Maria Reva's "Endling" is a book so captivating, it demands a second reading. There's a masterful complexity at play, inviting a closer look at how the author weaves everything together. There are comparisons to the work of George Saunders and Percival Everett-- and this is a clue to the journey we are in for.
Set in 2022 Ukraine, there are multiple plotlines unfolding. Yeva, a struggling scientist, is on a mission to save snail species from extinction. To fund her research, she works in a "romance tour" industry where bachelors seek to meet "traditional" Ukrainian women. It is here she meets two sisters who conspire with her to kidnap thirteen of these bachelors as a protest, a way of drawing attention to the romance tours.
We are aware of what turn history is going to take, but the characters all seem to be in denial, even with the threat of Putin's troops amassing at the border. The narrative is abruptly shattered by the onset of air strikes. The author, Maria Reva, breaks the fourth wall and inserts herself as a character. She questions the feasibility of continuing the story, expressing deep concern for her family, especially her grandfather, who she knows will refuse to evacuate.
"I need to keep fact and fiction straight, but they keep blurring together."
Like the best novels and movies, this is an experience worth revisiting. So many facets are skillfully interwoven. There is the "Romeo Meets Yulia" pairing of desperate men seeking to expedite relationships. Yeva is looking to find a mate for Lefty, her snail who may be the end of his species (an "endling"). The kidnapping caper is fraught with almost slapstick missteps...
...and then these components are suddenly reshuffled by the carnage of war. A remarkable accomplishment, this blending of humor and tragedy.
"This novel turns corners and tables. I love works that are smarter than I am, and this is one."-- Percival Everett, author of Pulitzer Prize winner James
Trigger warning: #SnailSensuality.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Set in 2022 Ukraine, there are multiple plotlines unfolding. Yeva, a struggling scientist, is on a mission to save snail species from extinction. To fund her research, she works in a "romance tour" industry where bachelors seek to meet "traditional" Ukrainian women. It is here she meets two sisters who conspire with her to kidnap thirteen of these bachelors as a protest, a way of drawing attention to the romance tours.
We are aware of what turn history is going to take, but the characters all seem to be in denial, even with the threat of Putin's troops amassing at the border. The narrative is abruptly shattered by the onset of air strikes. The author, Maria Reva, breaks the fourth wall and inserts herself as a character. She questions the feasibility of continuing the story, expressing deep concern for her family, especially her grandfather, who she knows will refuse to evacuate.
"I need to keep fact and fiction straight, but they keep blurring together."
Like the best novels and movies, this is an experience worth revisiting. So many facets are skillfully interwoven. There is the "Romeo Meets Yulia" pairing of desperate men seeking to expedite relationships. Yeva is looking to find a mate for Lefty, her snail who may be the end of his species (an "endling"). The kidnapping caper is fraught with almost slapstick missteps...
...and then these components are suddenly reshuffled by the carnage of war. A remarkable accomplishment, this blending of humor and tragedy.
"This novel turns corners and tables. I love works that are smarter than I am, and this is one."-- Percival Everett, author of Pulitzer Prize winner James
Trigger warning: #SnailSensuality.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
