Prepare Her

by Genevieve Plunkett

Brilliant, biting stories set in not-so bucolic Vermont, land of antique stores, small town, fading farms, and young women trying to figure out marriage, motherhood, sex and their own power.

Prepare Her tells the stories of young women at the brink of discovering their own power. The crossroads in their lives are not always the obvious kind--divorce, motherhood, coming of age—but sometimes much more private and dramatic. Kitty discovers that her ex-boyfriend has committed a murder; Renee navigates a friendship with Arla, a Jehovah's Witness; Emi realizes that her boyfriend is fetishizing her mental illness; Petra acts recklessly when faced with a client with a gun; and Rachel must grapple with the reality of raising a daughter in a world that she, herself, is still terrified of.

Tempered by its rural and often haunting Vermont setting, this book explores the complexities of gender and power imbalances in a way that transforms normal life into something mysterious, uncharted, and sometimes bewildering. Through this lens, we can see the many subtle, yet staggering injustices endured by the women at the center of these stories, as well as identify what, or who might be responsible.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2021

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't conceive of a collection I could admire more than this. Absolutely masterful and haunting. The emotional intelligence of this book is breathtaking.

[Ian]

Henry David Thoreau observed that men often lead lives of quiet desperation, and although he omits women, they often also lead lives of quiet desperation, as is the case for the women under examination in Genevieve Plunkett’s debut story collection, Prepare Her. In this collection, the domestic lives of female protagonists come under scrutiny, mainly from themselves. The collection is set in rural New England, where a slow pace of life allows the characters the time and space to ponder their situations. Plunkett thrives on exploring the interioriority of these characters, and driving these stories is the examination of the self. Throughout the collection, the stresses and hiccups of growing up and aging are a major element of their concerns. Girls become women, women become mothers, wives divorce spouses, and ultimately we see women in all life stages from girlhood until death.

Read the rest at Chicago Review of Books
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2021/07/...

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in Prepare Her often take place in cold and harsh rural Vermont winters, among billowy forests and sturdy horses that know the power they hold. This collection's focus is centered around women of all ages waking up, in a sense-- the men they loved usually taking over their lives by default, what was once considered the norm. As these women pull away and revitalize their sense of self, their freedoms, the power dynamics are quick to change. Plunkett's prose incites a mood and atmosphere so lyrical and vivid, I found myself completely focused and immersed in even the most quiet moments of each character. You might find yourself tripping over a paragraph, rereading these passages to search between the lines.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this title on a whim, intrigued by its blurb. "Subtle, feminist, and unapologetic," it said on the back, and I was pleased indeed to find just that within. Many of these stories house a very specific sort of anxiety: the unique and commonly terrifying process of turning from a somewhat genderless "girl" into "woman". For anyone who has experienced this (or not!), one can easily sympathize even with the more absurd of the short stories. Plunkett clearly has immense talent as an author.

My only hesitation from giving it a full five stars is also one of its strengths. It is so lovingly put together, so obviously combed over and adjusted just-so. Occasionally, I found myself wishing for a firmer push from the author, one that feels a bit more forceful and less calculated. Still, that feeling of trepidation accompanies the collection perfectly.

All in all, would definitely recommend!

[Joann Im · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tender and meditative stories delving into the women and girls' demanding domestic inner and exterior lives metaphorically mirrored through the landscape of rural Vermont. The ten stories feature the exploration of complex gender imbalances in their various aspects of their lives and coming to terms with their own power.

Genevieve Plunkett's stories created a sense of solitude and quietness yet a mysterious aura that lingers in the air. Her stunning prose with her keen eye for details in capturing the rural Vermont landscape are met with fragments of the author's personal anecdotes that are the root of her inspiration and enhance these stories to sing. Set in the surroundings of Vermont, Plunkett's writing gorgeously flows creating an atmosphere of such beauty yet haunting with a sense of unsettling brewing beneath the surface. A moving perception of marriage, motherhood, sex and gender politics manifested in subtlety yet fierce and dramatic. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Catapult providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Catapult and Goodreads for this book as part of a giveaway! Although each of the short stories stand alone, the themes and backdrop that runs throughout makes this book feel cohesive and perfect reading for young women. I really enjoyed this collection and felt transported to Vermont as I read.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling collection of short stories that exquisitely captures the unique anxiety of being a girl/woman in the world. These stories called back ways of thinking and making sense of the world from when I was a child and young woman. Perfectly titled!

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and unbiased.

3.5 stars. These were certainly well written short stories. They practically dripped with the polish of MFA workshops. Yet for me something was missing. While I enjoyed this book, I was never emotionally involved. Perhaps if I hadn't already read two amazing short story collections this year (Afterparties and Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self) then I would have had a greater appreciation for this one.

I'm sure that many will love this collection and be completely drawn in to the psyches of the young women depicted within, but while I enjoyed the lush prose something just fell flat. That said, I would definitely seek out this author again.

[Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous collection of short stories, set in rural New England, is rich and atmospheric. Through the tales, we experience all aspects of womanhood from birth to death and in between. Plunkett is clearly a master of words and a gifted storyteller.

These stories are not for the faint of heart, but they are beautiful and often dark and earthy. I felt a real kinship with the northeast in this book, and truly loving Vermont helps the reader understand the nuance of the atmosphere painted in each tale.

I’m grateful to my dear friend Ashley for gifting me this autographed copy. I absolutely loved it and I’m only sorry I waited so long to read it! It was beautiful and will stay with me.

[Chris LaMay-West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare her is a collection of Short Stories that are mostly set in Vermont, though it isn't always named. And if you know Vermont, you'll recognize what's going on here. In fact, if you know life, you'll recognize what's going on here- these stories are about the things happening below the surface, the darker and complex undercurrents of everyday life- interactions with coworkers, marriage, parenthood. This book is full of the richly rendered subtext, and the unease that often accompanies it. The true wonder here is how these stories work, how they are so compelling and affecting while evoking the subtle and the interior.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, what can I say? Having been a friend of Genevieve's for a few years and having read one of her early stories I was expecting something good but not this good. This is really , really good writing, gripped me right from the first one to the last. Can't say I have a favorite story in the batch, they are all great. Definitely recommend. And look forward to her novel.

[Mitch Loflin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several great passages about corn, some really nice writing, at its best when it was its Vermontiest. I do have to say a few of these stories I liked while I was reading them but if you asked me what happened in them 20 minutes later I could not say.

[Lauren Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Subtly interconnected short stories. Lovely, often poetic, writing. I would often stop and reflect on the beauty of some of her prose. Well done.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy the voice or the content of the pieces. I just finished the book and I'm having a hard time remembering specifics about any of the stories. I just didn't connect.

[kade · Rating 3 out of 5]

just fell so flat

[Anna Hogeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so brilliant, beautiful, wise and compelling. I can't recommend it highly enough!

[Madison Romero · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had no meaning besides thinly veiled but common feminist ideas- nothing original or outstanding, I didn't feel attached to anything that was written.

[Janice Obuchowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegant and distilled prose that works to illuminate loneliness and desire. I loved this collection and can't wait for Plunkett's novel.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - I really did not vibe with the first two narratives and don’t understand the message or point of them at all

Perhaps they were over my head but I did not connect with these stories at all

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up

[Katy Cesarotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Airy, melancholic stories—like a collection from Noah Kahan’s horse-girl sister.

My favorites:
⭐️ If Tooth Could Mean Heart
⭐️ Gorgon
⭐️ Something for a Young Woman

[Claire | VolaBookClub · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book that I won from a GoodReads giveaway, so thank you so much to Genevieve Plunkett, Catapult Publishing, and GoodReads!
This was a very well written novel of short stories, however I found myself not as engaged as I thought I would be. Each story was interesting, but I feel like they all ended right as I was getting invested. While all the stories were stand alone, they flowed so fluently into each other with very little hiccups which made for a quick read. The premise of having an entire novel focusing on women across all ages finding themselves was fascinating to me, and I know a lot of people will really like it.

[Dawn Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unusual collection of stories, all with vivid detail, and coming-to-awareness themes. The endings are subtle. It took me a re-reading to develop a deeper understanding of what the author was conveying without a typical, tidy ending. Definitely worth the time to review and analyze.