Sibyls

by Melissa Bobe

Foreston is the kind of place where no one expects anything out of the ordinary to happen. But when a sudden storm brings twelve days of rain to the town, strange things begin occurring in spades. Household objects vanish without a trace, townsfolk start exhibiting psychic powers, and twenty mysterious strangers show up on the town’s doorstep in the middle of the night. The Foreston sheriff believes he can get to the bottom of all of the weirdness around town, but with the laws of nature bending left and right, the changes in Foreston might be too much for any one person to contend with. Part fairytale, part slice of life story, Sibyls is a darkly funny debut novella about a town weathering a storm of magic and revenge.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal

100 pages, Paperback

Published January 13, 2020

About the author

Melissa Bobe is a fiction writer living in New York. She is the author of the books NASCENT WITCH, ELECTRIC TREES, SEASON OF THE WITCH, and SIBYLS, along with many short stories. After a decade of teaching college English, during which she earned a PhD in literature along with a few other degrees, Melissa now works as a youth librarian. She's the creator of The Writing Hive and The Hive Press, and a moderator for the New York City Society of Wayward Writers. Melissa and her husband have five rescue cats (and one beloved kitty spirit) who, despite their humans' best efforts, have little reverence for the many wonderful books in their home.

Reviews

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Products of the home from which they came, the sibyls were so many things: clever as they were prophetic, dangerous as they were lovely, and merciless as the man who’d made them."

A creepy little novella that mixes the violence hidden behind the curtains of suburbia with a fairy-tale-like sensibility. Half-parable about revenge, half-fable of breaking free from the role prescribed for one by one's society or one's maker, this little tale is atmospheric. It defies usual fairy-tale conventions by having no real main character, but instead presenting a Greek chorus of voices from the townsfolk, allowing us to see the patterns that none of them can individually see.

An angry old man makes little "sibyls" in his kiln, hoping for them to unlock the shape of things to come. When they remain silent as their clay, he angrily sells them to townsfolk. The story begins with twelve days of rain ("The town survived, but it was never dry again," we are told), after which the sibyls vanish and the town begins to change as something is unleashed throughout it.

[Rebecca Hefner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella was an unexpected find and such a great story. I was drawn in from page one and didn't put it down until the chilling end. We begin with Artinand, the town's gruff outcast, making tiny dolls called Sibyls. He has a hatred for the little buggers but can't stop whittling them. Eventually, to get rid of them, he sells them to various people in town and that's when the creepiness begins. Twelve days of rain, twenty women suddenly concurrently pregnant and these strange Amazonian women who show up slightly resembling the Sibyls that somehow have gone missing. The story unfolds through multiple characters' eyes so it feels like you're losing control along with the flawed, mystified sheriff who's trying to solve the strange case along with you. A wonderful read if you want to get lost in a great story for a while!

[Elizabeth Sleeper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this charming novella from the author via a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you Melissa Bobe for the lovely package! I began to read it immediately. That being said, here are my impressions.

First off, I was dazzled by the writing style. It was beautiful and flowed elegantly. She writes in the way I prefer to read, if that makes any sense.

Secondly, the story was interesting and quite peaceful. I'm currently dealing with a lot in my life and this novella eased me into a sense of calm. It was one of those rare book treats that soothes a weary soul. It also reminded me of Pygmalion and Galatea as well as the 1995 film The Village of the Damned. Though it reminds me of those things, Sibyls is most definitely its own unique entity. I thought this novella was splendid and I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to win this darkly enchanting, fairytale-like novella in a Goodreads giveaway.
⭐️
After twelve straight days of rain, and the distribution of strange, clay figures, a small town begins to change. With the appearance of twenty strange women to the doors of pregnant women, this fun little novella takes a dark, yet dreamlike twist.
⭐️
This novella had so much atmosphere, and managed to be dark, slightly disturbing, and charming all at once. I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend.

[Shine Adventure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very unique tale. The town grump compulsively creates these wooden figurines, and starts selling the, The story unfolds, telling the tale from several townspeople's perspectives. The ending was fantastic.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a delightful and magical little tale. It's a very quick read and I loved it!

[Sarah Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75! A quick read but it kept me interested the whole time!

[Erin Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this book fantastically written but I was able to buy it straight from the author at NYCC and she’s sooo kind!