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Danielle Cain #2
The Barrow Will Send What it May
Margaret Killjoy’s Danielle Cain series is a dropkick-in-the-mouth anarcho-punk fantasy that pits traveling anarchist Danielle Cain against eternal spirits, hypocritical ideologues, and brutal, unfeeling officers of the law.
Now a nascent demon-hunting crew on the lam, Danielle and her friends arrive in a small town that contains a secret occult library run by anarchists and residents who claim to have come back from the dead. When Danielle and her crew investigate, they are put directly in the crosshairs of a necromancer’s wrath — whose actions threaten to trigger the apocalypse itself.
Now a nascent demon-hunting crew on the lam, Danielle and her friends arrive in a small town that contains a secret occult library run by anarchists and residents who claim to have come back from the dead. When Danielle and her crew investigate, they are put directly in the crosshairs of a necromancer’s wrath — whose actions threaten to trigger the apocalypse itself.
145 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2018
59 people are currently reading
2130 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Killjoy
57 books1,425 followersMargaret Killjoy is a transfeminine author and editor currently based in the Appalachian mountains. Her most recent book is an anarchist demon hunters novella called The Barrow Will Send What it May, published by Tor.com. She spends her time crafting and complaining about authoritarian power structures and she blogs at birdsbeforethestorm.net.
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May 29, 2018
ARC provided by Tor in exchange for an honest review.
1.) The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion ★★★★
This series means so much to me, and I think these are some of the best novellas that Tor has to offer. Friends, please, stop sleeping on these books and give this awesome series about a group of racially diverse, LGBTQIAP+, modern day Scooby-Doo-like (but instead of the Mystery Machine they have a bookmobile), demon hunting, punk rock, anarchists, a try! I’m honestly begging.
And in this second installment, Danielle and her brand-new friends are on the run after the events that took place in The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion with a certain demonic deer that was summoned. Now, they are half demon hunters looking for their next mission, and half just laying low from the law.
“Also I guess I kind of fed an anarchist to a deer a couple days ago but that’s beside the point.”
And the crew? They are pretty much my favorite crew of all time:
➽ Danielle - 28, has been traveling for ten years, now has a precarious hand bite!
➽ Brynn - Tattoo artist, and half of the sweetest, most wonderful, slow-burn romance with Danielle.
➽ Vulture - My favorite, and the funniest member of the group. He is a transman, black, gay, and Instagram obsessed.
➽ Thursday - I loved getting to know him more in this novella. We knew he uses he/him pronouns and is a PoC from book one, but we found out he is also pretty funny in this book. He is also the protector of the group, and is such a heartwarming character.
➽ Doomsday - She is in a relationship with Thursday and was part of the original summoning from book one.
But they have stumbled upon a new town in Montana, that happens to have a squatter owned building, turned library, that specializes in occult books! Oh, and there may or may not be a necromancer that is raising the dead because of a certain spell in a spell book. #myaesthetic
“Pendleton Library. Still free. Still open to the public. 10 a.m.—4 p.m. Run by anarchists.”
But with necromancy, there is always a price to be paid. And this new, somewhat abandoned tourist town, ends up being a brand-new mystery for Danielle and her new friends. And there is so much good within these magical 160 pages. This book really talks about power imbalances and how people will constantly abuse the power dynamic if you allow it. This book talks about how physical contact can not only comfort but can actually heal. There is always a heavy emphasis on pronouns and correctly using them. This book also completely celebrates the importance of found family. And this book has one of the sweetest and most rewarding friends to lovers, f/f relationships I’ve read about in a long while.
“We don’t get to choose how we die, only how we live, and I like you and I’m glad I got to know you.”
And as diverse as this cast is, there is mention of a gender fluid character, there is talk of polya relationships, and this is probably the only book(s) I’ve ever read that normalizes people not conforming to society and choosing to be homeless and travel around. Also, the author themselves is a transwoman. I also feel like these books are very personal to the author, and the love for these characters truly bleeds onto the page. I couldn’t help but fall in love with them too, and all of their realness and all their rawness.
And Margaret Killjoy has written the most realistic depiction of anxiety and panic attacks that I’ve ever read in my entire life. And I have never even seen another author mention a medical panic attack before. This whole series means a lot to me, but I don’t even have words for how seen I felt seeing Danielle dealing with something I deal with at least once a week.
Content Warnings for a car crash, death of a friend, death of a loved one, murder, talk of cancer, and mild violence.
Overall, I wish I could put these books in everyone’s hands. I know so many of my friends would love them, if they only gave them a try. These are such amazing little horror novellas, that have so much representation just shining brightly constantly. I hope that the world gets so many more books in this series. And I’ll read them all with the biggest smile on my face!
“I’ll stay down here, keep an eye on the door. If I’m going to die again, I’d rather be first and I’d rather be surrounded by books.”
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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
March 7, 2019
2019 UPDATE This tale is a finalist for the 31st Lammy Award in Sci Fi/Fantasy! Awards presented 3 June 2019.
You don't know how good an author's work is until you realize, when reading their new work, that you've missed these characters, this world, this skewed vision of life. That's what happened to me when I finally got around to reading Author Killjoy's latest tale of Danielle Cain and her band of merry pranksters (and now is the moment I say to the spoilerphobic that this next bit is a HUGE HONKING SPOILER for The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion, which see):
...
...
...
...
...okay, are the spoilerphobes gone? Good. Here's the moment I came home:
That's just effin' awesome. I can't even with Killjoy!
I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the following lines made my evil, withered soul batten like a leech on an artery:
*oooo aaah* Killjoy speaks my mother(fuckin) tongue!
But the story. Yes, the story, the story, one must always serve the story. I found the events of this outing with Danielle and company a little bit on the rushed side, that is, until I realized we're in the same continuum as the last story and the data we need is all going to be relevant one day soon. I liked the new people the group met; I found the Montana setting used more as a form of social shorthand than a background character the way Freedom, Iowa, was in the last book. That it was effective I grant you, since it wasn't until a scene taking pace in Glacier National Park came and went without my so much as smelling a pine tree before I noticed it fully. Prior to that, I had a niggling sense of something not quite full about my cup of story. I understand how little room there is in under 200pp for the author to go hog wild with scenery and such-like. I'd've liked just a bit more, though.
The supernatural elements, the raising of the dead and concomitant magjicqkal spooky do's, the visuals and olfactories that go with, were here in plenty! I was deeply interested in The Killjoy Take on the omnipresent and worn-thinner-than-gossamer zombie trope. I must say it was a relief not to hate it. I was down with the whole idea, the way it's managed, and the fascinating departure from the more...meaty...tone that most fictioneers use in the wake of The Walking Dead.
Most of all, though, I love these stories because Danielle is a great character. She's a traveler, she does not put down roots but instead epiphytically sucks nourishment from the heavy air of mystery and magjicqk that surrounds her and, I think, likely always has. I find her love for another person realistic and well-realized. She doesn't go into frothing fits of adoration but she sure as hell notices when Brynn, her love object from last book, pays a little too much attention to someone new. Yet she's not possessive, really, she doesn't do the victim's-rights polka all over Brynn. After all this is a character who thinks:
Yes. I concur, and like Author Killjoy, I don't limit my sense of being suffocated to my own personal body, but to everyone everywhere.
Should you read these novellas? If you come in with the spirit of adventure and of acceptance for difference that Author Killjoy does. Yes, The Other is demonized...when The Other is an actual demon, or the slave of one. It's the **intent** that Author Killjoy uses to brand The Other. Their appearance, their state of lifedeath, none of that matters so long as one isn't attempting Livingism by radical means of forcing an unconsulted, non-consenting Other to be alive!
You know what I wish more than anything? I wish Margaret Killjoy would get inspired and write some *good* Social Justice Warrior stories of Doctor Who, that's what. The tedious, lumpen things Chibnall and company are turning out, well, just not that good I'm afraid. This book is *good* woke supernatural bloody scary fiction. Find you way to the UK, Margaret Killjoy, just don't forget about Danielle and Scooby-group of Doom! (Would Vulture like that one, or Danielle?)
You don't know how good an author's work is until you realize, when reading their new work, that you've missed these characters, this world, this skewed vision of life. That's what happened to me when I finally got around to reading Author Killjoy's latest tale of Danielle Cain and her band of merry pranksters (and now is the moment I say to the spoilerphobic that this next bit is a HUGE HONKING SPOILER for The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion, which see):
...
...
...
...
...okay, are the spoilerphobes gone? Good. Here's the moment I came home:
A demon killed those police officers, sir. It wasn’t us. They probably shouldn’t have pulled guns out around a bloodred, three-antlered deer with obvious supernatural agility, so whose fault was it really.
That's just effin' awesome. I can't even with Killjoy!
I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the following lines made my evil, withered soul batten like a leech on an artery:
Sometimes I think I let myself become addicted to coffee not because I liked it, not because caffeine did me any favors, but because it takes the urge of a physical addiction to provide any kind of upside to getting out of bed in the morning.
*oooo aaah* Killjoy speaks my mother(fuckin) tongue!
But the story. Yes, the story, the story, one must always serve the story. I found the events of this outing with Danielle and company a little bit on the rushed side, that is, until I realized we're in the same continuum as the last story and the data we need is all going to be relevant one day soon. I liked the new people the group met; I found the Montana setting used more as a form of social shorthand than a background character the way Freedom, Iowa, was in the last book. That it was effective I grant you, since it wasn't until a scene taking pace in Glacier National Park came and went without my so much as smelling a pine tree before I noticed it fully. Prior to that, I had a niggling sense of something not quite full about my cup of story. I understand how little room there is in under 200pp for the author to go hog wild with scenery and such-like. I'd've liked just a bit more, though.
The supernatural elements, the raising of the dead and concomitant magjicqkal spooky do's, the visuals and olfactories that go with, were here in plenty! I was deeply interested in The Killjoy Take on the omnipresent and worn-thinner-than-gossamer zombie trope. I must say it was a relief not to hate it. I was down with the whole idea, the way it's managed, and the fascinating departure from the more...meaty...tone that most fictioneers use in the wake of The Walking Dead.
Most of all, though, I love these stories because Danielle is a great character. She's a traveler, she does not put down roots but instead epiphytically sucks nourishment from the heavy air of mystery and magjicqk that surrounds her and, I think, likely always has. I find her love for another person realistic and well-realized. She doesn't go into frothing fits of adoration but she sure as hell notices when Brynn, her love object from last book, pays a little too much attention to someone new. Yet she's not possessive, really, she doesn't do the victim's-rights polka all over Brynn. After all this is a character who thinks:
There’s never enough air or something once you barricade the doors. There’re always too many people, both inside and outside, when you barricade the doors.
Yes. I concur, and like Author Killjoy, I don't limit my sense of being suffocated to my own personal body, but to everyone everywhere.
Should you read these novellas? If you come in with the spirit of adventure and of acceptance for difference that Author Killjoy does. Yes, The Other is demonized...when The Other is an actual demon, or the slave of one. It's the **intent** that Author Killjoy uses to brand The Other. Their appearance, their state of lifedeath, none of that matters so long as one isn't attempting Livingism by radical means of forcing an unconsulted, non-consenting Other to be alive!
You know what I wish more than anything? I wish Margaret Killjoy would get inspired and write some *good* Social Justice Warrior stories of Doctor Who, that's what. The tedious, lumpen things Chibnall and company are turning out, well, just not that good I'm afraid. This book is *good* woke supernatural bloody scary fiction. Find you way to the UK, Margaret Killjoy, just don't forget about Danielle and Scooby-group of Doom! (Would Vulture like that one, or Danielle?)
June 23, 2018
#1 The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion ★★★★★
#2 The Barrow Will Send What it May ★★★★★
Barrow: an endless spirit who stands at the gate between the living and the dead, waiting to tear it from its hinges.
First of all, I would just like to say that I absolutely love the setup of this series—each installment being its own individual little mystery, with new locations, characters, and terrors—and I would honestly be so happy to read a dozen of these novellas. I already enjoyed Danielle’s narrative in book 1, but it’s even more authentic and lovable in this one, as she delves into her inner monologue a bit more and faces down some of her own personal obstacles and flaws.
“We ask for good strangers.”
“We ask for the barrow to send what it may.”
“We ask that ill eyes pass us over.”
“We ask for the dead to guard us.”
“We ask that sorrow be held at bay.”
Not only do we get to explore this new adventure with Danielle’s found family (Brynn, Vulture, and the Days), we also get to meet a handful of new people, including my personal faves: a couple of anarcho-punks who run a stolen library for a desolate old tourist trap town, with a secret occult library upstairs. I know I raved about the aesthetic behind The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion in that review, and while this book didn’t check as many of my boxes, I gotta say that I was living for the library setting.
Of all the ways to die, I think pummeled to death by trashy hetero romance novels might be the worst. Or best.
Much like its predecessor, this book offers a super diverse cast with a lot of normalization and talk about queer relationships, but it went a step further by adding in a couple of snarky, harmless remarks about cis/hetero individuals that reminded me so much of some of my friends. There’s never any vitriol behind any of it, but it was so entertaining and reminded me of something that came to mind while reading the first book: Margaret Killjoy is not writing to please the masses; she is writing to an audience of her peers, people who—in some small ways, at least—view the world in a similar manner to her, and I respect and love the hell out of her for it. It is so wonderful to feel so “seen” by an author, especially in the horror genre, where we rarely see authors who tackle these topics in a meaningful way.
It’s not really giving up our freedom to be close with people. Because freedom only exists in relation to other people. I thought I needed to be left alone. I just needed people. Good people.
Underneath all of the adventure and suspense and found family wonder going on in this story, there was also a really gorgeous, subtle development between Danielle and Brynn, and I was living for it. I am shipping this couple so hard by now, and I really love the slowness of its buildup. Brynn is absolutely precious, on top of it—she’s probably my favorite character of all, with her handsome, muscular little tattoo artist self.
“I would like the record to state I think this is metal as fuck.”
At the end of the day, I didn’t love this book quite as much as the first one in the series, but it’s like comparing a 4.75-star read to a 5-star one—this series still hits my checkboxes so hard, and I love these characters so much that I would happily read entire novellas just about them grocery shopping or meandering through the park. Margaret Killjoy has fully earned my affections, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
All quotes are taken from an ARC and may not match the final release. Thank you to Tor.com for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!
March 31, 2018
Wow. I'm kicked in the head from out on left field. I got this through Netgalley based only on its cover and a single word in the blurb, but the tasting and devouring of the novella? SOOOO good. :)
What to expect? ANARCHY! Woooh Hooo!
The best description I can make is likening this to the Rowdy crew from that Dirk Gently tv series but they're hunting baddies a-la UF fiction and when they aren't mystery-ing it up like the Scooby Gang, they're making pacts with ancient Egyptian gods to resurrect dead friends.
With huge complications.
And in the meantime, the Scooby gang steals, breaks, and thumbs their noses at evil magical Feds and makes sure their lives are led in the freest way ever. Spice of life. Live like this is your last day. Because, for some of them, it was. Yes, past tense. :)
So rowdy! :) Roadtripping, resurrecting, randomizing, you name it, they're doing it. And it's a pure delight.
I do think I'm going to be keeping my eye out for this author something fierce. :)
What to expect? ANARCHY! Woooh Hooo!
The best description I can make is likening this to the Rowdy crew from that Dirk Gently tv series but they're hunting baddies a-la UF fiction and when they aren't mystery-ing it up like the Scooby Gang, they're making pacts with ancient Egyptian gods to resurrect dead friends.
With huge complications.
And in the meantime, the Scooby gang steals, breaks, and thumbs their noses at evil magical Feds and makes sure their lives are led in the freest way ever. Spice of life. Live like this is your last day. Because, for some of them, it was. Yes, past tense. :)
So rowdy! :) Roadtripping, resurrecting, randomizing, you name it, they're doing it. And it's a pure delight.
I do think I'm going to be keeping my eye out for this author something fierce. :)
September 6, 2021
Reread update: the series hasn't yet had a new entry, but the two we got were so phenomenally good that it's absolutely worth it. Still love it!
The Danielle Cain series continues to rock my world - I absolutely devoured this book. I'm already a sucker for the found family trope, and our merry band of punkish misfits continue to support and grow with each other as they continue on the road. And like any road, there's plenty of bumps in their path, with the supernatural aspects of the story continuing to be creepy and original and absolutely haunting.
I love it! I'll be waiting for the next just as eagerly as I did this one.
The Danielle Cain series continues to rock my world - I absolutely devoured this book. I'm already a sucker for the found family trope, and our merry band of punkish misfits continue to support and grow with each other as they continue on the road. And like any road, there's plenty of bumps in their path, with the supernatural aspects of the story continuing to be creepy and original and absolutely haunting.
I love it! I'll be waiting for the next just as eagerly as I did this one.
April 21, 2019
This just wasn’t as enjoyable as the first for me, it followed a lot of the same script and just seemed too rushed. But my love for Danielle Cain and her comrades lives on.
September 10, 2018
Man, sometimes I hate owning a cellphone.
Like many of my generation, I can find myself whittling away precious minutes on Instagram, Facebook, emails, or even my personal favourite social media, Goodreads. Though this sometimes yields important or interesting info, it just as often leaves me with the hollow feeling of having gazed into the shiny hand-box for a quarter of an hour. On one such extended scroll, I came across an article suggesting the Kindle App was a great way to get away from the time-vortex of social media apps.
As it turns out, returning to the Danielle Cain series in this format was a superb fit. The short chapters and fast-paced narrative made this the perfect read for short bursts stolen during lunch breaks or while waiting for a clinic to get started. Much of what I said in my review of the first book holds true here. This series stands out from the crowd with its anarchist-protagonists, a restrained and effective magic system, and some solid philosophical thoughts.
This novella picks up where the last left off: after ridding an Anarchist town of their three-horned, demon deer, Danielle Cain and her recently minted demon-hunting team set off in search of their next case while avoiding the law. This time around the ghoul-fighting gang finds themselves at odds with a necromancer who has brought back a few dead folk for all the wrong reasons. Throw in some commentary about toxic masculinity, the patriarchy, and power dynamics in relationships and you've got yourself a solid second outing for Danielle Cain & Co.
I liked the way Killjoy handled this sequel: it feels like an entirely different type of case from the first, and that assuaged much of my worries that this would fall into a monster-of-the-week procedural. The political hot topics that Killjoy broaches are often presented from a moralistic high ground, but I found them well integrated into the story and it never felt forced. Instead, it just feels like what these characters would believe based on the life they've chosen.
Great stuff, tons of fun, and I look forward to the next case. I'm hoping we get some sort of showdown with the magical FBI!
[4.5 Stars]
Like many of my generation, I can find myself whittling away precious minutes on Instagram, Facebook, emails, or even my personal favourite social media, Goodreads. Though this sometimes yields important or interesting info, it just as often leaves me with the hollow feeling of having gazed into the shiny hand-box for a quarter of an hour. On one such extended scroll, I came across an article suggesting the Kindle App was a great way to get away from the time-vortex of social media apps.
As it turns out, returning to the Danielle Cain series in this format was a superb fit. The short chapters and fast-paced narrative made this the perfect read for short bursts stolen during lunch breaks or while waiting for a clinic to get started. Much of what I said in my review of the first book holds true here. This series stands out from the crowd with its anarchist-protagonists, a restrained and effective magic system, and some solid philosophical thoughts.
This novella picks up where the last left off: after ridding an Anarchist town of their three-horned, demon deer, Danielle Cain and her recently minted demon-hunting team set off in search of their next case while avoiding the law. This time around the ghoul-fighting gang finds themselves at odds with a necromancer who has brought back a few dead folk for all the wrong reasons. Throw in some commentary about toxic masculinity, the patriarchy, and power dynamics in relationships and you've got yourself a solid second outing for Danielle Cain & Co.
I liked the way Killjoy handled this sequel: it feels like an entirely different type of case from the first, and that assuaged much of my worries that this would fall into a monster-of-the-week procedural. The political hot topics that Killjoy broaches are often presented from a moralistic high ground, but I found them well integrated into the story and it never felt forced. Instead, it just feels like what these characters would believe based on the life they've chosen.
Great stuff, tons of fun, and I look forward to the next case. I'm hoping we get some sort of showdown with the magical FBI!
[4.5 Stars]
Read
May 1, 2018A second installment in this cracking anarcho-horror series, where the supernatural threats barely outweigh the menace of human power systems. It picks up where #1 left off, with a ragtag mob of punk anarchist amateur demon-hunters on the run from a small incident involving multiple murder and shooting police, and whizzes straight into a mystery involving people back from the dead.
Terrific horror, pacey plotting, and wonderful characterisation and dialogue. This is the Scooby gang for politically radical grown ups and I love it. More please!
Terrific horror, pacey plotting, and wonderful characterisation and dialogue. This is the Scooby gang for politically radical grown ups and I love it. More please!
September 11, 2020
“Demon Crew,” Vulture said, sitting in the open door of the van.
“No,” Thursday said.
“Anarcho-Team.”
“No. You’re not even trying anymore.”
“The Children of the Road.”
“Now you’re just saying random things.”
Review to follow.
“No,” Thursday said.
“Anarcho-Team.”
“No. You’re not even trying anymore.”
“The Children of the Road.”
“Now you’re just saying random things.”
Review to follow.
April 28, 2018
'There's only so far our thoughts can wander outside our ethics before something kicks in and brings us back.'
Okay, so I definitely liked The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion better but this was still so good!
I love this found family team (that doesn't have a name yet) and I can honestly read countless books about them traveling to different towns and and getting into all kind of fucked up messes and then cleaning them up as best as they can.
The characters remain the best and are developed further. I love how queer they are from talking about gender fluidity to the amusing remarks about cis people being cis. Danielle's anxiety is portrayed so well and I loved the scene of her inner monologue about panic attacks and how she deals with them. Shout out to Doomsday because she'd definitely my favorite after Danielle. Also, Vulture who's hilarious.
This book shines some light on how people deal with grief and death and how love can easily become selfish in such situations. It also continues with the theme of power from book 1 and how people perceive it as something to be used to liberate others when it's really about liberating yourself and vice versa. I really liked that. The social commentary and simple observations about life in general are also what makes this series so great. The writing remains beautiful and just gimme more books set in this world!
Favorite quotes: 'I'd never seen it with my own eyes, those flames that stood in monument to the wastefulness of civilization.'
'Men will do anything if they think it's in the best interest of some woman they love,' Gertrude said. 'Whether or not the woman agrees.'
'I used to think I wanted a life of adventure. Now I just want to be left alone.'
-----------
HOLY SHIT, THIS SOUNDS EVEN BETTER 😭
Okay, so I definitely liked The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion better but this was still so good!
I love this found family team (that doesn't have a name yet) and I can honestly read countless books about them traveling to different towns and and getting into all kind of fucked up messes and then cleaning them up as best as they can.
The characters remain the best and are developed further. I love how queer they are from talking about gender fluidity to the amusing remarks about cis people being cis. Danielle's anxiety is portrayed so well and I loved the scene of her inner monologue about panic attacks and how she deals with them. Shout out to Doomsday because she'd definitely my favorite after Danielle. Also, Vulture who's hilarious.
This book shines some light on how people deal with grief and death and how love can easily become selfish in such situations. It also continues with the theme of power from book 1 and how people perceive it as something to be used to liberate others when it's really about liberating yourself and vice versa. I really liked that. The social commentary and simple observations about life in general are also what makes this series so great. The writing remains beautiful and just gimme more books set in this world!
Favorite quotes: 'I'd never seen it with my own eyes, those flames that stood in monument to the wastefulness of civilization.'
'Men will do anything if they think it's in the best interest of some woman they love,' Gertrude said. 'Whether or not the woman agrees.'
'I used to think I wanted a life of adventure. Now I just want to be left alone.'
-----------
HOLY SHIT, THIS SOUNDS EVEN BETTER 😭
February 26, 2021
Review to follow... I love this world. Magical anarchists are a lot of fun.
October 12, 2019
actual rating: 3.5
Pretty much just 'second verse, same as the first' but it's an enjoyable formula and an interesting read so I can't necessarily be too upset about that. Follows directly off the end of the first novella with our characters on the road and fleeing their former home. They roll into a new town with another supernatural entity problem and start to investigate in their new role as 'demon hunters'. Nice to see familiar faces from the first novel as well as some cool new ones. I like the world that Killjoy has created and the general tone and feel of the books, I just wish they were a little bit longer because the plots do feel a bit rushed at times and also it means it takes longer to get to know the characters.
Pretty much just 'second verse, same as the first' but it's an enjoyable formula and an interesting read so I can't necessarily be too upset about that. Follows directly off the end of the first novella with our characters on the road and fleeing their former home. They roll into a new town with another supernatural entity problem and start to investigate in their new role as 'demon hunters'. Nice to see familiar faces from the first novel as well as some cool new ones. I like the world that Killjoy has created and the general tone and feel of the books, I just wish they were a little bit longer because the plots do feel a bit rushed at times and also it means it takes longer to get to know the characters.
February 7, 2025
“La liberté des autres étend la mienne à l'infini” disait Mikhaïl Bakounine. C'est de cette façon que les anarchistes pensent. Et si Mikhaïl n'est pas directement cité dans le texte, on comprend vite que Margaret Killjoy a fait de la liberté anarchiste le thème principal du tome 2 des aventures de Danielle Cain.
Et c'est donc autour du patriarcat - l'un des principaux responsables de la privation de liberté dans le monde - que s'articule “Les Morts possèderont la terre”. C'est LE grand méchant de ce tome, et quasi toutes les problématiques soulevées dans le récit tournent autour. Ce n'est jamais explicitement mentionné, mais si on est un peu politisé ça saute au visage.
C'est hyper bien pensé car le livre n'offre d'ailleurs aucune digression théorique. Tout n'est qu'action. le récit est ramassé (presque trop d'ailleurs), dynamique et fluide. Ça va à l'essentiel, et pourtant on voit bien où l'autrice veut nous mener politiquement. Je trouve ça brillant de simplicité.
Comme pour le premier tome j'aurai aimé que le texte soit un peu plus long et creuse un peu plus les relations entre les différents personnages. Mais après en avoir discuté avec les camarades, on s'est dit que, parfois, c'est bien quand c'est court aussi. On s'est aussi dit que la saga n'avait pas vocation à vulgariser l'anarchisme en profondeur. C'est un divertissement efficace qui parlera aux anarchistes autant qu'aux non-initié.e.s, mais qui n'a pas vocation à être une introduction au mouvement comme a pu l'être “Un pays de fantôme”.
De là, nul besoin de traîner en longueur. Et donc voila, c'est pulp, c'est drôle, c'est magique et c'est anarchiste. Une excellente lecture en somme.
Et c'est donc autour du patriarcat - l'un des principaux responsables de la privation de liberté dans le monde - que s'articule “Les Morts possèderont la terre”. C'est LE grand méchant de ce tome, et quasi toutes les problématiques soulevées dans le récit tournent autour. Ce n'est jamais explicitement mentionné, mais si on est un peu politisé ça saute au visage.
C'est hyper bien pensé car le livre n'offre d'ailleurs aucune digression théorique. Tout n'est qu'action. le récit est ramassé (presque trop d'ailleurs), dynamique et fluide. Ça va à l'essentiel, et pourtant on voit bien où l'autrice veut nous mener politiquement. Je trouve ça brillant de simplicité.
Comme pour le premier tome j'aurai aimé que le texte soit un peu plus long et creuse un peu plus les relations entre les différents personnages. Mais après en avoir discuté avec les camarades, on s'est dit que, parfois, c'est bien quand c'est court aussi. On s'est aussi dit que la saga n'avait pas vocation à vulgariser l'anarchisme en profondeur. C'est un divertissement efficace qui parlera aux anarchistes autant qu'aux non-initié.e.s, mais qui n'a pas vocation à être une introduction au mouvement comme a pu l'être “Un pays de fantôme”.
De là, nul besoin de traîner en longueur. Et donc voila, c'est pulp, c'est drôle, c'est magique et c'est anarchiste. Une excellente lecture en somme.
October 15, 2020
I LOVE THESE MAGICAL PUNKS
Read
May 22, 2018Review coming (IY"H), it was cool. (Sorry, I am just trying to get all the books I read over Shabbat + chag into Goodreads...)
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library
June 29, 2020
3.5 stars.
I didn't like this as much as The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion , since this had more actual Proper Magic in it rather than the subtle supernatural weirdness of the first installment. I might have understood it much more if this was a longer story. That said, I loved the character development that happened here and the setting and general feel of the story was excellent.
I didn't like this as much as The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion , since this had more actual Proper Magic in it rather than the subtle supernatural weirdness of the first installment. I might have understood it much more if this was a longer story. That said, I loved the character development that happened here and the setting and general feel of the story was excellent.
September 2, 2025
Les morts posséderont la Terre est une très bonne lecture, proposant une intrigue captivante et haletante où l’action, le fantastique, le tragique et le divertissement se lient parfaitement sous la plume si haute en couleurs de Margaret Killjoy. Une seule hâte: découvrir la suite pour retrouver notre Scooby-gang d’anarchistes.
Critique complète sur yuyine.be!
Critique complète sur yuyine.be!
April 3, 2021
“I don’t know if there’s such a thing as ‘beyond redemption’ in my book,” I said.”
I enjoyed this one even more than The last! Super engaging and easy To read. Highly recommend It.
I enjoyed this one even more than The last! Super engaging and easy To read. Highly recommend It.
October 25, 2019
While I don't think this book had the same depth as the first novella, this is still an incredibly well written story where I just want to settle into the world and read more and more. I was also glad to see that the grief from the first book still came back in this book with Danielle. So important for that kind of rep. Grief doesn't just dissapear.
January 11, 2020
Just as delightfully odd as the first installment. I really hope this won't be the last time we get to read about Danielle Cain!
May 5, 2022
Another installment of the queer, anarchist urban fantasy series. As with the first one, I really enjoyed seeing how anarchist ethics can play out in practice, it provides some great food for thought re: power, group dynamics, decision making, violence, self-defence and more.
The plot seemed more straightforward and easier to follow than in the first part, I found it satisfying. The glimpses of a wider mythos were also very interesting and I would gladly return to this world in further installments.
The plot seemed more straightforward and easier to follow than in the first part, I found it satisfying. The glimpses of a wider mythos were also very interesting and I would gladly return to this world in further installments.
June 26, 2019
In The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion, Danielle Cain and some newfound allies barely survived a shoot out between police and a demon stag designed to destroy the use of power over others. Now they're on the run, trying to stay ahead of law enforcement and find new crop ups of magical happenings. After a car accident, they perform a magic ritual for help and lo and behold, someone picks them all up...and that someone was recently resurrected. In investigating this miraculous resurrection, Danielle and crew find an anarchist-run library, some horrifically effective barrier magic, and wayyyy too many trigger happy townsfolk.
Y'know, I liked the first book a lot, but it ended so swiftly that I was left a little unsatisfied. Maybe my own fault for being so used to either short stories or novels that a novella length story felt uncomfortable to my instincts. I was left with none of that residual "but what about?" feeling in this one. Every character gets a moment to shine, whether its Vulture using an endless series of stolen cell phones for their investigation (I super love Vulture), Brynn and her nightstick, or Danielle dispassionately describing how she gets through panic attacks. The mystery and plot take up exactly the right amount of time and are paced right. The book yet again has an epic shoot out and chase, which I'm a fan of. There are lots of little moments about Danielle's life philosophy that are gems.
I can't think of anything else like this series in the world; I hope Killjoy keeps writing them.
Y'know, I liked the first book a lot, but it ended so swiftly that I was left a little unsatisfied. Maybe my own fault for being so used to either short stories or novels that a novella length story felt uncomfortable to my instincts. I was left with none of that residual "but what about?" feeling in this one. Every character gets a moment to shine, whether its Vulture using an endless series of stolen cell phones for their investigation (I super love Vulture), Brynn and her nightstick, or Danielle dispassionately describing how she gets through panic attacks. The mystery and plot take up exactly the right amount of time and are paced right. The book yet again has an epic shoot out and chase, which I'm a fan of. There are lots of little moments about Danielle's life philosophy that are gems.
I can't think of anything else like this series in the world; I hope Killjoy keeps writing them.
January 25, 2025
3.5, rounding up. The Barrow Will Send What it May is the second in the Danielle Cain series and the sequel to The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion. The series follows Danielle and her friends who, at the beginning of the text, hitchhike with a driver who tells them she used to be dead but came back; things only get stranger from there. I think I actually liked this one better than the first book – it had fun characters and a fast plot (perhaps a bit too fast moving at some points), but the politics and the punk felt less didactic and forced and more natural in this one.
It somehow took me three years after reading the first book in this series to pick up this one. On that basis, I would say this almost reads as standalone. The plot of this novella is relatively self-contained; however, if one started here they’d miss out on character development so I’d suggest starting with the first book in the series before reading this one.
Content warnings: violence, gun violence, death, murder, injury detail, car accident, brief mention of transphobia, brief mention of cancer
It somehow took me three years after reading the first book in this series to pick up this one. On that basis, I would say this almost reads as standalone. The plot of this novella is relatively self-contained; however, if one started here they’d miss out on character development so I’d suggest starting with the first book in the series before reading this one.
Content warnings: violence, gun violence, death, murder, injury detail, car accident, brief mention of transphobia, brief mention of cancer
June 15, 2019
The Barrow Will Send What It May is the second book in Margaret Killjoy’s Danielle Cain series. For me, it has the same strengths and the same weaknesses as the first book. I’m about to spoil everything in the book, so read on at your own caution.
I really love the way Killjoy approaches the fantastic in these novels. Her joining of small-town American life to supernatural has a flavor and look that is all its own, and that quality of freshness is not to be underrated. Part of that uniqueness is the limited scope of the story told. Here we have a necromancer who is raising the dead for a very specific and personal reason, and his plans affect two households in the whole town. There is nothing earth-shattering going on here, and I like that restraint. Similarly, Killjoy uses the tradition in detective fiction of the detective who encounters a pre-existing tangle of relationships and then has to navigate and untangle them to lay bare what is happening, if not solve it. Crossing that detective fiction with supernatural investigation is a wonderful idea.
I admire Killjoy’s determination to create a pro-anarchy book with characters everywhere in the gender, sexuality, and romance spectrums. She creates a world in which all these differences coexist matter-of-factly, and that’s just cool.
Finally, I like the thematic content of the book, the contrast of possessive and generous love. Sebastian’s love for Gertrude is selfishness that disguises itself as generosity. Vasilis has to face the fact that he too is powered by a selfish love for Heather and needs to confront that head on before he can progress. Danielle’s sleepless night of jealousy over Brynn and Heather’s conversations is the point on contrast, in which she has to realize that her jealousy is about herself, not Brynn. Thursday helps her come to this realization, so not all dudes are bad. Thursday is of course held up for criticism when he is part of the dude-collective bringing firearms into one of the climactic scenes instead of contributing to the de-escalation effort that Danielle lead. That’s when Brynn delivers the dismissive line: “Cis men.”
The politics of the book are front and center, and I enjoy that. I also admire that Killjoy seeks to model good and open communication between characters, but it can read a little didactic at times. When Danielle is talking to Isola in the library, she is careful to note that she doesn’t tread on Isola’s feelings: “I didn’t say any of that to Isola, though. Because . . . me even pretending to understand where she was coming from? That was bullshit. I didn’t know shit about shit. I’d never been kidnapped and murdered.” She is, of course, absolutely right, and were that the only occurrence of such an exchange, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Many of the conversations, though, show this kind of thoughtfulness. I know I should be celebrating its existence, but something about it has the faint odor of after-school-specialness to it, to which I find myself reacting negatively.
And that leads me to the observation that there are some bad lines of dialogue in the book. When there is a standoff in front of Sebastian’s gift shop, Danielle says to him that he doesn’t want to shoot Vasilis, and he responds “I don’t even know what I want anymore.” Oof. I read the entirety of the book aloud to my wife, so I was aware of every klunker. That line, there is no good way to deliver it out loud so that it sounds believable. Most lines of dialogue in the book are of course inoffensive, but there are very few that are noteworthy.
I like that cast of characters that Killjoy has assembled, but she doesn’t have a great way to handle all the characters in the team. My complaint at the end of the last book was that we didn’t know anything of real meaning about anyone other than Danielle, and that doesn’t really change here. Part of the limitation is that this is a first-person narrative, so we never get into the heads of anyone else, which raises the question: why is this a first-person narrative? In detective literature, the first-person is necessary to limit the reader’s knowledge so that they can discover things with the detective. In other literature, the first-person is necessary for the reader to be able to call into question what they are being told, which obviously doesn’t apply here. In the first book, the first-person narrator made sense, since it was really about her discovering this world. Now that we are a Scooby gang of five in their mystery van, it feels like the narrative naturally wants to broaden. We didn’t learn anything new about Danielle in this book, and we didn’t learn anything about anyone else.
Finally, I’m not stoked about the magic feds. Actually, I’m not stoked about the construction of magic in this world. Apparently you can just pick up a book and do your thing. Everyone learns from books, and they can apparently learn fast. Doomsday has become something of an expert in short order. It’s unclear what the magic draws on or what it costs. I suppose both the magic feds and the shape of magic will be developed in later books, but I’m not seeing the groundwork or suggestions here.
I wish Killjoy and Cain the best in the books to come. Unless something amazing happens, I think this will be the last book in the series I read. The book was okay, but who has time for books that are just okay?
I really love the way Killjoy approaches the fantastic in these novels. Her joining of small-town American life to supernatural has a flavor and look that is all its own, and that quality of freshness is not to be underrated. Part of that uniqueness is the limited scope of the story told. Here we have a necromancer who is raising the dead for a very specific and personal reason, and his plans affect two households in the whole town. There is nothing earth-shattering going on here, and I like that restraint. Similarly, Killjoy uses the tradition in detective fiction of the detective who encounters a pre-existing tangle of relationships and then has to navigate and untangle them to lay bare what is happening, if not solve it. Crossing that detective fiction with supernatural investigation is a wonderful idea.
I admire Killjoy’s determination to create a pro-anarchy book with characters everywhere in the gender, sexuality, and romance spectrums. She creates a world in which all these differences coexist matter-of-factly, and that’s just cool.
Finally, I like the thematic content of the book, the contrast of possessive and generous love. Sebastian’s love for Gertrude is selfishness that disguises itself as generosity. Vasilis has to face the fact that he too is powered by a selfish love for Heather and needs to confront that head on before he can progress. Danielle’s sleepless night of jealousy over Brynn and Heather’s conversations is the point on contrast, in which she has to realize that her jealousy is about herself, not Brynn. Thursday helps her come to this realization, so not all dudes are bad. Thursday is of course held up for criticism when he is part of the dude-collective bringing firearms into one of the climactic scenes instead of contributing to the de-escalation effort that Danielle lead. That’s when Brynn delivers the dismissive line: “Cis men.”
The politics of the book are front and center, and I enjoy that. I also admire that Killjoy seeks to model good and open communication between characters, but it can read a little didactic at times. When Danielle is talking to Isola in the library, she is careful to note that she doesn’t tread on Isola’s feelings: “I didn’t say any of that to Isola, though. Because . . . me even pretending to understand where she was coming from? That was bullshit. I didn’t know shit about shit. I’d never been kidnapped and murdered.” She is, of course, absolutely right, and were that the only occurrence of such an exchange, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Many of the conversations, though, show this kind of thoughtfulness. I know I should be celebrating its existence, but something about it has the faint odor of after-school-specialness to it, to which I find myself reacting negatively.
And that leads me to the observation that there are some bad lines of dialogue in the book. When there is a standoff in front of Sebastian’s gift shop, Danielle says to him that he doesn’t want to shoot Vasilis, and he responds “I don’t even know what I want anymore.” Oof. I read the entirety of the book aloud to my wife, so I was aware of every klunker. That line, there is no good way to deliver it out loud so that it sounds believable. Most lines of dialogue in the book are of course inoffensive, but there are very few that are noteworthy.
I like that cast of characters that Killjoy has assembled, but she doesn’t have a great way to handle all the characters in the team. My complaint at the end of the last book was that we didn’t know anything of real meaning about anyone other than Danielle, and that doesn’t really change here. Part of the limitation is that this is a first-person narrative, so we never get into the heads of anyone else, which raises the question: why is this a first-person narrative? In detective literature, the first-person is necessary to limit the reader’s knowledge so that they can discover things with the detective. In other literature, the first-person is necessary for the reader to be able to call into question what they are being told, which obviously doesn’t apply here. In the first book, the first-person narrator made sense, since it was really about her discovering this world. Now that we are a Scooby gang of five in their mystery van, it feels like the narrative naturally wants to broaden. We didn’t learn anything new about Danielle in this book, and we didn’t learn anything about anyone else.
Finally, I’m not stoked about the magic feds. Actually, I’m not stoked about the construction of magic in this world. Apparently you can just pick up a book and do your thing. Everyone learns from books, and they can apparently learn fast. Doomsday has become something of an expert in short order. It’s unclear what the magic draws on or what it costs. I suppose both the magic feds and the shape of magic will be developed in later books, but I’m not seeing the groundwork or suggestions here.
I wish Killjoy and Cain the best in the books to come. Unless something amazing happens, I think this will be the last book in the series I read. The book was okay, but who has time for books that are just okay?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2025
BANGER
February 19, 2025
this series is soooo good, can’t wait for book three
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
September 27, 2020
Great! Loved it! Almost like a queer punk Scooby gang out to solve a small town mystery.
November 28, 2022
Really good! Needs a library cat or three to deal with those rats.
![[image error]](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QdS80lbuvpo/XAL39M47XwI/AAAAAAAABUM/UmEBD_j4VlIfSqRfzLJbCx3eCpn107B4gCLcBGAs/s1600/cam%2Bgif.gif){kind=link}
December 28, 2023
I gravitated to this book more or less randomly off a blog post recommending horror by women just because I liked the title. Figured out around chapter 3 when I plugged it into GR that it was part of a series, but I was too engaged to put it down while I waited to find book 1, so that’s a pretty big mark in its favour. I enjoyed the writing and I think the author has some great insights into human experience as well as some important ideals to share. Some reviewers have described the approach to relationships as occasionally didactic, but I’ve known some people who are that explicit about interpersonal choices they’re making, so it rang true for me. The main thing that made this a 3- rather than 4-star book for me was the lack of characterization. I had a lot of trouble telling the characters apart except for Thursday, who was “the one with guns” and Brynn, who was “the one MC is hot for.” Considering how dynamic their names are, I was really hoping for some distinct personality traits, especially in a short and very succinctly-written book where there isn’t the opportunity to gradually develop a sense of character over many scenes. I had hoped that this was a second-book shortcoming, that the author was coasting on characterization from the first novel, but I found it much the same on that front. That said, I’ll definitely consider reading farther in the series for the magic, for the cool demons and gods, and for the representation!
May 9, 2020
Danielle and her new friends get mixed up in some resurrections occurring in Montana.
This is going to be an "I liked it, but" review. I enjoy the viewpoint of the characters - anarchists and travelers - that is very different from my regimented life. Part of the fun of reading fantasy (and SF) is seeing through the eyes of people who look at things with a different slant. But: this volume is so episodic. Our friends have fled the situation from book one, arrive -here-, get into trouble immediately that involves barricades and gunfire, solve that problem, and leave. Novellas are funny things. They can be beautiful stories that are just the right length or they can seem like the author is releasing them in dribs and drabs when they should really write more and release them as a whole. This series feels like the latter. I'm iffy on if I'll continue reading them.
This is going to be an "I liked it, but" review. I enjoy the viewpoint of the characters - anarchists and travelers - that is very different from my regimented life. Part of the fun of reading fantasy (and SF) is seeing through the eyes of people who look at things with a different slant. But: this volume is so episodic. Our friends have fled the situation from book one, arrive -here-, get into trouble immediately that involves barricades and gunfire, solve that problem, and leave. Novellas are funny things. They can be beautiful stories that are just the right length or they can seem like the author is releasing them in dribs and drabs when they should really write more and release them as a whole. This series feels like the latter. I'm iffy on if I'll continue reading them.
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