RaveFull StopThere is the belief that a person needs to have hit rock bottom in order to recover, but only a talented author, like Rebecca Handler, can show us what that looks like in gritty, realistic and darkly hilarious detail ... The point of this novel is transparency, allowing the reader to understand and track how Edie’s secret manifests, grows, morphs and ultimately affects her identity and her marriage ... exceedingly poignant moments showcase Handler’s skill because they manage to be heartbreaking without being sentimental ... Edie’s observations are precise, poetic and contribute greatly to the novel’s verisimilitude, which is not surprising considering that Handler’s material comes from the seeds of her own observations of daily life in Perth ... And not only are the observations acutely realistic, but the writing style packs a punch as well. Each paragraph is sparse, compact and seemingly simple, reading like a prose poem ... Edie Richter is Not Alone almost felt like it was the first half of a novel and the second is still out there waiting to be brought into words. Or maybe the resolution was that Edie Richter finally realized that she’s not alone, that since she at least told one stranger, she is no longer bearing her secret alone. ... Then again, as Edie points out, there is the argument that life is not cohesive, organized or logical, it is messy[.]
Mary South
RaveCleveland Review of Books... beautifully-flawed characters ... We encounter situations that are entertaining and eccentric yet also manage to be relatable and cutting ... South’s stories blend sci-fi and speculative fiction, horror, and satire ... Like Atwood, South brings to life an unsettling world that may seem distant when expounded but actually exists in the present ... At the same time, the cutting cultural critique of selfies, superficiality, and performative social media reminds one of the popular Netflix show You and Sam Lipsyte’s satire Hark, which follows a fake guru who tries to save the country. One of this collection’s strengths is its cohesive, circular organization of the stories and how the stories build upon one another ... In a collection teeming with darkness, absurdity, and the grotesque, I was amazed to find myself comforted by the glimmers of hope and the nods toward recovery that South offers in her conclusions. South ends with the confidence that these complex characters are ready to begin the grueling process of healing and putting their lives back together, and she does so without coming off as cliché or sentimental. During this uncertain time of global pandemic, collective grieving, and adapting to socializing mainly through screens, we need exactly the kind of inspiration South offers in You Will Never Be Forgotten, in stories that serve as testaments to our ability to hope, heal, and love again.
