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Catfish Lullaby
Lewis is a town of secrets.
There have long been rumors of something unnatural in the swamp, and more than one person has gone missing. Many blame the Royce family while others believe in a local monster, rising from the dark waters.
As a child, Caleb witnessed something inexplicable the night the Royce place mysteriously burned to the ground. As an adult, Caleb returns to take over his father's role as sheriff, and the long shadow of the Royce family returns to haunt him. Caleb struggles to solve an eerily familiar crime and finds himself face to face with another old mystery--the legend of Catfish John.
There have long been rumors of something unnatural in the swamp, and more than one person has gone missing. Many blame the Royce family while others believe in a local monster, rising from the dark waters.
As a child, Caleb witnessed something inexplicable the night the Royce place mysteriously burned to the ground. As an adult, Caleb returns to take over his father's role as sheriff, and the long shadow of the Royce family returns to haunt him. Caleb struggles to solve an eerily familiar crime and finds himself face to face with another old mystery--the legend of Catfish John.
110 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2019
6 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
About the author
A.C. Wise
161 books407 followersA.C. Wise's fiction has appeared in publications such as Uncanny, Shimmer, and Tor.com, among other places. She had two collections published with Lethe Press, and a novella published by Broken Eye Books. Her debut novel, Wendy, Darling, is out from Titan Books n June 2021, and a new collection, The Ghost Sequences, is forthcoming from Undertow Books in October 2021. Her work has won the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, as well as being a two-time Nebula finalist, a two-time Sunburst finalist, an Aurora finalist, and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. In addition to her fiction, she contributes review columns to the Book Smugglers and Apex Magazine, and has been a finalist for the Ignyte Award in the Critics category.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 22, 2020
Full review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Catfish Lullaby, a 2019 Nebula Award-nominated novella, might be described as Louisiana swamp monster folklore colliding with eldritch Lovecraftian horror. Author A.C. Wise (who also has a second Nebula nomination this year, for her short story “How the Trick is Done”) visits Caleb, the biracial, queer son of the local sheriff, at three key points in his life. We follow Caleb from childhood to adulthood as he navigates his friendship with Cere Royce, the daughter of a once-prominent and depraved local family, and they try to conquer the black magic that haunts her and has destroyed her family.
When Caleb is about twelve, the Royce home mysteriously burns to the ground, killing Cere’s father and two older brothers. Caleb’s single father takes Cere into their home. Cere manages to freak out the schoolboys who have been bullying Caleb for years (“Sometimes you have to be scarier than the monsters,” she comments). The two children begin to cautiously develop a friendship, although Caleb is himself a little freaked out by the strange colors he sometimes sees in Cere’s eyes, the terrible dreams he has about her, and the chilling things she sometimes says, like, say, “I was born to end the world.” When a woman is murdered, Cere begins to suspect that someone in her family has survived and is planning to use their dark magic — and Cere herself — to end the world in flames.
Woven through Caleb’s story are the tales of Catfish John, a legendary half-man, half-catfish creature that hides in the swamp and may be devilish or good (the stories disagree). Cere believes in the helpful version of Catfish John. As terrible events build on each other, Caleb can only hope that Cere is right.
Each chapter begins with a quote from a scholarly book called Myths, History and Legends from the Delta to the Bayou, most of them about Catfish John. The book doesn’t actually exist outside of the pages of this novella, but the quotes add a sense of realism to the legend of Catfish John, grounding the story in our world.
The jumps in time make Catfish Lullaby feel a little disjointed, but the clash between Catfish John’s magical swamp song and the otherworldly cosmic horrors called down by the Royces makes for a compelling story. The theme of otherness is echoed in Caleb’s racial and sexual identity and in Catfish John’s lonely existence, but there’s a countervailing theme of friendship and family, including found family, that adds a note of hope to the song of Catfish Lullaby.
Catfish Lullaby, a 2019 Nebula Award-nominated novella, might be described as Louisiana swamp monster folklore colliding with eldritch Lovecraftian horror. Author A.C. Wise (who also has a second Nebula nomination this year, for her short story “How the Trick is Done”) visits Caleb, the biracial, queer son of the local sheriff, at three key points in his life. We follow Caleb from childhood to adulthood as he navigates his friendship with Cere Royce, the daughter of a once-prominent and depraved local family, and they try to conquer the black magic that haunts her and has destroyed her family.
When Caleb is about twelve, the Royce home mysteriously burns to the ground, killing Cere’s father and two older brothers. Caleb’s single father takes Cere into their home. Cere manages to freak out the schoolboys who have been bullying Caleb for years (“Sometimes you have to be scarier than the monsters,” she comments). The two children begin to cautiously develop a friendship, although Caleb is himself a little freaked out by the strange colors he sometimes sees in Cere’s eyes, the terrible dreams he has about her, and the chilling things she sometimes says, like, say, “I was born to end the world.” When a woman is murdered, Cere begins to suspect that someone in her family has survived and is planning to use their dark magic — and Cere herself — to end the world in flames.
Woven through Caleb’s story are the tales of Catfish John, a legendary half-man, half-catfish creature that hides in the swamp and may be devilish or good (the stories disagree). Cere believes in the helpful version of Catfish John. As terrible events build on each other, Caleb can only hope that Cere is right.
Each chapter begins with a quote from a scholarly book called Myths, History and Legends from the Delta to the Bayou, most of them about Catfish John. The book doesn’t actually exist outside of the pages of this novella, but the quotes add a sense of realism to the legend of Catfish John, grounding the story in our world.
In the South, we have our own blood and pain, and time moves different here. People from elsewhere say folks talk slower down here. We’re slower to forget too and slower to forgive. Even the land holds onto its scars… See, there are two Souths: one on the surface, one underneath. Underneath is where we keep our angels and demons both.It was difficult for me to believe that Catfish John isn’t a pre-existing myth that A.C. Wise wove into Catfish Lullaby, but as far as I can determine it all came from her fertile imagination.
The jumps in time make Catfish Lullaby feel a little disjointed, but the clash between Catfish John’s magical swamp song and the otherworldly cosmic horrors called down by the Royces makes for a compelling story. The theme of otherness is echoed in Caleb’s racial and sexual identity and in Catfish John’s lonely existence, but there’s a countervailing theme of friendship and family, including found family, that adds a note of hope to the song of Catfish Lullaby.
November 10, 2020
“Sometimes you have to be scarier than the monsters.”This 2019 Nebula Awards nominee is a horror fantasy little novella set in the rural American South, blending quasi Southern folklore with the apocalyptic horror.
“It was a snarling, wet sound. A scream that wasn’t animal nor human but both. Like the swamp itself had found a voice, and it was angry that something that belonged to it had been taken away.”As a biracial queer kid, Caleb has seen his share of unpleasantness in his small rural town. But one day he comes across something infinitely more evil than the everyday nastiness he’s accustomed to. In attempt to win generations-long feud with the local legendary swamp creature Catfish John, a local Royce family led by the horrible patriarch Archie will stop at nothing - not at rapes or murders or evil magic or bringing along the apocalypse - imprisoned in the form of young Cere Royce, a girl Caleb bonds with in his childhood, a girl who may have some connection to the legendary Catfish John. They have to fight evil as children and eventually come back to finish the job as adults.
“What exactly is your brother trying to do?” Kyle asked.
“Bring my father back from the dead. End the world. The usual.”
It’s quite decently done. It’s got a compelling plot, interesting characters, well-developed sense of the locale, and overall quite a traditional horror story feel that gives it strength. It feels firmly grounded in the traditions of the genre and uses them well. In addition to the supernatural evil, it touches upon the everyday ugliness with the subtleness that avoids the slide into didactic preachiness.
“She might have been a statue, a ghost, ash-smeared in the darkness. She was a young girl, all knobby knees and fresh from the burned remains of her home. She was the light of a star and the end of the world in the shape of a woman.“
Now, the supernatural elements are a bit vague, which detracts from the enjoyment of the story just a bit. I wish they were sharper, laid out a bit more clearly, focused on just a bit more - especially that promise of the apocalypse that felt a bit shoehorned, really. The swamp creature and the Royces and the apocalypse - the connections there were a bit too tenuous, and I wish the author chose to focus on just one of them (folklore over the apocalypse, please, for this reader) in order to develop it more fully in such a short piece. Catfish John seemed really like a cool concept that the story veered away from, but the author just didn’t have a heart to let go of him completely.
That said, still an entertaining read. And I loved the prominence of friendship and the strength of found family in this story.
3.5 stars.
“Family left, they died and disappeared, but sometimes they came home again too.”
——————
My Hugo and Nebula Awards Reading Project 2020: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 29, 2019
"Everything she was holding inside wanted to come out and devour the world."
Catfish Lullaby is the first book I've read by AC Wise, and it was good! It's a witchy novella set in a small town with secrets, which is obviously the best setup you can have for a book.
This book is pretty mysterious, and I liked not being entirely sure where it was headed. The first half of the book is a coming-of-age story, and the second half is about the same characters as adults. Although the book is short while the story spans many years, it still felt like a complete story.
AC's horror writing is dark and gorgeous, and I would love to read more from her. Thank you to Broken Eye Books for sending me a copy of Catfish Lullaby to review!
Catfish Lullaby is the first book I've read by AC Wise, and it was good! It's a witchy novella set in a small town with secrets, which is obviously the best setup you can have for a book.
This book is pretty mysterious, and I liked not being entirely sure where it was headed. The first half of the book is a coming-of-age story, and the second half is about the same characters as adults. Although the book is short while the story spans many years, it still felt like a complete story.
AC's horror writing is dark and gorgeous, and I would love to read more from her. Thank you to Broken Eye Books for sending me a copy of Catfish Lullaby to review!
March 8, 2020
3.5/5
Caleb, a young black boy, lives in the small town of Lewis. Other boys bully him because of his race and sexual orientation. Things change for him when his father, a local sheriff, takes him to check a fire on the property of Archie Royce. They save Archie’s daughter, Cera, who becomes Caleb’s friend. She is strange and scary. Not surprising as she leads a supernatural fight with her family.
I found the horror elements of the story disturbing but also vaguely described. As a result, they seemed far-fetched, and I had a hard time making sense of parts of the story, especially of Cera’s involvement in the potential end of the world scenario. That said, I enjoyed how AC Wise blended swamp and Louisiana myths, including the folkloric bogeyman known as Catfish John, into horror and coming-of-age drama.
The book, divided into three parts, makes time-jumps between Caleb’s childhood and adulthood. I found the first part stronger and more emotionally engaging. Caleb’s struggles with his homophobic peers and surreal experience of the cosmic horrors lurking in the swamps impressed me with their vivid imagery. The second part lacks tension and focuses on the power of the family of choice.
Wise’s writing is economical and efficient in creating an oppressive, disturbing atmosphere. I can’t say I loved all similes but consider me impressed. I’m not surprised Catfish Lullaby was announced as a finalist for the Nebula Award. Well worth a read.
ARC through NetGalley
Caleb, a young black boy, lives in the small town of Lewis. Other boys bully him because of his race and sexual orientation. Things change for him when his father, a local sheriff, takes him to check a fire on the property of Archie Royce. They save Archie’s daughter, Cera, who becomes Caleb’s friend. She is strange and scary. Not surprising as she leads a supernatural fight with her family.
I found the horror elements of the story disturbing but also vaguely described. As a result, they seemed far-fetched, and I had a hard time making sense of parts of the story, especially of Cera’s involvement in the potential end of the world scenario. That said, I enjoyed how AC Wise blended swamp and Louisiana myths, including the folkloric bogeyman known as Catfish John, into horror and coming-of-age drama.
The book, divided into three parts, makes time-jumps between Caleb’s childhood and adulthood. I found the first part stronger and more emotionally engaging. Caleb’s struggles with his homophobic peers and surreal experience of the cosmic horrors lurking in the swamps impressed me with their vivid imagery. The second part lacks tension and focuses on the power of the family of choice.
Wise’s writing is economical and efficient in creating an oppressive, disturbing atmosphere. I can’t say I loved all similes but consider me impressed. I’m not surprised Catfish Lullaby was announced as a finalist for the Nebula Award. Well worth a read.
ARC through NetGalley
March 12, 2020
I got a free reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. Thanks NetGalley and Broken Eye Books!
In all cultures, we have tales passed down from generation to generation. Often these tales are altered as time passes, so sometimes we mix up the villains and heroes.
In Catfish Lullaby, we meet Catfish John, who's supposedly an evil swamp monster lurking and ready to kill whoever is unlucky enough to wander into his territory in the small town of Lewis. In that small town lives Caleb, the sheriff's son. In a town full of white faces, theirs are some of the few black and brown scattered in between. For years, rumors have been floating around about the Royce family who live not too far from Caleb and his father. One night, the Royce home is burnt down with the patriarch, Archie Royce and his sons dying in the flames. There is only one survivor, Archie's daughter, Cere. The sheriff instantly takes her in his home. Caleb eventually finds out the horrifying truth about Cere and her family. However, they soon find out that Cere was not the only survivor and a terrifying showdown ensues. Years pass and now Caleb himself is the sheriff of Lewis. The evil from his past reappears though and Caleb must find himself relying on a monster he never thought existed, Catfish John.
I'm not American, nor have I ever been to America. But this story was the embodiment of what I imagine life to be like in the South. A small town with an undercurrent of racial tension and superstition and full of Republicans. There's even mention of the KKK to emphasize that we're most definitely in the South now.
This is my first time reading A.C. Wise and I must say I won't mind reading more of her work. She has a way with words that kept me reading straight through until I was done. This was a horror but by the time Wise was done it was also a poignant tale full of sorrow and loneliness.
Caleb was the perfect hero of this book. He was black in and gay in the very conservative South. He already had two things against him. However, his courage when dealing with the evils that threatened his hometown was phenomenal.
I feel like I do not have the words which can adequately express the feelings Wise evoked in me with this book. I felt like I was transported to the swamp right alongside Caleb and Cere as they searched for Catfish John. This is one of the few books which was able to actually make me feel like I was experiencing the atmosphere the author was trying to portray. I enjoyed this book so much I could see myself reading it again very soon.
Suitable audience: There was no sexual content other than name calling. However, due to some of the otherworldly events which occurred throughout this book which may be very scary for younger readers, I suggest this book be read by older teens and adults.
Recurrent themes: Discrimination. Folklore. Monsters. Life in the South.
Violence: Some dead bodies were found, obviously murdered.
Sexual Content: Kissing
Profanity: A character was frequently called by a derogatory name for homosexuals.
Religious Themes: Necromancy was performed during this book.
Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None.
In all cultures, we have tales passed down from generation to generation. Often these tales are altered as time passes, so sometimes we mix up the villains and heroes.
In Catfish Lullaby, we meet Catfish John, who's supposedly an evil swamp monster lurking and ready to kill whoever is unlucky enough to wander into his territory in the small town of Lewis. In that small town lives Caleb, the sheriff's son. In a town full of white faces, theirs are some of the few black and brown scattered in between. For years, rumors have been floating around about the Royce family who live not too far from Caleb and his father. One night, the Royce home is burnt down with the patriarch, Archie Royce and his sons dying in the flames. There is only one survivor, Archie's daughter, Cere. The sheriff instantly takes her in his home. Caleb eventually finds out the horrifying truth about Cere and her family. However, they soon find out that Cere was not the only survivor and a terrifying showdown ensues. Years pass and now Caleb himself is the sheriff of Lewis. The evil from his past reappears though and Caleb must find himself relying on a monster he never thought existed, Catfish John.
I'm not American, nor have I ever been to America. But this story was the embodiment of what I imagine life to be like in the South. A small town with an undercurrent of racial tension and superstition and full of Republicans. There's even mention of the KKK to emphasize that we're most definitely in the South now.
This is my first time reading A.C. Wise and I must say I won't mind reading more of her work. She has a way with words that kept me reading straight through until I was done. This was a horror but by the time Wise was done it was also a poignant tale full of sorrow and loneliness.
Caleb was the perfect hero of this book. He was black in and gay in the very conservative South. He already had two things against him. However, his courage when dealing with the evils that threatened his hometown was phenomenal.
I feel like I do not have the words which can adequately express the feelings Wise evoked in me with this book. I felt like I was transported to the swamp right alongside Caleb and Cere as they searched for Catfish John. This is one of the few books which was able to actually make me feel like I was experiencing the atmosphere the author was trying to portray. I enjoyed this book so much I could see myself reading it again very soon.
Suitable audience: There was no sexual content other than name calling. However, due to some of the otherworldly events which occurred throughout this book which may be very scary for younger readers, I suggest this book be read by older teens and adults.
Recurrent themes: Discrimination. Folklore. Monsters. Life in the South.
Violence: Some dead bodies were found, obviously murdered.
Sexual Content: Kissing
Profanity: A character was frequently called by a derogatory name for homosexuals.
Religious Themes: Necromancy was performed during this book.
Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None.
May 6, 2020
Nominated for a 2020 Nebula award, Catfish Lullaby is a dark, fairy-tale story centering around a black, queer boy named Caleb and a little girl named Cere who becomes like a foster sister after most of her family is killed in a fire. Caleb finds out quickly that Cere isn't quite human and his life weaves in and out of hers for years. Along the way the legendary myth of Catfish John haunts Caleb, and Caleb finds himself confronting both the myth and the man.
I enjoyed A.C. Wise's writing very much. She has a beautifully descriptive quality to her writing and creates a quiet, forbidding atmosphere- chilling yet rich. The mythology she created around Catfish John felt so real that it was hard to believe that it wasn't a real mythology!
But I found the character development underwhelming and choppy.The characters are placed in these abusive or horrific situations, but I found myself not caring because I didn't get to know them as real people beforehand.
I'd like to give Wise's fiction another try in the future, but I couldn't feel anything about these characters, so the plot felt a bit too dramatic and overwritten.
I enjoyed A.C. Wise's writing very much. She has a beautifully descriptive quality to her writing and creates a quiet, forbidding atmosphere- chilling yet rich. The mythology she created around Catfish John felt so real that it was hard to believe that it wasn't a real mythology!
But I found the character development underwhelming and choppy.The characters are placed in these abusive or horrific situations, but I found myself not caring because I didn't get to know them as real people beforehand.
I'd like to give Wise's fiction another try in the future, but I couldn't feel anything about these characters, so the plot felt a bit too dramatic and overwritten.
March 17, 2020
I read a gratis copy as part of my Nebula finalist packet.
Wise's novella is a quick, enjoyable read that delves into southern culture and the deep fear of what really lurks in the swamp. For me, the characters were the stars here. I loved following Caleb as he grew up. I sympathized with him as a bullied youngster, and delighted in his healthy partnership as an adult. His perspective on events is fascinating. As a young child, he can't help but pick up on details as his father, the town sheriff, struggles to investigate missing and murdered young women in the area. As he grows older, he's drawn into events when the creep-next-door's house burns down, the only survivor a mysterious girl near his own age, named Cere.
I was left wondering about how Cere's family changed to such a dark path in recent generations. Really, I think I wanted more nuance from them overall, especially when it came to the tired of the southern-preacher-gone-bad trope.
This novella is still a great read, though, with a fully realized settings and great protagonists.
Wise's novella is a quick, enjoyable read that delves into southern culture and the deep fear of what really lurks in the swamp. For me, the characters were the stars here. I loved following Caleb as he grew up. I sympathized with him as a bullied youngster, and delighted in his healthy partnership as an adult. His perspective on events is fascinating. As a young child, he can't help but pick up on details as his father, the town sheriff, struggles to investigate missing and murdered young women in the area. As he grows older, he's drawn into events when the creep-next-door's house burns down, the only survivor a mysterious girl near his own age, named Cere.
I was left wondering about how Cere's family changed to such a dark path in recent generations. Really, I think I wanted more nuance from them overall, especially when it came to the tired of the southern-preacher-gone-bad trope.
This novella is still a great read, though, with a fully realized settings and great protagonists.
June 2, 2020
I am determined to support our library’s long overdue overtures to expand their digital genre catalog. No matter how odd the title. No matter how swampy the setting. And yes, this novella’s setting is very swampy indeed. Somewhere in Louisiana, a small town of Lewis has always had a local legend of a sort of man/seafood combination, someone with, forgive the pun, murky motives. But not all legends are content to lurk in the shadows. This is actually a story of two families, a righteous one where a boy grows up to be an upright and decent small town sheriff like his daddy before him and a not so righteous one, led by an evil man determined to end the world in a somewhat cosmic style apocalypse. The latter’s daughter Cere and the boy meet and form a connection that, although short lived, proves mighty enough to fight the wickedness of her father’s plan when the time comes. Intriguing, isn’t it? Also well written, a Nebula award nominee no less. Style wise it’s essentially cosmic meets Southern Gothic. The novella is socially aware enough to deal with race and sexual orientation and smart enough not to let it distract from the actual plot. The characters are well rendered, likeable, engaging. This novella has a lot going for it and has gathered tons of praise from respectable sources and authors for it. So honestly I’m not sure why I didn’t love it, maybe there’s only so much joy I can get out of the South, maybe it was bleak in a slightly different way from how I like it, maybe the cosmic aspect of it all didn’t quite work for me, maybe it’s just because it wasn’t read at night like it was by all rights supposed to, maybe I was just hungry. It’s entirely possible it was the latter. I read this novella in one sitting first thing in the morningbefore the most important meal of the day. Although this does testify to the quality of the story, not many books have what it takes to distract from food. So it was likely that. Or the Southern thing. Bayous are naturally creepy, it’s the swampy humid overall atmosphere that’s so psychologically oppressive. Anyway, this was definitely worth checking out. Especially for genre fans. I love the novella format and this one really did it right, it got the most out of its relatively brief page count, it told the entire story, encompassing a significant span of time and characters and action. It read like a complete, albeit streamlined and compact novel, skimping of nothing. Very substantial in all the right ways. So yeah, good read. A quality read. Recommended.
October 4, 2020
I received and ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
The book is succinct, to the point, yet imaginative and vast in its details. It keeps you hooked with its roots in American urban myths/folklore and the mysterious Cere, with her indescribable powers and hooded demeanor. Overall, this is a good short read. It gives you all that you should expect from a supernatural/horror fiction and has a somewhat satisfying ending, which is shrouded in uncertainty, as we like our supernatural fiction endings to be. But the one thing that was a thorn in my side this entire book was the nonchalant dropping of the n-word, not once but twice, for no other reason that to show the racism that is prevalent in the American South. I really did not see any reason for it other than writing racist characters who can bully the biracial main character, it has no relevance to the plot. I get trying to show the deeply entrenched racism, but I think it could be accomplished by just saying 'the n-word' instead of the actual word, especially when you are a white author.
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The book is succinct, to the point, yet imaginative and vast in its details. It keeps you hooked with its roots in American urban myths/folklore and the mysterious Cere, with her indescribable powers and hooded demeanor. Overall, this is a good short read. It gives you all that you should expect from a supernatural/horror fiction and has a somewhat satisfying ending, which is shrouded in uncertainty, as we like our supernatural fiction endings to be. But the one thing that was a thorn in my side this entire book was the nonchalant dropping of the n-word, not once but twice, for no other reason that to show the racism that is prevalent in the American South. I really did not see any reason for it other than writing racist characters who can bully the biracial main character, it has no relevance to the plot. I get trying to show the deeply entrenched racism, but I think it could be accomplished by just saying 'the n-word' instead of the actual word, especially when you are a white author.
Find me elsewhere: Blog | BookTube | Instagram | Twitter | The Story Graph
March 29, 2020
Yay! I'm on a roll this year with southern books set in the swamp!
Catfish Lullaby begins with a coming of age style story and ends with the main character as an adult returning to a childhood mystery. I'm normally not a fan of time jumps, but books like Catfish Lullaby show me it can be done in a way that keeps me on board.
As is often true with a novella length book, I can't say much about the story itself without spoiling the best bits of the story. I will say Catfish Lullaby turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me, and I'm so glad I read it. I will be on the look out for more to read from A.C. Wise.
Review copy provided by publisher and/or author
Catfish Lullaby begins with a coming of age style story and ends with the main character as an adult returning to a childhood mystery. I'm normally not a fan of time jumps, but books like Catfish Lullaby show me it can be done in a way that keeps me on board.
As is often true with a novella length book, I can't say much about the story itself without spoiling the best bits of the story. I will say Catfish Lullaby turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me, and I'm so glad I read it. I will be on the look out for more to read from A.C. Wise.
Review copy provided by publisher and/or author
November 9, 2020
This was an enjoyable read although perhaps “enjoyable” is not the right word. Reading about apocalyptic events and things out of human control is more stressful than enjoyable right now! But this was a good read. Fast paced, creative, horrifying.
AC Wise does a fantastic job of giving us a glimpse of the unexplainable in this, of showing us beings bigger than humans, of things we can't fully comprehend. She weaves together real events, folklore and cosmic horror to create a disturbingly immersive story.
This book follows my one rule for cosmic horror--be a book Lovecraft would probably hate! Our main character is Caleb, a black gay man. We follow him through portions of his life deep in the swampy depths of Louisiana. Each chapter starts with an excerpt from “Myths, History, and Legends from the Delta to the Bayou (Whippoorwill Press, 2016)” which, from a cursory search, is a fictional book. (Whippoorwill Press is a real publisher but does not look to have been active after 2005.) These fake excerpts are perfectly crafted to keep the reader asking “what if it’s real?”
Broken up into three portions of Caleb’s life as a child, then a teenager and then as an adult, Catfish Lullaby is a generational tangle between Caleb’s family and the prejudiced, cult-like Royces that live just on the other side of the trees. An entanglement that brings Cere Royce into Caleb’s life and family, brings death and the supernatural and, the legend, Catfish John.
[TW and Note: The f slur and n word are both used in this story against the main character when he is younger. Although it makes sense in the setting, is not excused or brushed over, it is still something that gives me pause since the author is white.]
AC Wise does a fantastic job of giving us a glimpse of the unexplainable in this, of showing us beings bigger than humans, of things we can't fully comprehend. She weaves together real events, folklore and cosmic horror to create a disturbingly immersive story.
This book follows my one rule for cosmic horror--be a book Lovecraft would probably hate! Our main character is Caleb, a black gay man. We follow him through portions of his life deep in the swampy depths of Louisiana. Each chapter starts with an excerpt from “Myths, History, and Legends from the Delta to the Bayou (Whippoorwill Press, 2016)” which, from a cursory search, is a fictional book. (Whippoorwill Press is a real publisher but does not look to have been active after 2005.) These fake excerpts are perfectly crafted to keep the reader asking “what if it’s real?”
Broken up into three portions of Caleb’s life as a child, then a teenager and then as an adult, Catfish Lullaby is a generational tangle between Caleb’s family and the prejudiced, cult-like Royces that live just on the other side of the trees. An entanglement that brings Cere Royce into Caleb’s life and family, brings death and the supernatural and, the legend, Catfish John.
[TW and Note: The f slur and n word are both used in this story against the main character when he is younger. Although it makes sense in the setting, is not excused or brushed over, it is still something that gives me pause since the author is white.]
March 17, 2020
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
actual rating: 2.5
There was nothing really technically wrong with this which is why I rounded up instead of down, but it just was not what I was looking for or what I was expecting based on the summary. To me it sounds like most of the story will take place in the present day with maybe flashbacks or a few chapters at the beginning taking place in the past, but a little over half the book actually takes place when the main character is a child and I just felt like it dragged on and on.
Also I have no idea why I thought that there was going to be a romantic element with the Catfish 'monster' - I mean, I do know why, because I'm me and I'm here for it - but that's definitely not the case and most of the story focuses on the main character and a girl he was briefly friends with. On the one hand it's nice to have a gay character where that isn't the whole 'point' of their character and the plot is actually about something entirely different, but on the other hand that's just not what I was personally in the mood for right now.
Overall there were some cool horror and Southern Gothic elements but I felt the pacing was off and it just didn't really hold my attention. I'm sure it will be a very enjoyable read for some people though.
actual rating: 2.5
There was nothing really technically wrong with this which is why I rounded up instead of down, but it just was not what I was looking for or what I was expecting based on the summary. To me it sounds like most of the story will take place in the present day with maybe flashbacks or a few chapters at the beginning taking place in the past, but a little over half the book actually takes place when the main character is a child and I just felt like it dragged on and on.
Also I have no idea why I thought that there was going to be a romantic element with the Catfish 'monster' - I mean, I do know why, because I'm me and I'm here for it - but that's definitely not the case and most of the story focuses on the main character and a girl he was briefly friends with. On the one hand it's nice to have a gay character where that isn't the whole 'point' of their character and the plot is actually about something entirely different, but on the other hand that's just not what I was personally in the mood for right now.
Overall there were some cool horror and Southern Gothic elements but I felt the pacing was off and it just didn't really hold my attention. I'm sure it will be a very enjoyable read for some people though.
September 21, 2019
I struggle to classify this novella. Swamp Gothic? Southern Cosmic? Weaving between tall tale and horror from the shadows that hug our world, Catfish Lullaby crosses decades to tell the story of Caleb and Cere against a dark legacy. I enjoyed that no matter his age, Caleb's observations we're never perfectly reliable because objectivity seems a fleeting idea at best. AC Wise is a pro as skewing the boundaries of our dimension, leaving the world less solid, as if everything we see is only our imposition on what's really there. When magic happens, it's in the flickering edges of sight, while the horror is always present, only waiting to be noticed. The imagery is both beautiful and haunting, and it leaves a bite I won't forget.
January 29, 2020
Catfish Lullaby is a Southern Gothic novella with a touch of Lovecraft/cosmic horror as well. AC Wise knows how to write beautifully and tell a story that is dark, mysterious, and haunting. This novella follows Caleb and Cere as kids to adults in a two-part tale. It seems that whenever Caleb and Cere are together that tragedy is just around the corner. I do not want to give too much away, though, because I want you to be just as surprised, delighted, and in awe of this story while reading it as I was.
This story dives into childhood, family, preconceived notions of others, acceptance, small-town lore, and more. It's amazing just how much Wise put into this novella and how impactful it is. 4 stars!
This story dives into childhood, family, preconceived notions of others, acceptance, small-town lore, and more. It's amazing just how much Wise put into this novella and how impactful it is. 4 stars!
March 22, 2020
A novella set in the Louisiana Bayou country told in two parts. In the first part, we meet Caleb as a twelve-year-old. Caleb's father takes in a girl named Cere after her home burns down, apparently with all the residents in it. It turns out Cere's family was dabbling in magic and associated with a mysterious and mythic figure known as Catfish John. We soon discover that not all of Cere's family has died in the fire and Cere disappears with Catfish John. The second part of the novella jumps ahead twenty years and now Caleb is the sheriff and murder is committed near the long-lost Royce home, where Caleb's father took in Cere all those years ago. It soon becomes apparent the dark magic hasn't vanished. A dandy story that captures some of rural Louisiana's spookier side.
September 24, 2019
This is a novella of two halves, following the same character (Caleb) across two points decades apart. From the beginning it's set up as a horror story with a mysterious, little-seen family next door. Through assisting his father the sheriff, Caleb finds and sees more than he wished to, and his connection with the girl Cere made for an interesting backbone to the tale. We get a Southern Gothic with a gay black kid and some Lovecraftian (?) overtones. I did really appreciate the ending Wise gave us, but in the end, I think I'm not that much a horror fan, even if I like individual elements of a horror story.
September 20, 2019
You never forget what you're reading during momentous times in your life...ahem. BUT let's talk about how great and creepy this work is. If you have a hankering for Southern Gothic, where Things Just Ain't Right, this is the book for you. The story follows Caleb (gay! black! cinnamon roll???) and Cere (witchy??? furious! capable!) from their tormented childhoods to their tormented adulthoods, and gives readers a Very Creepy Monster on top of it. If you loved The Toll from Cherie Priest, you will also love Catfish Lullaby!
September 26, 2019
The idea was intriguing. The novella itself - a little jarring, feeling disjointed at places, and it felt like it could use some more editing. Still, it's an engaging, atmospheric story drawing from Southern Gothic myths and tropes.
July 20, 2020
Catfish Lullaby has the bones of a good book, but never quite comes together.
April 25, 2025
It was ok at best. I found it incredibly repetitive and the story dragged. Interesting enough protagonist but I never appreciate copaganda. This novella just seemed to be trying too hard in all the ways.
May 27, 2019
Caleb is a young black boy without a mother who lives on the edge of the swamp in the town of Lewis, down by the Bayou. When he is a boy, he discovers his neighbor's house on fire and helps to save the girl who set the fire.
It turns out that all is not well in the town of Lewis.
Cere was born to destroy the world. Her father, a sorcerer and erstwhile preacher, was bound and determine to murder a man/spirit/creature/monster named Catfish John. The best way to destroy something bigger than the world was to destroy the world, Archie Royce figured, so according to his daughter he shaped her to do the job.
She was not as keen on it as Archie may have hoped.
In the beginning of the book, Caleb was a boy, trying to piece together truth and fiction, and the definition a monster.
By the end of the book, he has taken his father's place as Sheriff of Lewis, just in time for the horrors of his childhood, and Cere, to return.
At 110 pages, Catfish Lullaby is a terrorized run through the swamps and out the other side of humanity, where we can see who the monsters are and what they leave behind when their good intentions get twisted by their mission. The world building is strong enough to smell the swamp water without getting bogged down (sorry) in environment. The story is satisfying and solid, and leaves me wanting to hear more about Caleb's co-worker Rose's war stories in a future publication.
It turns out that all is not well in the town of Lewis.
Cere was born to destroy the world. Her father, a sorcerer and erstwhile preacher, was bound and determine to murder a man/spirit/creature/monster named Catfish John. The best way to destroy something bigger than the world was to destroy the world, Archie Royce figured, so according to his daughter he shaped her to do the job.
She was not as keen on it as Archie may have hoped.
In the beginning of the book, Caleb was a boy, trying to piece together truth and fiction, and the definition a monster.
By the end of the book, he has taken his father's place as Sheriff of Lewis, just in time for the horrors of his childhood, and Cere, to return.
At 110 pages, Catfish Lullaby is a terrorized run through the swamps and out the other side of humanity, where we can see who the monsters are and what they leave behind when their good intentions get twisted by their mission. The world building is strong enough to smell the swamp water without getting bogged down (sorry) in environment. The story is satisfying and solid, and leaves me wanting to hear more about Caleb's co-worker Rose's war stories in a future publication.
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December 15, 2019 Review of Catfish lullaby by A.C. Wise
Catfish lullaby is the story of a man growing up in LA next to the home of a reclusive family shrouded in secrets until one day their house burns down. No one knows what happened is it the culmination of the family mystery or an act of violence by the swamp denizen know as catfish john but it changes Caleb’s life forever as he is introduced to the enigma that is Cere a girl who will affect the next 30 years of his life as he goes from child to man and after becoming sheriff is forced to revisit those events that shaped his childhood.
As I read Catfish Lullaby I was enthralled it seemed as if someone had patched together Lovecraft with to kill a mockingbird, maybe not in substance but in its evocative nature. The characters are engaging from Caleb as he grows from a harassed gay child to the sheriff of the county to Cere who struggles between the evil within her and the woman she wants to be. The prose is compliments the plot never spelling everything out in detail but always providing all the imagery we need to feel the story. This book is a great example of a soft magic system, its feels like eldritch horror but feels no need to sill all the secrets , it is very much what you could imagine a bunch of people sitting around a campfire in LA telling stories that no one knew if it was fact or fiction but a little of both. I enjoyed the book a lot and will be on the look out for other things from the author.
Catfish lullaby is the story of a man growing up in LA next to the home of a reclusive family shrouded in secrets until one day their house burns down. No one knows what happened is it the culmination of the family mystery or an act of violence by the swamp denizen know as catfish john but it changes Caleb’s life forever as he is introduced to the enigma that is Cere a girl who will affect the next 30 years of his life as he goes from child to man and after becoming sheriff is forced to revisit those events that shaped his childhood.
As I read Catfish Lullaby I was enthralled it seemed as if someone had patched together Lovecraft with to kill a mockingbird, maybe not in substance but in its evocative nature. The characters are engaging from Caleb as he grows from a harassed gay child to the sheriff of the county to Cere who struggles between the evil within her and the woman she wants to be. The prose is compliments the plot never spelling everything out in detail but always providing all the imagery we need to feel the story. This book is a great example of a soft magic system, its feels like eldritch horror but feels no need to sill all the secrets , it is very much what you could imagine a bunch of people sitting around a campfire in LA telling stories that no one knew if it was fact or fiction but a little of both. I enjoyed the book a lot and will be on the look out for other things from the author.
April 23, 2020
This novella takes place in several parts: the childhood, youth, and adulthood of Caleb, the main character. These parts trace a series of similar events: murders of young women by a madman named Archie Royce hellbent on killing figure of myth: Catfish John.
Catfish John appears infrequently in the actual story, but his legend permeates the story. He’s a man, a monster, a god, a savior, a horror. The more important players are Cere, the young daughter of Archie Royce, and Caleb, the boy who befriends and aids in her in struggle. Together in their youths and adulthoods, they join forces to undo the horrific work of her father.
This book is short, but it’s also well-paced, well-written, and steeped in atmosphere with characters that move through the pages as if they lived. This book features no romance and has homophobic and racist characters, though Caleb does end the book as an openly gay, black man with a partner in a small town in the South, all of which the author tackles with sensitivity and poise.
With a novella, it is difficult not to say too much and ruin it for future readers. I recommend this book for fans of Lovecraft and could do without his prejudices, those who have a fascination with folklore and urban legends, fans of movies like Candyman, and readers who want queer representation without the usual focus on romance, or the character’s sexual identity becoming a token write off that’s never addressed.
Catfish John appears infrequently in the actual story, but his legend permeates the story. He’s a man, a monster, a god, a savior, a horror. The more important players are Cere, the young daughter of Archie Royce, and Caleb, the boy who befriends and aids in her in struggle. Together in their youths and adulthoods, they join forces to undo the horrific work of her father.
This book is short, but it’s also well-paced, well-written, and steeped in atmosphere with characters that move through the pages as if they lived. This book features no romance and has homophobic and racist characters, though Caleb does end the book as an openly gay, black man with a partner in a small town in the South, all of which the author tackles with sensitivity and poise.
With a novella, it is difficult not to say too much and ruin it for future readers. I recommend this book for fans of Lovecraft and could do without his prejudices, those who have a fascination with folklore and urban legends, fans of movies like Candyman, and readers who want queer representation without the usual focus on romance, or the character’s sexual identity becoming a token write off that’s never addressed.
May 13, 2020
Catfish Lullaby is a novella which deals with an American Gothic urban legend twist that works on all accounts but does leave you wanting more.
The story is well constructed by A C Wise and it was very easy to delve into the pages and before you know it, the story is finished. The characters are richly written in particular Caleb and Cere who really stand out. Wise does a justice to the secondary characters and draws them out quite well.
The plot is well constructed and deals primarily with three time periods that particularly work well together. The first time period gives the reader intrigue whilst the next period embroils the reader into the myth and legend. The final part gives us an exciting conclusion. This all hinges together like a well-oiled door but it does Leave you wanting more. It is a strongly constructed novella but it does make one wonder if the story was opened out a bit more, we would have a well rounded novel that would have given a well satisfying experience.
Overall, this is well constructed though I do wish that it were longer and there was room to let the story breathe. It is a quick read and thoroughly enjoyed though I would have loved a more fuller story that let me dive into the myth, Cere and Celeb more openly. Loved it and just wanted more.
The story is well constructed by A C Wise and it was very easy to delve into the pages and before you know it, the story is finished. The characters are richly written in particular Caleb and Cere who really stand out. Wise does a justice to the secondary characters and draws them out quite well.
The plot is well constructed and deals primarily with three time periods that particularly work well together. The first time period gives the reader intrigue whilst the next period embroils the reader into the myth and legend. The final part gives us an exciting conclusion. This all hinges together like a well-oiled door but it does Leave you wanting more. It is a strongly constructed novella but it does make one wonder if the story was opened out a bit more, we would have a well rounded novel that would have given a well satisfying experience.
Overall, this is well constructed though I do wish that it were longer and there was room to let the story breathe. It is a quick read and thoroughly enjoyed though I would have loved a more fuller story that let me dive into the myth, Cere and Celeb more openly. Loved it and just wanted more.
May 24, 2024
I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this for a hot minute?? It’s seriously SO good. I loved the writing, even though here and there I feel it was a bit sporadic in the sense that I had to go back and read a paragraph or a few sentences just because it didn’t.. flow right? I think is what I mean? It could definitely have been just my ADHD ass, so take that with a grain of salt. I honestly adored this entire book and my favorite part was how everything is described. A.C. Wise, thank you for your beautiful storytelling, my new favorite movie is the one that played in my head while reading this.
If you like Lovecraftian vibes, short horror stories, queer characters and found family, then this is for you.
If you like Lovecraftian vibes, short horror stories, queer characters and found family, then this is for you.
August 5, 2019
With this novella, A.C. Wise proves once again that she is a wonderful storyteller and an writer of gorgeous, lyrical prose. Catfish Lullaby is both gripping and powerful as it tells the story of Caleb and Cere and the bloody history (and twisted magic) that brings them together as children, and then again later as adults. Fantasy and horror, love and family are woven together into a rich and moving tale. The ending opens up new vistas of horror and literally left me gasping.
April 17, 2020
“Catfish Lullaby” is a good novella about the bayou, the life of Caleb, spanning decades, a mysterious girl from next door who lived with a family who may have been dealing with magic or who may have just been a cult, and the legend of Catfish John. There is nothing wrong with this novella, Caleb is an interesting character, and it holds my interest, but I feel like for a short as the story is, the focus is a little too wide. The family next door that lived on the compound feels like something that should have been explored more so that we get a sense of Cere, the person that Caleb and his dad bring into the house when she’s the only one left. All of the tension that could have been built over pages of Caleb watching Cere doing her mysterious things was not there. And I am all for a coming-of-age story about race and sexual orientation, but this feels like these topics were explored much more thoroughly in a way that Caleb is the only truly developed character in a story where there needs to be more time developing everything. I really want to like this more than I do, and I cannot say that people who have given it five stars and nominated it for a Nebula award are wrong. I like the ideas and the writing, I like that every time I read the name Catfish John, I started to sing the Grateful Dead song, but I was not fond of the execution.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2020
NOTE: I read this as a an ARC via NetGalley
I'm not exactly a horror or gothic fan, but I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It's like southern gothic with a twist of eldritch horrors and it works so well.
The book is really atmospheric is the only word I can find for it. I'm someone who categorises stories by formulas and tropes, and this book hits the formula for a southern gothic. A small down. An infamous Old Family that live apart from everyone else. The outcast MC.
The first half of the story is about when Caleb meets a young girl, Cere after tragedy strikes her family. There is more than meets the eye to both Cere and the tragedy, and it ends with them facing off against an eldritch horror. The second half is about 10 or 20 years later when the monster makes a return, and Caleb must find Cere again to have a fighting chance.
The strength of this novella lies in the language and the world A.C. Wise builds, and the character of Caleb, who as a half-black boy has never fit in or been accepted by his town. At its core, this novella is really about family; the ones you are born into the and ones you make. And I will forever be a sucker for found families.
I'm not exactly a horror or gothic fan, but I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It's like southern gothic with a twist of eldritch horrors and it works so well.
The book is really atmospheric is the only word I can find for it. I'm someone who categorises stories by formulas and tropes, and this book hits the formula for a southern gothic. A small down. An infamous Old Family that live apart from everyone else. The outcast MC.
The first half of the story is about when Caleb meets a young girl, Cere after tragedy strikes her family. There is more than meets the eye to both Cere and the tragedy, and it ends with them facing off against an eldritch horror. The second half is about 10 or 20 years later when the monster makes a return, and Caleb must find Cere again to have a fighting chance.
The strength of this novella lies in the language and the world A.C. Wise builds, and the character of Caleb, who as a half-black boy has never fit in or been accepted by his town. At its core, this novella is really about family; the ones you are born into the and ones you make. And I will forever be a sucker for found families.
April 6, 2020
Catfish Lullaby is a slim & fast-paced read that positively drips with atmosphere. A.C. Wise is a masterful writer of gorgeous prose that contains awful terror and this novella is no exception. To really top it all off, Wise hits on powerful themes of loneliness & pain that resonate throughout the story. While I didn’t love this novella as much as I adored Wise’s short stories in Fungi & Best Horror of the Year Volume Ten, it was still a really fun & inspiring read. I just wish we had seen less of Catfish John (took away some of the mystery for me), that we got enough time with the 2014 characters to get invested in them, and that the prose dug a bit more into the underlying theme of obsession. But overall, Catfish Lullaby is a modern southern gothic that takes elements from supernatural drama, detective mystery, & cosmic horror into a thrilling ride alongside two truly compelling characters.
October 26, 2019
I am normally reserved when giving written works 5 stars, but it goes without saying that A. C. Wise shows vast potential in her thoroughly entertaining supernatural story that is brimming with the bizarre. She clearly knows how to write a very engaging story with enough depth and mystery to keep the page turning, with characters the reader can actually care for, and with the right amount of horror to keep the reader satisfied. No word wasted, no filler in, and no over-explanation of things mundane. Just an easy-breezy and downright great (if not also disturbing) story through and through. Definitely looking forward to other works by her. If there were any complaints, I wish the story was longer as I didn't want it to end. A couple of other things keep it back from the 5-star rating it deserves, length being a major factor, but Wise does provide a complete experience that should not be missed for those who love supernatural stories set in backdrops of the grim Deep South.
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