Welcome to Litsy!

Here‘s my review for a book I didn‘t finish.

A melancholy, unsettling book that left me with more questions than answers.

You'll “never know what it‘s like here.”

That's pretty much how I felt. Is it speculative fiction? Magical realism? Female dystopian? Folk horror? A bit of all of the above? Maybe. Kind of. I'm not sure.

I was that strange visitor from Elsewhere in this surreal, particular world. In the end, I'm not even sure what to think.

Book 2 #fabulousfebruary
#roll100 roll 3

Slow start, but I have all night so here's hoping it hooks me soon

What did I just read? Potentially a newly published classic? So much to think about and to weave into humanity about why and how we do what we do. A book filled with decades of Vera from child to middle aged filled with anomalies and cultural parallels, dystopian or historical? or maybe a dream? Still not sure and so much to think about...

Elsewhere contains a very odd group of people living in an isolated town who have a very bizarre affliction: "some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning." I would recommended this book to all fans of dystopian and feminist literature.

Sigh, I wanted to love this but I didn‘t. I really enjoyed her debut, Saint X. And while I knew this would be quite different, I didn‘t find it nearly as compelling. The premise is interesting and I wanted to know more about this fringe society and what happens to the mothers there. It felt underdeveloped to me, though possibly was a style choice. I‘m left wanting more from this.

In a departure from her debut novel, this is a more thoughtful book featuring a strange mountaintop town and the off affliction that targets the mothers. Vera grows and thrives there from her own childhood to motherhood- but her fear & restlessness lead her to play a different role than she ever imagined. With a lot to unpack, this would be great for a discussion group. The pacing is a bit uneven but there are also some beautiful turns of phrase!

I flew through Elsewhere, driven by curiosity & great character development. A quick & intriguing read, it kind of reminded me of The Grace Year. I can tell that this is one of those stories that will stick in my mind for years to come. It's a bit poignant considering the recent increased discussion regarding the removal of a woman's right to choose. While Elsewhere is very different from Saint X, I still really enjoyed it.

This is a soft pick for me. It‘s a a melancholy, unsettling book. The setting is an imaginary town, high in the mountains. It‘s so near the mountaintop that the clouds settle in there during the evenings. Elsewhere feels as elusive as those mountaintop clouds. It‘s just slightly inside the fog, which means readers never fully understand the town or its inhabitants.

Full review https://www.TheBibliophage.com #thebibliophage2022 #celadonreads

Little Free Library book drop for an advanced copy of Alexis Schaitkin's 𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!
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𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐭:
Little Free Library Charter #76058
10201 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32817 ⁣
Lat: 28.5715350 Long: -81.2412560
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If you're nowhere near Orlando, click below to see a map all of the LFL locations where you can find an early copy of Elsewhere

https://bit.ly/3xVedW3
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Elsewhere will be available in stores on June 28

It is deep, honest, and insightful, not to mention extremely enjoyable. Her words paint a beautiful picture for the reader of Vera and her life, as well as the other characters and the settings. The characters are well developed and they have some serious messages to send about the pressures of motherhood: the sacrifices and loss of self, the judgements faced, and legacies left behind. Vera herself is an interesting individual.

Excellent book!

Schaitkin has created a shocking, beautiful piece of writing. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster as the main character makes discoveries about the world around her and the way she was raised. As this dark, atmospheric story unfolds the messages of motherhood and feminism become terrifying, especially with the current state of things.

I feel like this read will find its way onto many must-read lists.

#NetGalley

Stunning stunning stunning. Reminded me a bit of Never Let Me Go. Beautifully written, atmospheric and dark. I hope this one gets so much attention. I feel like I have been waiting for this book. Out in June.

I went and dropped a bunch of books off in the Little Free Library here in town and discovered this duo of goodies that needed to come home with me. The plan was not to take any but as they say, “the best laid plans…”

Elsewhere is a beautiful piece of literature that made me sad, made me hope, and made me understand things in a way I hadn‘t before. It shocked me countless times, and shocks can be difficult to experience when you‘ve read so many books. I applaud Schaitkin for creating something so peculiar and so real all at once.

My full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4578687071

Saint X was a fantastic book can‘t wait to read Elsewhere the latest by this author.📚💕

Surprise bookmail from Celadon books...thank you!! I enjoyed Saint X so, I'm excited to read this one as well! Release date is June 28, 2022 #elsewherebook #celadonreads #bookmail #partner