavor an air of verisimilitude. This is an impressive feat, and it makes me want to see what else La Farge has to offer.
Emma Donoghue
PositiveLitReactorFans of Room will have a similar takeaway here with the dynamic between Lib and Anna that Donoghue captures so well. She understands the voice of a child, and makes Lib all the more engaging for not having her talk down to her charge ... If you’re looking for a mystery with palpable atmosphere, this is a good read. It has a strong, quick-witted female lead out to uncover truths, and the period details lend a nice degree of verisimilitude.
Jay McInerney
PositiveLitReactor...built into the DNA of this work is its explicit concerns being first-world problems. If you can accept that this upper-class, bourgeoisie couple is suffering real emotional turmoil during their many fly-fishing trips, flights on private planes and bouts of oral sex in bathrooms, then you’ll be fine. And it’s unfair to not engage with art on its own terms. McInerney crafts a glimpse into their lives with an air of authenticity and finds a universal truth there ... He knows his characters are broken, but he kind of loves them for that even while the book borders on satire. There’s always empathy, for the Calloways and especially for New York City, and that alone justifies the book's existence.
