Genevieves

by Henry Hoke

A shape-shifting presence named Genevieve unites these nine surreal stories, haunting the characters as they transcend and escape the traps of the everyday. Visions carried over from childish desire and imagination start to manifest in adulthood. In the mysteries that wake us up only to show us a new dream, Genevieve exists.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2017

About the author

Henry Hoke is an editor at The Offing and the author of five books, most recently the novel Open Throat (MCDxFSG / Picador), and the memoir Sticker (Bloomsbury).

Reviews

[Joe Sacksteder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review on Western Humanities Review: http://www.westernhumanitiesreview.co...

[Sara Gerot · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book, small and strong, it is rich with significance, I don't read Hoke's work like that. Not at first. After reading Genevieves I read this great reviewhttp://www.westernhumanitiesreview.co... that enhanced my understanding; however, at a first read-through I don't want anything from his work but the flips and turns the poetic prose and ghostly characters incite. His work is weird in the best possible way and I enjoy just letting the sentences, and the stories carry me along, never wanting to stop, or pause, or put the book down. It is sort of magic like that.
The whole book is great but there are some amazing lines like "names are just another way of pretending things aren't happening." The writing is crafted, and curated with such control. I really really enjoy his work.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

stories linked by a name, sometimes of them a character but mostly overheard, implied, not needing understanding. the stories have siblings, usually with a strangeness between them. the stories have violence, though off screen, waiting, implicit.

[Téa Jones-Yelvington · Rating 5 out of 5]

ASTOUNDING.

[Nina Rota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letters rewrite themselves, people — both living and drawn — disappear into thin air, quote marks become violent, and even book blurbs are snarky. But not this review, because this is the most creative and unexpectedly complex book I’ve read in a long time. I kept going back to check that I’d read what I read — yes, a father may have been missing his mouth.

The humor distracted me as the haunting crept up and bit me in the face. You’ll want to read and reread these stories.