Though there are some moments of excessive exposition, Valente packs in enough charm, curiosity, and foreboding to make this worthwhile. A masterful late reveal proves this to be a clever reworking of a famous story, reframing all that came before. This turns out to be the case when Sophia discovers a mysterious silver hairbrush and a dark tangle of hair in a locked drawer of their home and her fairy tale perception begins to dissolve. But even as the reader takes in the frothy, enchanted atmosphere, there are hints that Sophia is teetering in an illusion that will soon launch her into darkness.
Sophia’s life is basically a fairy tale, complete with a beloved husband at her side. The rules in Arcadia are strange and specific, forbidding, among other things, dancing and the building of structures for beekeeping, but all are said to be in favor of purity and harmony. Sophia lives in the upscale gated community of Arcadia Gardens, a supposed utopian oasis under the management of the Arcadia Gardens Homeowners Association. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze.This gem of a novella from Valente ( The Past Is Red) packs a lot of intrigue into a brief page count. Everything is perfect.Its just that hes away so much. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Valente, for fans of Gone Girl and Spinning SilverSophia was made for him. He is the perfect husband, and everything is perfect.īut sometimes Sophia wonders about things - strange things, dark things - the look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip, the questions he will not answer, the locked basement she is never allowed to enter. Comfort Me With Apples is a terrifying new thriller from bestseller Catherynne M. It's just that he's away so much - so often. He is perfect their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect everything is perfect. Sophia was made for him, her perfect husband. Comfort Me With Apples is slated for release on October 26th. Karis Campbell’s moody-yet-spirited audiobook narration is pitch perfect, and I’d highly recommend the format for those who are open to it. My thanks to Dreamscape Media and the author for the advance listening copy via NetGalley. Ultimately it comes together in the most brilliant fashion, in such a way that will keep me pondering the feminist statement I believe Valente is trying to make.Ĭomfort Me With Apples definitely will not be the right read for everyone - but if you’re up for a lovely cup of apple-flavored WTF, you’ll drink this one up like I did. I think(?) I figured out the answers to those questions by book’s end, but man, it sure was a strange trip to get there. In the span of 112 pages (or 2 hours 20 minutes on audio), readers are kept on their toes while trying to place what is happening, why it’s happening, and where it’s happening. Valente’s novella, Comfort Me With Apples:Ĭlearly, this is quite a bonkers read. Here’s a running list of comparisons that crossed my mind while immersed in the world of Catherynne M.
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