Review of Forthcoming Horror: Dear Hannah
Book: Dear Hannah
Author: Zoje Stage Zoje Stage
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Estimated Publication Date: Aug 14, 2024
Capone’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ of 5⭐
Summary (beware, some potential spoilers, but nothing explicitly spoily): We meet Hannah in her mid-20s. She’s crafted a life for herself based on what she perceives to be the best possible circumstances for living the life she wants. Most importantly, that life is totally separate from contact with her parents. She writes to her brother regularly, and they exchange advice about everything from choices in artistic expression to how to murder an enemy. The main conflict here comes from a drastic shift in family roles, upsetting her perfect arrangement. How will she maintain control, given that most of the changes are totally out of her hands? Riding along with Hannah as she navigates a world full of humans she doesn’t get (relatable), I found myself rooting for her even when she was planning to do precisely the wrong thing because it seemed the best among terrible options… there’s much to be said for an author who can make a character’s insane choices seem perfectly reasonable.
This novel gets five stars because of the reality of its unreality: at no point during my time spent with the characters did I remember that I was reading a book. I was tickled, of course, that the book was set in Pittsburgh (Yay! Giant Eagle! Beacon Street! And the on-ramp toward Monroeville from Squirrel Hill is a no-go zone for me, too—I will add time to my drive and go through Swissvale or Regent Square to avoid it…). A head-spinner, this story makes me feel at home in an uncomfortable psyche. Although this book is probably promoted as a sequel to Stage’s 2018 Baby Teeth (the book that gave me what I’ve always wanted: a story about a little kid trying to kill their mother), I’m certain you can read Dear Hannah without any familiarity with the earlier title. I recommend both books; like Baby Teeth, Dear Hannah is sure to capture and hold its readers.
Author: Zoje Stage Zoje Stage
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Estimated Publication Date: Aug 14, 2024
Capone’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ of 5⭐
Summary (beware, some potential spoilers, but nothing explicitly spoily): We meet Hannah in her mid-20s. She’s crafted a life for herself based on what she perceives to be the best possible circumstances for living the life she wants. Most importantly, that life is totally separate from contact with her parents. She writes to her brother regularly, and they exchange advice about everything from choices in artistic expression to how to murder an enemy. The main conflict here comes from a drastic shift in family roles, upsetting her perfect arrangement. How will she maintain control, given that most of the changes are totally out of her hands? Riding along with Hannah as she navigates a world full of humans she doesn’t get (relatable), I found myself rooting for her even when she was planning to do precisely the wrong thing because it seemed the best among terrible options… there’s much to be said for an author who can make a character’s insane choices seem perfectly reasonable.
This novel gets five stars because of the reality of its unreality: at no point during my time spent with the characters did I remember that I was reading a book. I was tickled, of course, that the book was set in Pittsburgh (Yay! Giant Eagle! Beacon Street! And the on-ramp toward Monroeville from Squirrel Hill is a no-go zone for me, too—I will add time to my drive and go through Swissvale or Regent Square to avoid it…). A head-spinner, this story makes me feel at home in an uncomfortable psyche. Although this book is probably promoted as a sequel to Stage’s 2018 Baby Teeth (the book that gave me what I’ve always wanted: a story about a little kid trying to kill their mother), I’m certain you can read Dear Hannah without any familiarity with the earlier title. I recommend both books; like Baby Teeth, Dear Hannah is sure to capture and hold its readers.
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