There is a particular magic to stories about storytelling, especially when they use the metafictional element to probe into the very nature of reality and how we live inside of it ... A compelling and deeply empathetic narrative ... Grand, imaginative, poetic, loving.
Stirring ... There are elements of magic realism in this captivating novel about the importance of family and story, but more importantly, the tale is enriched by the presence of fully realized, multidimensional characters. Near the end of the novel, a character observes that there is no truth except in old women’s tales. The same thing is true in the pages of this splendid first novel.
Through an unusual structure that bucks narrative convention, Cypher explores the blurry lines between storytelling and history, memory and identity, exile and home ... Though Betty narrates the novel in the first person, she often feels like a peripheral character ... An intriguing debut.
Has quite a few moving parts ... Cypher can certainly be commended for her willingness to experiment in her fiction. Here’s hoping that, in her next work, she doesn’t forget the simple art of storytelling. An overdetermined novel that can’t quite decide what notes it wants to strike.
