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“A scorchingly brilliant, wildly funny, and deeply moving epic.” —John Green, #1 globally bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars
Two unlikely heroes embark on quests to win God’s favor in this outrageously entertaining, profoundly heartfelt novel that announces an ingenious new voice in the tradition of Chain-Gang All-Stars, No One Is Talking About This, and Martyr!
Yara can’t comprehend why God has chosen them to slay Dominic, the ruthless leader of the army of Bad Guys. Cast out by their family and reeling from a destructive relationship, Yara has never felt weaker—but with nothing left to lose, they strike a deal. Abandoning their solitary days of embroidery and obsessive cleaning, Yara reluctantly embarks on a perilous odyssey designed to prepare them for the daunting mission ahead.
Meanwhile, Adrena, a disillusioned prophet with a terrifying secret power, is determined to become the hero of this story. Desperately seeking the glory of God’s approval and the promise of heaven, where she hopes to reunite with her beloved mother, Adrena must first persuade Harpo, the leader of the Good Guys, that her plan is God’s will.
As their journeys unfold in a series of unforgettable adventures, Yara and Adrena are propelled toward each other and transformative revelations about life, death, and destiny in this intensely captivating, irreverent epic from a singularly brilliant new voice in fiction.
Two unlikely heroes embark on quests to win God’s favor in this outrageously entertaining, profoundly heartfelt novel that announces an ingenious new voice in the tradition of Chain-Gang All-Stars, No One Is Talking About This, and Martyr!
Yara can’t comprehend why God has chosen them to slay Dominic, the ruthless leader of the army of Bad Guys. Cast out by their family and reeling from a destructive relationship, Yara has never felt weaker—but with nothing left to lose, they strike a deal. Abandoning their solitary days of embroidery and obsessive cleaning, Yara reluctantly embarks on a perilous odyssey designed to prepare them for the daunting mission ahead.
Meanwhile, Adrena, a disillusioned prophet with a terrifying secret power, is determined to become the hero of this story. Desperately seeking the glory of God’s approval and the promise of heaven, where she hopes to reunite with her beloved mother, Adrena must first persuade Harpo, the leader of the Good Guys, that her plan is God’s will.
As their journeys unfold in a series of unforgettable adventures, Yara and Adrena are propelled toward each other and transformative revelations about life, death, and destiny in this intensely captivating, irreverent epic from a singularly brilliant new voice in fiction.
480 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 19, 2026
22 people are currently reading
13754 people want to read
About the author
Paige Lewis
9 books211 followersPaige Lewis is the author of Canon (Viking, 2026) and Space Struck (Sarabande Books, 2019).
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
Do you love riotously original novels that make you feel like nothing will ever be the same after you read it? Then get ready to have your brains melted by this incredible debut. It's about Yara, who receives a message from God, telling them they need to slay one of the Earth's Bad Guys. Not one to question a missive from above for too long, Yara strikes a deal and sets off on their assignment. Meanwhile a downcast prophet with a hidden power is hoping to get in good with the man upstairs and carries out her own plan. So prepare yourself: Canon is a mind-bending adventure about life, death, and fate that will ruin your life, in the best way. —Liberty Hardy
Do you love riotously original novels that make you feel like nothing will ever be the same after you read it? Then get ready to have your brains melted by this incredible debut. It's about Yara, who receives a message from God, telling them they need to slay one of the Earth's Bad Guys. Not one to question a missive from above for too long, Yara strikes a deal and sets off on their assignment. Meanwhile a downcast prophet with a hidden power is hoping to get in good with the man upstairs and carries out her own plan. So prepare yourself: Canon is a mind-bending adventure about life, death, and fate that will ruin your life, in the best way. —Liberty Hardy
September 15, 2025
Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!!!
I’m sincerely at a loss of words for how to describe this novel. It was so unique within formatting, dividing the entirety of the book into separate books all while shifting perspectives when needed. All the while you are being told the story, but from whose perspective? Who’s to say.
I enjoyed the chaotic energy this story exudes. One moment there is talk of prophets and God, then the next there are references to Jeopardy and going to the mall, and then you’re back to battle and death (and clearing the battle field for a dog!). I felt crazy whiplash in certain moments, but in a funny and captivating way. I could never quite get a grasp on the time this story takes place or exactly what kind of Earth this is, and I thought that to be perfect.
More spoiler-esc here:
I enjoyed that there wasn’t really a settled conclusion. Yara was sung out of existence, or really, sung into their own freedom. Their story felt complete, or more in the way that they are able to move and live for themself. However, with Adrena and Harpo, I found that their stories didn’t entirely conclude. Adrena is no longer a prophet, free to live her life and romance, but I didn’t feel that this concluded her story. Perhaps it is similar to Yara’s, this idea of being freed from God, but it wasn’t as conclusive I feel. And Harpo, poor Harpo. Still beckoning to God’s will and not yet finding his wife. Yet I found myself in love with each of their stories.
I also enjoyed the chaos of God. He is a figure of chaos throughout this novel, even revealing that Dominic wasn’t as evil as proposed to the Good Guys. I would enjoy this narrative from Dominic’s side as well.
A really fantastic book. I hope that this novel gets all of the praise and attention it deserves.
I’m sincerely at a loss of words for how to describe this novel. It was so unique within formatting, dividing the entirety of the book into separate books all while shifting perspectives when needed. All the while you are being told the story, but from whose perspective? Who’s to say.
I enjoyed the chaotic energy this story exudes. One moment there is talk of prophets and God, then the next there are references to Jeopardy and going to the mall, and then you’re back to battle and death (and clearing the battle field for a dog!). I felt crazy whiplash in certain moments, but in a funny and captivating way. I could never quite get a grasp on the time this story takes place or exactly what kind of Earth this is, and I thought that to be perfect.
More spoiler-esc here:
I enjoyed that there wasn’t really a settled conclusion. Yara was sung out of existence, or really, sung into their own freedom. Their story felt complete, or more in the way that they are able to move and live for themself. However, with Adrena and Harpo, I found that their stories didn’t entirely conclude. Adrena is no longer a prophet, free to live her life and romance, but I didn’t feel that this concluded her story. Perhaps it is similar to Yara’s, this idea of being freed from God, but it wasn’t as conclusive I feel. And Harpo, poor Harpo. Still beckoning to God’s will and not yet finding his wife. Yet I found myself in love with each of their stories.
I also enjoyed the chaos of God. He is a figure of chaos throughout this novel, even revealing that Dominic wasn’t as evil as proposed to the Good Guys. I would enjoy this narrative from Dominic’s side as well.
A really fantastic book. I hope that this novel gets all of the praise and attention it deserves.
October 24, 2025
Wow. I absolutely loved this wacky wild book. LGBTQ+ rep? Commentary on how we are screwing up the oceans? Struggles with spirituality amd relationships with God? Yeah okay.
I loved the narration of this book, the way the chapters and separate books were written. I felt like it flowed organically and this epic story kept me wanting to read more. This book felt very Welcome to Night Vale but also Hitchhiker's Guide with it's own twist.
(Also, side note, I Loved that Yara's weapon was a tent peg. Jael and Sisera? That's crazy)
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
I loved the narration of this book, the way the chapters and separate books were written. I felt like it flowed organically and this epic story kept me wanting to read more. This book felt very Welcome to Night Vale but also Hitchhiker's Guide with it's own twist.
(Also, side note, I Loved that Yara's weapon was a tent peg. Jael and Sisera? That's crazy)
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
August 25, 2025
Mayhaps my new favorite book of all time. Perfect for the weirdos who loved Welcome to Night Vale in their teens.
March 1, 2026
What the heck did I just read.
It's fantastic. It's, wow, very different. Lyrical. Wildly irreverent. Not like anything else I can think of that I've ever read. The publisher's blurb references other books, but I'm not familiar with them and can't opine on how accurate the comparisons are.
In structure, in mind-feel, this is very like reading an epic poem. And that impression felt a little daunting when I first started reading, because I worried that might affect my ability to get into the story. Turns out there was no cause for concern--I got sucked in and had trouble putting it down.
I'm impressed and delighted that something as original and difficult to fit into a genre as this is being published.
All the chapter headings are asides from an omniscient 3rd party narrator to the reader, breaking the fourth wall. They're often hilarious. There is humor throughout, but it doesn't detract from the emotional weight of the book. The story takes place completely untethered to a set time and place: there are shopping malls and telephones, but the battle between Good Guys and Bad Guys takes place on horses and chariots, wielding spears and swords.
Since I was spared a religious upbringing, I'm sometimes left unmoved by stories that deal with the complications of faith and disillusionment. It's not an element of books I tend to gravitate to, but while there is a God and Catholicism and all the trappings of various forms of organized religion in this world, the questions and conflicts feel existential and universally human, so I wasn't put at a remove from the story by them.
The author wields absurdity with surgical precision in a way that can only remind me of Vonnegut, which is marvelous.
Readers who don't care for surrealism or for dreamlike elements in their fiction making the reality of the story feel slippery may be put off. Think Piranesi but (a lot) less self-serious. I loved that, but your mileage may vary. If the book has a weakness, it's that the ending felt a little bit anticlimactic.
I think this will be well worth rereading.
I got an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley, which doesn't affect my reviews, but I do put a finger on the scales by generally only requesting books I think I'm likely to enjoy. In this case, I had no idea whether I would like it, but I was intrigued by how very weird it sounded. It is weird--and brilliant--and I'm really glad I decided to give it a try.
It's fantastic. It's, wow, very different. Lyrical. Wildly irreverent. Not like anything else I can think of that I've ever read. The publisher's blurb references other books, but I'm not familiar with them and can't opine on how accurate the comparisons are.
In structure, in mind-feel, this is very like reading an epic poem. And that impression felt a little daunting when I first started reading, because I worried that might affect my ability to get into the story. Turns out there was no cause for concern--I got sucked in and had trouble putting it down.
I'm impressed and delighted that something as original and difficult to fit into a genre as this is being published.
All the chapter headings are asides from an omniscient 3rd party narrator to the reader, breaking the fourth wall. They're often hilarious. There is humor throughout, but it doesn't detract from the emotional weight of the book. The story takes place completely untethered to a set time and place: there are shopping malls and telephones, but the battle between Good Guys and Bad Guys takes place on horses and chariots, wielding spears and swords.
Since I was spared a religious upbringing, I'm sometimes left unmoved by stories that deal with the complications of faith and disillusionment. It's not an element of books I tend to gravitate to, but while there is a God and Catholicism and all the trappings of various forms of organized religion in this world, the questions and conflicts feel existential and universally human, so I wasn't put at a remove from the story by them.
The author wields absurdity with surgical precision in a way that can only remind me of Vonnegut, which is marvelous.
Readers who don't care for surrealism or for dreamlike elements in their fiction making the reality of the story feel slippery may be put off. Think Piranesi but (a lot) less self-serious. I loved that, but your mileage may vary. If the book has a weakness, it's that the ending felt a little bit anticlimactic.
I think this will be well worth rereading.
I got an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley, which doesn't affect my reviews, but I do put a finger on the scales by generally only requesting books I think I'm likely to enjoy. In this case, I had no idea whether I would like it, but I was intrigued by how very weird it sounded. It is weird--and brilliant--and I'm really glad I decided to give it a try.
October 23, 2025
I have been wrestling with this review for days. I don’t know how to talk about this book, and I’m so afraid of doing it wrong or doing it poorly. But I suppose that’s a risk I’ll have to take.
Wonderfully weird. Unstuck in time. Canon reminds me a little of Vonnegut, a little of Pratchett, but it is also wholly unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Yara, a non-binary 18-year-old with OCD, begrudgingly embarks on a quest given to them by God. The prophet Adrena is beside herself when she learns that Yara has been chosen for this mission instead of her and, desperate for bodily assumption into heaven, decides to take matters into her own hands.
Canon is so many things. It is uproariously funny, completely absurd, and pulsing with both hope and dread throughout. It’s an epic about two people grappling with meaning and purpose in a tremendously fucked up world. It’s exactly what I needed right now.
*Thank you to @NetGalley and @vikingbooks for the ARC!* Canon comes out on May 19, 2026, and is available for pre-order now. You should pre-order it, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Wonderfully weird. Unstuck in time. Canon reminds me a little of Vonnegut, a little of Pratchett, but it is also wholly unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Yara, a non-binary 18-year-old with OCD, begrudgingly embarks on a quest given to them by God. The prophet Adrena is beside herself when she learns that Yara has been chosen for this mission instead of her and, desperate for bodily assumption into heaven, decides to take matters into her own hands.
Canon is so many things. It is uproariously funny, completely absurd, and pulsing with both hope and dread throughout. It’s an epic about two people grappling with meaning and purpose in a tremendously fucked up world. It’s exactly what I needed right now.
*Thank you to @NetGalley and @vikingbooks for the ARC!* Canon comes out on May 19, 2026, and is available for pre-order now. You should pre-order it, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
November 30, 2025
this book was very unique and intriguing. but I was left wanting so much more. I wanted more world building to understand the landscape - somewhere totally religious, with a business-like God, where soldiers do wheelies in their chariots, and where you go to the mall to find a soundtrack for your battle tomorrow. I also wanted more character development. I felt like I had too little time with the many colorful personalities and I didn't feel like any of the characters were 'wrapped up' by the end. so glad I read this, but I have lots of unanswered questions.
March 15, 2026
| rating: 3.75 stars
if Gen Z was a book, it would be this one—delightfully absurd and silly but also incredibly deep.
full review to come!
Thank you to NetGalley and PRH for the arc!
if Gen Z was a book, it would be this one—delightfully absurd and silly but also incredibly deep.
full review to come!
Thank you to NetGalley and PRH for the arc!
September 22, 2025
Just so perfectly strange. I had consistent whiplash throughout this book- a Great War with a hero with a mission bestowed upon them by God in one chapter, a quick shopping trip- but you better avoid those kiosks- in the next.
Funny and strange and a super quick read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eArc in exchange for my honest review.
Funny and strange and a super quick read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eArc in exchange for my honest review.
September 21, 2025
Truly the best book I’ve read in a long time.
Want to Read
April 21, 2026i'm literally pissing myself with excitement to read this arc thank you netgalley love you mwah mwah mwah
March 25, 2026
Arc. Thank you NetGalley and Viking for an arc of this title in return for an honest review!
I am floored. Paige Lewis’s debut Canon asks the question what would you do to please God? We find out when Yara is chosen directly from God himself to slay the evil Dominic. Along this epic journey we meet a cast of characters unlike any other I’ve met. A sentient omnipotent whale????? A lie-detecting newt???? A lesbian prophet that can sing things into the void????????????????? Thought-provoking, charming, strange, WEIRD, heart-warming, and incredibly philosophical. Canon is unlike any other book I’ve read. It’s gorgeous prose creates a beautiful backdrop of a landscape or dread and heart ache and talks about the topics few authors dare to discuss. This was a powerful read.
I am floored. Paige Lewis’s debut Canon asks the question what would you do to please God? We find out when Yara is chosen directly from God himself to slay the evil Dominic. Along this epic journey we meet a cast of characters unlike any other I’ve met. A sentient omnipotent whale????? A lie-detecting newt???? A lesbian prophet that can sing things into the void????????????????? Thought-provoking, charming, strange, WEIRD, heart-warming, and incredibly philosophical. Canon is unlike any other book I’ve read. It’s gorgeous prose creates a beautiful backdrop of a landscape or dread and heart ache and talks about the topics few authors dare to discuss. This was a powerful read.
October 13, 2025
One of your next favorite queer reads and heroes. Yara is a regular person, but they have been chosen by God to slay the leader of the “Bad Guys.” They are first sent on a journey to train before arriving at the stage for them to fulfill their destiny. Every character is fully fleshed out and interesting in the context of the story, the setting is beautiful and terrible, and the dry, sardonic humor is unmatched to anything I’ve read in a long time. The journey is a little meandering and the big battle scene feels a little rushed for my personal taste, but otherwise I absolutely love this one. 4.5/5 ⭐️
October 18, 2025
4.75⭐️
We follow Yara, a person chosen by God to slay Dominic(leader of the bad guys), and Adrena, a disillusioned prophet who is absolutely determined to be the hero of the story by convincing Harpo(leader of the good guys) that her plan is from God.
I feel that this book will not be for everyone simply based on how it is formatted. Separating the story into different “books” with alternating perspectives that are mostly the two main characters, though some are told from others perspectives.
This was such a fun read. It was as strange as it was funny, with a little sprinkle of existential crises throughout. The world is surreal but grounded in the recognizable. It is very chaotic, with talks of prophets of god to shopping mall commission kiosk workers. It makes for a very hard-to-grab idea of what kind of world it is, and I think that’s the point. It’s the kind of book that asks serious questions while not being too serious.
Thank you Net Galley for the eARC.
We follow Yara, a person chosen by God to slay Dominic(leader of the bad guys), and Adrena, a disillusioned prophet who is absolutely determined to be the hero of the story by convincing Harpo(leader of the good guys) that her plan is from God.
I feel that this book will not be for everyone simply based on how it is formatted. Separating the story into different “books” with alternating perspectives that are mostly the two main characters, though some are told from others perspectives.
This was such a fun read. It was as strange as it was funny, with a little sprinkle of existential crises throughout. The world is surreal but grounded in the recognizable. It is very chaotic, with talks of prophets of god to shopping mall commission kiosk workers. It makes for a very hard-to-grab idea of what kind of world it is, and I think that’s the point. It’s the kind of book that asks serious questions while not being too serious.
Thank you Net Galley for the eARC.
April 9, 2026
Started off very very fun, but the swapping back and forth between narrators completely took the wind out the book’s sails, which then made the quirky tone and voice just fall flatter and flatter and flatter. great ideas here and a good sense of humor.
I received an advance early copy of this book from the publisher.
I received an advance early copy of this book from the publisher.
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April 23, 2026This one's for those who love unique books. In Canon, two unlikely people are on a quest to win God's favor. The quest is to slay Dominic, the ruthless leader of the army of bad guys. (There's also an army of good guys, headed by Harpo). God has chosen an 18 yo non-binary person Yara—who loves cleaning and also has calming hobbies like embroidery—to accomplish this mission. Yara is reeling from a bad relationship when this mission is given to her. On the other side is the queer prophet Adrena who is disillusioned that she wasn't chosen for the mission and she hopes to convince the good guys that her plan in God's plan.
I am unsure how to describe this book. But here's what to expect:
- very fresh, very unique, original book
- think an adventurous quest like in the epics, but this is more chaotic with flawed humans and full of surprises.
- makes you think about spirituality, God, disillusionment with faith, connection with a spiritual being, destiny, purpose of life.
- extremely chaotic. there could be a looming battle for humanity and then the story will swerve to a mall scene. weird weapons (like a peg?). god could be copying from the judge on his right while judging a men's bodybuilding competition, (the chapter ends with "god took it upon himself to hand out the trophies, which was normally the job of bikini-clad women, and the men tried to hide their disappointment)and so on.
- this one's more plot driven than letting us know the characters deeply, but the problems that worry the characters (like faith, destiny) also affect us as readers. the title headings are kind of like a summary of the plot. (for eg the heading after 'yara meets lawrence' would be 'more about lawrence' and so on. quick bite sized snippets that tell the story and take the plot forward rather than a novel told in paragraphs and sectioned into long chapters.)
- the title headings are unique and sometimes funny—"on their way out of sears, our duo passes a row of pristinely made beds", "where is god? god is busy judging a men's bodybuilding competition", "honestly we should all be wary of skin care consultants". kind of reminded me of the percy jackson series which has incredible chapter headings
- kirkus reviews calls this book "a brash, informed, anti-epic".(link).
- the blurb compares this book to Chain-Gang All-Stars, No One Is Talking About This, and Martyr!—Not convinced about that! All these books are different in their own way.
Overall, it is a book that'll surprise you. It is funny and surprising and you are always thinking how new unexpected twists enter the narrative. Would recommend this book to readers who have a sense of humor and who can appreciate a an experimental novel with meta references.
ALSO READ: Book List: Most Anticipated Books of 2026.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Blog | Instagram | Threads | X (Twitter) | Newsletter
I am unsure how to describe this book. But here's what to expect:
- very fresh, very unique, original book
- think an adventurous quest like in the epics, but this is more chaotic with flawed humans and full of surprises.
- makes you think about spirituality, God, disillusionment with faith, connection with a spiritual being, destiny, purpose of life.
- extremely chaotic. there could be a looming battle for humanity and then the story will swerve to a mall scene. weird weapons (like a peg?). god could be copying from the judge on his right while judging a men's bodybuilding competition, (the chapter ends with "god took it upon himself to hand out the trophies, which was normally the job of bikini-clad women, and the men tried to hide their disappointment)and so on.
- this one's more plot driven than letting us know the characters deeply, but the problems that worry the characters (like faith, destiny) also affect us as readers. the title headings are kind of like a summary of the plot. (for eg the heading after 'yara meets lawrence' would be 'more about lawrence' and so on. quick bite sized snippets that tell the story and take the plot forward rather than a novel told in paragraphs and sectioned into long chapters.)
- the title headings are unique and sometimes funny—"on their way out of sears, our duo passes a row of pristinely made beds", "where is god? god is busy judging a men's bodybuilding competition", "honestly we should all be wary of skin care consultants". kind of reminded me of the percy jackson series which has incredible chapter headings
- kirkus reviews calls this book "a brash, informed, anti-epic".(link).
- the blurb compares this book to Chain-Gang All-Stars, No One Is Talking About This, and Martyr!—Not convinced about that! All these books are different in their own way.
Overall, it is a book that'll surprise you. It is funny and surprising and you are always thinking how new unexpected twists enter the narrative. Would recommend this book to readers who have a sense of humor and who can appreciate a an experimental novel with meta references.
ALSO READ: Book List: Most Anticipated Books of 2026.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Blog | Instagram | Threads | X (Twitter) | Newsletter
Did Not Finish
March 17, 2026My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a free DRC of "Canon" by Paige Lewis.
I was so excited and I was hoping for a speculative story with some weirdness mixed in.
I had no clue this story will be a parody of the Christian God and profectic revelations.
While I am no longer a practicant of any religion, the tone of this situation did not sit right with me. It felt extremely disrespectful. Also the weirdness was not seamlesly incorporated, but rather felt forced on the narrative. We are also told what the main character feels or thinks rather than shown.
Such a dissapointment unfortunately.
I was so excited and I was hoping for a speculative story with some weirdness mixed in.
I had no clue this story will be a parody of the Christian God and profectic revelations.
While I am no longer a practicant of any religion, the tone of this situation did not sit right with me. It felt extremely disrespectful. Also the weirdness was not seamlesly incorporated, but rather felt forced on the narrative. We are also told what the main character feels or thinks rather than shown.
Such a dissapointment unfortunately.
October 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Wasn’t sure what to think of this until the end. While I struggled to get into the rhythm and the characters, the humor mostly worked for me and the plot tied together in a way that was ultimately satisfying.
Wasn’t sure what to think of this until the end. While I struggled to get into the rhythm and the characters, the humor mostly worked for me and the plot tied together in a way that was ultimately satisfying.
Want to Read
March 18, 2026'a little bit martyr! and a little bit night vale' say no more
November 29, 2025
I’ve never read anything quite like this and it was absolutely delightful. Funny, quirky, adventurous, clever, just all around wonderful.
February 17, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Originality is hard to come by in fiction… but this felt so new and original. Every character has a special place in my heart, even yes Dominic. It’s chaotic and strange and doesn’t really follow any of the rules (or the opposite? Given the hero’s journey hahaha), but the structure felt so refreshing and I honestly zipped right through it. And I want to reread it, which is very rare for me!
Originality is hard to come by in fiction… but this felt so new and original. Every character has a special place in my heart, even yes Dominic. It’s chaotic and strange and doesn’t really follow any of the rules (or the opposite? Given the hero’s journey hahaha), but the structure felt so refreshing and I honestly zipped right through it. And I want to reread it, which is very rare for me!
November 30, 2025
4.5.
Canon is like... a modern Alice in Wonderland, spinning down the bizarre, brutal rabbit hole.
The writing format is really unique in itself, and the story is just strange and entirely unpredictable. The narrator sometimes breaks the third wall to address the reader, has a very casual, quirky tone throughout.
But the STORY- how, how can I describe this adequately? Yara (they/them) is chosen by God to kill Dominic and defeat The Bad Guys. Accompanied by a color changing newt and HOWBIG! the whale, their journey is something entirely fresh, new, and brilliant. I honestly don't know the author's hope for the message of this, but for me it touched beautifully on the danger of looking away from uncomfortable things or investing energy into the wrong things, (cutting down all the trees on the island so that the plastic bags did not get caught on them), the hypocrisy and divisive nature of religion, the risk of following something blindly, the value of staying true to yourself and, when needed, starting over, creating your new world, (literally, in this case).
This book is NOT for people who are invested in world building. It is very amorphous, with intent, I believe. The sides of the war are literally called The Good Guys and The Bad Guys, lol.
This book is not for everyone, but man, I can't stop thinking about it.
A non-binary main character in an epic is also a level of rep you don't see many places yet.
TW: grooming, SA, violence.
Canon is like... a modern Alice in Wonderland, spinning down the bizarre, brutal rabbit hole.
The writing format is really unique in itself, and the story is just strange and entirely unpredictable. The narrator sometimes breaks the third wall to address the reader, has a very casual, quirky tone throughout.
But the STORY- how, how can I describe this adequately? Yara (they/them) is chosen by God to kill Dominic and defeat The Bad Guys. Accompanied by a color changing newt and HOWBIG! the whale, their journey is something entirely fresh, new, and brilliant. I honestly don't know the author's hope for the message of this, but for me it touched beautifully on the danger of looking away from uncomfortable things or investing energy into the wrong things, (cutting down all the trees on the island so that the plastic bags did not get caught on them), the hypocrisy and divisive nature of religion, the risk of following something blindly, the value of staying true to yourself and, when needed, starting over, creating your new world, (literally, in this case).
This book is NOT for people who are invested in world building. It is very amorphous, with intent, I believe. The sides of the war are literally called The Good Guys and The Bad Guys, lol.
This book is not for everyone, but man, I can't stop thinking about it.
A non-binary main character in an epic is also a level of rep you don't see many places yet.
TW: grooming, SA, violence.
November 1, 2025
Every single page of this novel is an absurdist delight. What a gift for folks who love epics, myths, and a completely bonkers ride. The whole book is a fantastical, hilarious exploration of theism and human agency. What do we have control over and when are we riding on the back of a whale with a truth-telling newt because that’s just how the cookie crumbled?
Being able to tell a story like this takes immense skill and talent. At every point, Lewis is aware of both the overarching themes of the book and the conceits she’s using to tell the story. Just the chapter titles are a joy in and of themselves.
This book felt like a callback to the kind of comedic genre fiction I grew up reading (Douglas Adams and Richard Anton Wilson and the like) but updated and broken free from a singular lived experience.
I truly can’t wait for this to be on shelves next year.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Being able to tell a story like this takes immense skill and talent. At every point, Lewis is aware of both the overarching themes of the book and the conceits she’s using to tell the story. Just the chapter titles are a joy in and of themselves.
This book felt like a callback to the kind of comedic genre fiction I grew up reading (Douglas Adams and Richard Anton Wilson and the like) but updated and broken free from a singular lived experience.
I truly can’t wait for this to be on shelves next year.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
April 15, 2026Some of the best literature comes from constraint. When you intentionally limit yourself via word count/meter/format, you have to sharpen every other element of the work to compensate. The epic poem is a bundle of these constraints, and it’s why Paige Lewis’ debut novel Canon shines. By self-identifying as an epic, you inherit these constraints and define a few expectations for your work. But as you'll see, this is what allows the book to become something special.
From the beginning this novel is not shy about being an epic. One of our main characters, Yara, is called by God on their journey in the very first pages. That journey is to kill the leader of the Bad Guys (yes, this is the actual phrase used to describe them), Dominic. God is even explicit about setting up obstacles for them to prepare them for this task.
In the other half of the story, a prophet Adrena is used to hearing God in her head. She spends her time listening to his words and relaying them to others. But God abandons her to assist Yara in her journey (bypassing Adrena), which makes Adrena determined to kill Dominic herself. So she heads to the front lines to join the army in their quest.
It’s clear that the plot has been pared down to the essentials. It's not clear why the Bad Guys are "bad," why Yara was chosen, or (for most of the story) why Yara is so committed to doing something so against her nature. But the familiarity of this structure makes Yara’s quirks that much more pronounced. That’s the core of what makes Canon so good: Lewis uses our familiarity with these clichès to highlight the things that make Yara and Adrena different from what the reader expects.
The narration also takes advantage of this. As an epic, this novel is being “told” by a bard/storyteller, relaying the accomplishments of Yara and Adrena. The narrator is aware of the sort of story being told and is committed to telling is aware that their journeys must be told as epics. But that doesn’t mean the narrator is a fan of that format. Just look at some of these quotes:
>Some Eco-Friendly Bullshit
>Brace Yourself—Things Are About to Get Weird What do you mean things were already weird? What kind of person have I been spending all this time with? You probably think it’s embarrassing to buy lube for your partner. You probably ask for level-one spice when you order ramen. I bet you read Hemingway.
>Listen, once a person becomes a hero, their past self retroactively becomes a hero, too. So Yara is technically already our hero.
In these specific cases it is used to humorous effect, but that same subverting of expectation can also be used to add depth. While there are story elements that "have" to happen, the narrator can speed past parts that don't support the story they are trying to tell. The narrator is largely on Yara and Adrena's "side," so details like omitting Yara's father's name become insight into how the narrator (and by extension Yara) want the story to be told.
There is so much more I could say about this book. I would recommend reading as little as you can about Canon beforehand; the element of surprise makes this book much more satisfying to read. It is just so different from anything else I've read in the last 2-3 years. Canon has cemented Paige Lewis as an author to watch moving forward.
From the beginning this novel is not shy about being an epic. One of our main characters, Yara, is called by God on their journey in the very first pages. That journey is to kill the leader of the Bad Guys (yes, this is the actual phrase used to describe them), Dominic. God is even explicit about setting up obstacles for them to prepare them for this task.
In the other half of the story, a prophet Adrena is used to hearing God in her head. She spends her time listening to his words and relaying them to others. But God abandons her to assist Yara in her journey (bypassing Adrena), which makes Adrena determined to kill Dominic herself. So she heads to the front lines to join the army in their quest.
It’s clear that the plot has been pared down to the essentials. It's not clear why the Bad Guys are "bad," why Yara was chosen, or (for most of the story) why Yara is so committed to doing something so against her nature. But the familiarity of this structure makes Yara’s quirks that much more pronounced. That’s the core of what makes Canon so good: Lewis uses our familiarity with these clichès to highlight the things that make Yara and Adrena different from what the reader expects.
The narration also takes advantage of this. As an epic, this novel is being “told” by a bard/storyteller, relaying the accomplishments of Yara and Adrena. The narrator is aware of the sort of story being told and is committed to telling is aware that their journeys must be told as epics. But that doesn’t mean the narrator is a fan of that format. Just look at some of these quotes:
>Some Eco-Friendly Bullshit
>Brace Yourself—Things Are About to Get Weird What do you mean things were already weird? What kind of person have I been spending all this time with? You probably think it’s embarrassing to buy lube for your partner. You probably ask for level-one spice when you order ramen. I bet you read Hemingway.
>Listen, once a person becomes a hero, their past self retroactively becomes a hero, too. So Yara is technically already our hero.
In these specific cases it is used to humorous effect, but that same subverting of expectation can also be used to add depth. While there are story elements that "have" to happen, the narrator can speed past parts that don't support the story they are trying to tell. The narrator is largely on Yara and Adrena's "side," so details like omitting Yara's father's name become insight into how the narrator (and by extension Yara) want the story to be told.
There is so much more I could say about this book. I would recommend reading as little as you can about Canon beforehand; the element of surprise makes this book much more satisfying to read. It is just so different from anything else I've read in the last 2-3 years. Canon has cemented Paige Lewis as an author to watch moving forward.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Canon is a whimsical, surreal adventure story about an aimless young person named Yara, chosen by God to challenge and Dominic, the nefarious leader of the army of “Bad Guys".” Yara is tasked, very literally, with fulfilling a hero’s quest, of journeying across the ocean to meet with mentors who will train them to have the skills needed to save the world. And they’ll need it. Yara is young, abandoned by their religious family for being nonbinary, afflicted with profound contamination-based OCD, and deeply unable and disinterested in the act of murder. After God himself hands off his task, they’re granted a truth-telling newt and friendly talking whale and sent away. We also follow Adrena, a prophet of God who can sing things out of existence, who has abruptly lost her lifelong ability to hear God’s voice. She believes she can win God’s favor back by participating in the war and aiding the “Good Guys’” chosen general Harpo in the decisive battle to come.
Right away, it’s clear that Canon is operating in the surreal, whimsical metaphor style, rather than some secondary world fantasy. The book combines malls, phones, and movie theaters with magical animals, a great war fought with swords and spears, and a shroud-wearing God who acts more like a tech bro. The prose is simple and propelling, with a voice that should feel familiar to fans of Welcome to Night Vale or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It can feel a bit twee at times, but it’s not afraid to look darker subjects in the face.
Canon’s greatest strength lies in Lewis’ observational mind, a quality that I thought of as that of a poet’s before I even learned that yes, Paige Lewis is a poet. They have a deeply empathetic and precise way of chronicling all kinds of personal foibles, anxieties, weird thoughts, and other general things that feel deeply human and universal but that I haven’t seen put into words. It’s that brilliant sketch of humanity that makes Canon work so well, that underpins the absurd situations and keeps the story from turning too much into purely an allegory or a zany comedic adventure.
The book is 480 pages, yet it flies by, and if anything maybe should have been even longer, to truly justify its epic trappings. I found it hard to emotionally connect with most of the characters here, and maybe more time lingering with them would have helped. But Yara themself is clearly the standout here, whose fundamental decency is often shrouded by their hurt and constant fears. I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life, and while it has never become OCD or had this kind of obsession with germs and contamination, I can relate to thought spirals and the blank screen of paralyzing indecision, which are rendered well here.
Overall, this is a charming book with a poet’s eye for human detail, that goes down easy but offers some questions and critiques about the forces its God character stands for, like patriarchy, tradition, and the human thirst for moral certainty and absolution.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Right away, it’s clear that Canon is operating in the surreal, whimsical metaphor style, rather than some secondary world fantasy. The book combines malls, phones, and movie theaters with magical animals, a great war fought with swords and spears, and a shroud-wearing God who acts more like a tech bro. The prose is simple and propelling, with a voice that should feel familiar to fans of Welcome to Night Vale or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It can feel a bit twee at times, but it’s not afraid to look darker subjects in the face.
Canon’s greatest strength lies in Lewis’ observational mind, a quality that I thought of as that of a poet’s before I even learned that yes, Paige Lewis is a poet. They have a deeply empathetic and precise way of chronicling all kinds of personal foibles, anxieties, weird thoughts, and other general things that feel deeply human and universal but that I haven’t seen put into words. It’s that brilliant sketch of humanity that makes Canon work so well, that underpins the absurd situations and keeps the story from turning too much into purely an allegory or a zany comedic adventure.
The book is 480 pages, yet it flies by, and if anything maybe should have been even longer, to truly justify its epic trappings. I found it hard to emotionally connect with most of the characters here, and maybe more time lingering with them would have helped. But Yara themself is clearly the standout here, whose fundamental decency is often shrouded by their hurt and constant fears. I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life, and while it has never become OCD or had this kind of obsession with germs and contamination, I can relate to thought spirals and the blank screen of paralyzing indecision, which are rendered well here.
Overall, this is a charming book with a poet’s eye for human detail, that goes down easy but offers some questions and critiques about the forces its God character stands for, like patriarchy, tradition, and the human thirst for moral certainty and absolution.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the ARC!
Paige Lewis’s Canon is a playful collection of scenes in search of a narrative—incredible prose that reads more like a creative exercise than a coherent whole.
When a poet writes a novel, it feels like an event. Often, these authors have cultivated such precise, aching intention in how they use language that each page reads like a complete work of art. I think of people like Ocean Vuong or E.J. Koh, who treat prose as the natural culmination of their poetry. Paige Lewis’s Space Struck is one of my all-time favorite collections, so I was thrilled to see how they would translate their voice to a novel.
It’s a mixed bag.
Like many poets, Lewis is skilled at depicting how the world feels, not necessarily how it is, which leaves Canon in an awkward position. It’s full of wonderfully imagistic individual lines and moments (every scene with the talking whale named HOWBIG! is a delight), but it shrugs off coherence so often than it starts to feel shapeless. The plot has no rhythm—no peaks or valleys—it simply hums along with a quietness that could be read as either contentment or malaise. The dream-like absurdism that makes Lewis’s poetry linger also makes their prose languish. The turns of phrase that knock readers off-balance in a poem just rock them to motion sickness here because there's no sense of contrast. Canon desperately needs some deeper sense of equilibrium to work, but that’s the one thing it withholds. When everything is quirked up, nothing is.
There’s an argument to be made that the book’s title invites us to read it as a biblical epic, complete with mythic detachment and inconsistencies, but it seems unlikely because of where Lewis places their attention. Lewis writes characters as if they are poems, introducing them with such affection that they fully inhabit each page, but they never feel like they exist beyond it. The words play, but the characters don’t. They don’t have enough to do because everything that would be a single event in another book is the sum of the narrative here; it just never moves very far beyond its artful premise and carefully crafted mise-en-scéne. By the end of Canon, I wondered why the book hadn’t just adopted the formal constraints of being a novel-in-verse.
All that said, the moment-to-moment appeal of Lewis’s work is undeniable. They write with playful self-awareness and self-indulgence in equal measure, and if readers view the novel more like a sketchbook, it’s a blast. Oysters speak in poems. Chapters have pun-laden titles like “Adrena Walks in on Harpo Masticating.” Topics like religious trauma, OCD, and environmental crisis provide enough impetus to propel the story, but never fully enough to be considered themes. The whole book is sort of shaggy, with the free creative license of a first draft. That feels special, maybe even exciting, but it also doesn't feel sustainable.
Ultimately, Paige Lewis’s debut novel is a fascinating shade to their personal artistic canon, but one that may feel apocryphal by the end of their career.
Paige Lewis’s Canon is a playful collection of scenes in search of a narrative—incredible prose that reads more like a creative exercise than a coherent whole.
When a poet writes a novel, it feels like an event. Often, these authors have cultivated such precise, aching intention in how they use language that each page reads like a complete work of art. I think of people like Ocean Vuong or E.J. Koh, who treat prose as the natural culmination of their poetry. Paige Lewis’s Space Struck is one of my all-time favorite collections, so I was thrilled to see how they would translate their voice to a novel.
It’s a mixed bag.
Like many poets, Lewis is skilled at depicting how the world feels, not necessarily how it is, which leaves Canon in an awkward position. It’s full of wonderfully imagistic individual lines and moments (every scene with the talking whale named HOWBIG! is a delight), but it shrugs off coherence so often than it starts to feel shapeless. The plot has no rhythm—no peaks or valleys—it simply hums along with a quietness that could be read as either contentment or malaise. The dream-like absurdism that makes Lewis’s poetry linger also makes their prose languish. The turns of phrase that knock readers off-balance in a poem just rock them to motion sickness here because there's no sense of contrast. Canon desperately needs some deeper sense of equilibrium to work, but that’s the one thing it withholds. When everything is quirked up, nothing is.
There’s an argument to be made that the book’s title invites us to read it as a biblical epic, complete with mythic detachment and inconsistencies, but it seems unlikely because of where Lewis places their attention. Lewis writes characters as if they are poems, introducing them with such affection that they fully inhabit each page, but they never feel like they exist beyond it. The words play, but the characters don’t. They don’t have enough to do because everything that would be a single event in another book is the sum of the narrative here; it just never moves very far beyond its artful premise and carefully crafted mise-en-scéne. By the end of Canon, I wondered why the book hadn’t just adopted the formal constraints of being a novel-in-verse.
All that said, the moment-to-moment appeal of Lewis’s work is undeniable. They write with playful self-awareness and self-indulgence in equal measure, and if readers view the novel more like a sketchbook, it’s a blast. Oysters speak in poems. Chapters have pun-laden titles like “Adrena Walks in on Harpo Masticating.” Topics like religious trauma, OCD, and environmental crisis provide enough impetus to propel the story, but never fully enough to be considered themes. The whole book is sort of shaggy, with the free creative license of a first draft. That feels special, maybe even exciting, but it also doesn't feel sustainable.
Ultimately, Paige Lewis’s debut novel is a fascinating shade to their personal artistic canon, but one that may feel apocryphal by the end of their career.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Heartfelt, charming, and in parts, brilliant, Canon represents a fresh direction for contemporary literature.
God appears to non-binary and unlikely hero, Yara, with the charge that they must take down the leader of The Bad Guys, Dominic, in order to end a war. God's request causes the prophet Adrena to become jealous, and she seeks out the leader of the Good Guys, Harpo, falsely claiming God sent her to help lead his troops to conquer Dominic’s army. Harpo’s wife was recently kidnapped, and he agrees to allow Adrena to join if she delivers his wife safely. Adrena promises she shall, but it’s all a lie, the prophet did not hear from God recently nor knows the whereabouts of the kidnapped woman. Readers should prepare for trickery with mythological flair, a healthy compliment of humor and well-placed social commentary.
It's the 1990s, and as Yara hitches a ride on a whale to travel towards Dominic by sea, on land, Adrena and Harpo head to the mall to gather supplies and choose a battle song from Camelot Music. There is a newt that changes colors to confirm truths and lies, a sweetheart of a whale that needs sunscreen constantly slathered on his body to prevent burns and irreverent anachronisms abound from an unintentionally hilarious God.
Commentary on the horrific state of oceans, the unseen horrors of OCD, gender identity, body dysphoria, and sexual orientation are handled poignantly, even entertainingly, no easy feat. The storytelling can take some adjusting (they/them pronouns are used for Yara and some chapters are no more than a sentence), but the narrative ripens at each turn and social issues remain side dishes with the quest to kill Dominic the main course. Even with God at the reigns, nothing goes quite as planned.
In one standout dramatic scene, God tests Yara, and it is so incredibly effective, I may never forget it. Canon comes highly recommended to fans of myth and progressive readers. It's wonderful to see such innovation.
Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for a review copy.
God appears to non-binary and unlikely hero, Yara, with the charge that they must take down the leader of The Bad Guys, Dominic, in order to end a war. God's request causes the prophet Adrena to become jealous, and she seeks out the leader of the Good Guys, Harpo, falsely claiming God sent her to help lead his troops to conquer Dominic’s army. Harpo’s wife was recently kidnapped, and he agrees to allow Adrena to join if she delivers his wife safely. Adrena promises she shall, but it’s all a lie, the prophet did not hear from God recently nor knows the whereabouts of the kidnapped woman. Readers should prepare for trickery with mythological flair, a healthy compliment of humor and well-placed social commentary.
It's the 1990s, and as Yara hitches a ride on a whale to travel towards Dominic by sea, on land, Adrena and Harpo head to the mall to gather supplies and choose a battle song from Camelot Music. There is a newt that changes colors to confirm truths and lies, a sweetheart of a whale that needs sunscreen constantly slathered on his body to prevent burns and irreverent anachronisms abound from an unintentionally hilarious God.
Commentary on the horrific state of oceans, the unseen horrors of OCD, gender identity, body dysphoria, and sexual orientation are handled poignantly, even entertainingly, no easy feat. The storytelling can take some adjusting (they/them pronouns are used for Yara and some chapters are no more than a sentence), but the narrative ripens at each turn and social issues remain side dishes with the quest to kill Dominic the main course. Even with God at the reigns, nothing goes quite as planned.
In one standout dramatic scene, God tests Yara, and it is so incredibly effective, I may never forget it. Canon comes highly recommended to fans of myth and progressive readers. It's wonderful to see such innovation.
Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wonderfully weird, Canon will not be everyone’s cup of tea—but for readers who revel in the absurd, it may be a delight.
As someone who primarily gravitates toward contemporary literary fiction grounded in reality (and often pain), this was a significant departure for me. Paige Lewis does not gently usher you into the world; she throws you straight into the deep end of God’s mission for Yara. My hackles were immediately up—religion, biblical epics, fantasy quests—none of these sit comfortably in my usual reading lane.
And yet.
Lewis’s voice as a wry, meta narrator is compulsively readable. The sections featuring the self-obsessed GOD (who restores paintings of himself and treats self-criticism as sacrilege) are especially sharp and entertaining. There’s a biting humor threaded throughout that keeps the philosophical and fantastical elements buoyant rather than ponderous.
What impressed me most is how thoroughly Canon subverts expectations and binaries, especially regarding the traditional hero/villain. Rather than simply flipping the trope, Lewis destabilizes the very notion of fixed good and evil. Her characters aren’t caricatures standing in for virtue or vice; they’re fluid, contradictory, and deeply flawed. Instead of offering moral clarity, the novel invites questions—about power, identity, faith, our responsibility in and to the world, and violence.
Comparisons to Terry Pratchett feel inevitable given the satirical tone and authorial intrusions. While the tonal kinship is clear, I personally found Lewis’s execution more emotionally resonant. Where Pratchett can feel sprawling and overly broad, Lewis strikes a tighter balance between absurdity and sincerity. The characters, however heightened, still feel accessible.
Bold, irreverent, and unexpectedly thoughtful—Canon is a strange little gem that rewards readers willing to surrender to its peculiar logic.
As someone who primarily gravitates toward contemporary literary fiction grounded in reality (and often pain), this was a significant departure for me. Paige Lewis does not gently usher you into the world; she throws you straight into the deep end of God’s mission for Yara. My hackles were immediately up—religion, biblical epics, fantasy quests—none of these sit comfortably in my usual reading lane.
And yet.
Lewis’s voice as a wry, meta narrator is compulsively readable. The sections featuring the self-obsessed GOD (who restores paintings of himself and treats self-criticism as sacrilege) are especially sharp and entertaining. There’s a biting humor threaded throughout that keeps the philosophical and fantastical elements buoyant rather than ponderous.
What impressed me most is how thoroughly Canon subverts expectations and binaries, especially regarding the traditional hero/villain. Rather than simply flipping the trope, Lewis destabilizes the very notion of fixed good and evil. Her characters aren’t caricatures standing in for virtue or vice; they’re fluid, contradictory, and deeply flawed. Instead of offering moral clarity, the novel invites questions—about power, identity, faith, our responsibility in and to the world, and violence.
Comparisons to Terry Pratchett feel inevitable given the satirical tone and authorial intrusions. While the tonal kinship is clear, I personally found Lewis’s execution more emotionally resonant. Where Pratchett can feel sprawling and overly broad, Lewis strikes a tighter balance between absurdity and sincerity. The characters, however heightened, still feel accessible.
Bold, irreverent, and unexpectedly thoughtful—Canon is a strange little gem that rewards readers willing to surrender to its peculiar logic.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I say this with nothing but the highest praise: this is the weirdest book I have ever in my life read.
If you asked me to explain the plot to you, I don’t even think I could. It’s about someone being chosen by god to kill an Evil Bad Guy and they have to ride a magic talking whale (who is the reincarnated form of Jacques Cousteau?) along with a lie-detecting Newt to get the strength needed to defeat said Bad Guy. It’s also about a prophet who talks with god who teams up with the Good Guys to defeat the Bad Guys. It takes place in the ‘90s. I cannot tell you which century. It’s modern. Its futuristic. It’s medieval. It’s so downright bizarre that it felt like a dream come to life and I will be thinking about this book for the rest of my days.
Also, God wears a tracksuit and judges men’s bodybuilding competitions.
Look, I could go on about how I loved the representation in this book. We have a nonbinary sapphic MC with OCD. We have a tall lesbian MC. We have her plus sized love interest. We have varying degrees of gender and sexuality and it was amazing. But for once, that’s not the part that stuck with me.
What stuck with me was the everloving weird fuckfest that was Canon. I’ve had dreams that were less weird than this.
Do I have questions? Sure! Who was the narrator? What happens now? Were the Bad Guys ACTUALLY the Bad Guys? The ending was so vague it would have given my high school English teacher an aneurysm (loved her. She just loathed vague, open endings). I wish I could explain why I loved this book, but I don’t have the words for it. Think “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and a Monty Python sketch had a weird, cosmic baby. That’s the closest I can get to this.
Just…trust me. Read this book. If not for the plot and the sassy narrator, then for Newt and HOWBIG!.
I say this with nothing but the highest praise: this is the weirdest book I have ever in my life read.
If you asked me to explain the plot to you, I don’t even think I could. It’s about someone being chosen by god to kill an Evil Bad Guy and they have to ride a magic talking whale (who is the reincarnated form of Jacques Cousteau?) along with a lie-detecting Newt to get the strength needed to defeat said Bad Guy. It’s also about a prophet who talks with god who teams up with the Good Guys to defeat the Bad Guys. It takes place in the ‘90s. I cannot tell you which century. It’s modern. Its futuristic. It’s medieval. It’s so downright bizarre that it felt like a dream come to life and I will be thinking about this book for the rest of my days.
Also, God wears a tracksuit and judges men’s bodybuilding competitions.
Look, I could go on about how I loved the representation in this book. We have a nonbinary sapphic MC with OCD. We have a tall lesbian MC. We have her plus sized love interest. We have varying degrees of gender and sexuality and it was amazing. But for once, that’s not the part that stuck with me.
What stuck with me was the everloving weird fuckfest that was Canon. I’ve had dreams that were less weird than this.
Do I have questions? Sure! Who was the narrator? What happens now? Were the Bad Guys ACTUALLY the Bad Guys? The ending was so vague it would have given my high school English teacher an aneurysm (loved her. She just loathed vague, open endings). I wish I could explain why I loved this book, but I don’t have the words for it. Think “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and a Monty Python sketch had a weird, cosmic baby. That’s the closest I can get to this.
Just…trust me. Read this book. If not for the plot and the sassy narrator, then for Newt and HOWBIG!.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is a lot to love about this novel. However, I think it is ultimately trying to do too much, which made for a mixed reading experience. As for the positives, I love the queer and neurodivergent rep, and the character work in general is excellent. The humorous elements are also genuinely funny, and I LOVED the whale and newt animal companions SO much (I would die for HOWBIG!).
The weaknesses of this novel lie in its plot, world, and themes. Again, I think there is just too much trying to be accomplished at once, so nothing is realized to its full potential . At points the story feels like an ancient epic poem, at other points like Percy Jackson and the Olympians, at other points like a serious lit fic, and at others like pure satire. There are also so many character perspectives that come and go, which I found distracting. I really wish we had just been following Yara and got to spend more time with them and their animal companions, since I found Yara's character and backstory really compelling.
I also found the complete lack of world-building very disorienting (and I usually don't care too much about world-building tbh). Maybe the disorientation is the point, but as someone who visualizes everything that I read, it made it very difficult to connect to the story. Near the beginning of the novel, we are told that it's vaguely the 1990s and like, phones exist, but then people are fighting a battle with horses and chariots. I think more explanation of the world would have greatly improved the reading experience.
I would read from this author again if they published a more honed-in literary novel, because aspects of the writing and characters were so good. This book in particular though just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc!
The weaknesses of this novel lie in its plot, world, and themes. Again, I think there is just too much trying to be accomplished at once, so nothing is realized to its full potential . At points the story feels like an ancient epic poem, at other points like Percy Jackson and the Olympians, at other points like a serious lit fic, and at others like pure satire. There are also so many character perspectives that come and go, which I found distracting. I really wish we had just been following Yara and got to spend more time with them and their animal companions, since I found Yara's character and backstory really compelling.
I also found the complete lack of world-building very disorienting (and I usually don't care too much about world-building tbh). Maybe the disorientation is the point, but as someone who visualizes everything that I read, it made it very difficult to connect to the story. Near the beginning of the novel, we are told that it's vaguely the 1990s and like, phones exist, but then people are fighting a battle with horses and chariots. I think more explanation of the world would have greatly improved the reading experience.
I would read from this author again if they published a more honed-in literary novel, because aspects of the writing and characters were so good. This book in particular though just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc!
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