Elsewhere: A Novel by Alexis Schaitkin
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Web ID: 15058406Ratings & Reviews
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Intriguing, strange, and poignant
Elsewhere was equal parts intriguing, strange, and poignant. Its discourse on motherhood at first felt obvious like everyone should know that mothers bleed for their children and feel an attachment unlike any other but it gave so much more. "Elsewhere" is everywhere that isn't Vera's isolated mountain home. Those that live there are afflicted with disappearing mothers yet none have tried to break the cycle. We follow Vera from childhood through to her own disappearance and beyond. She is not a remarkable protagonist but rather a cog in the atrium of her town. It sets her apart when she tries to leave a piece of herself behind for someone to find after she's gone. I marked many beautiful quotes throughout the book - both those that helped me decipher the mystery and those that were simply poignant observations. Schaitkin's writing gives and takes but it also verges so closely to realism that the speculative atmosphere falls away leaving me to question the truth about motherhood as a whole. The cover is one of my new favorites!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Thought-provoking, engaging, unique
This book wasn't what I'd expected from the description. Yet, I'm pleased with what it turned out to be. It's a straightforward telling, as if being recollected by the narrator/ MC (it's first-person) to a trusted friend; there's no sugar-coating, no dancing around subjects, no frills and fluffs in the language. It has a somber tone throughout, perfectly suited to the storyline. The story of the town is mysterious and engaging. There are odd goings-on, and the culture of the people there has adapted to the mysterious happenings. They're closed off from the world, unique, with a way of living all their own, and they make no apologies for it. It's what they know. To them, it's normal. For a time it felt like this was the story of life inside a cult, when a stranger comes in and is questioning of their ways, yet they defend their customs and see the stranger as the wrong one. It's fascinating to see such a perspective, to read about possible societal differences that are accepted as normal because for the people living there, it is normal. This is what reading is for, to capture different takes and possibilities and to make one think outside the box, and this book nails it. I can see how other readers see this as a focus on motherhood, and even the description points that way. Maybe that's what I was supposed to read into it. But I didn't. The MC's role as a mother is only a small part of her journey, and while it is the catalyst for major change in her life, there's so much more to explore in this book, so much more takes place. We see a girl rejected by her best friend; we see a father-daughter relationship that just goes through the motions, lacking adequate affection; we see a town of people fiercely devoted to their town, their families, their customs; we see enduring romantic love; we see female friendships; we see fear of the unknown; we see struggle and growth and tough decisions. There's so much in this novel, I wouldn't dare whittle it down to being a focus on motherhood. I can't say that I liked any particular character. I can't say that I liked the trajectory of the story or of the lives of the characters. I can't say that I agree with the decisions made. But I can say that I liked this book. I will say that I recommend it. I read this on NetGalley as an advanced copy, and didn't notice a single grammatical or spelling error, nor was there anything that seemed in need of further editing. It read like a finished copy already. Bravo to the author and editors! |*| When I read advanced copies of books for free, I provide honest reviews of my personal experience of the stories. I do not want to lead other readers astray or give false expectations. I try to be polite about any criticisms out of respect for the author as a person with feelings, but my star rating and overall opinion are not influenced by the nature of having the opportunity to read the book for free. |*|
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Genre Blend of Dystopian & Speculative !
A small nameless mountain town hidden in the clouds is cool and damp through the year. This community is protective of their privacy and their strict traditions and rituals surrounding the affliction as if the knowledge of its existence is born in each of them. Young girls know the affliction sets them apart from elsewhere and understand it to be the best and worst parts of their existence. They will marry, become mothers and some of them will simply disappear into the clouds. The young mothers feel the affliction's scrutiny and speculate which one among them will be the first to go. When Vera was a young girl, her mother disappeared and now she is a young mother wondering if the affliction will come for her or if she will be able to stay and raise her child. I did struggle reading the print copy, but the story came to life for me as I began to listen to the audiobook. I let the dystopian-speculative fiction story carry me away as I listened. Closing my eyes, the author's vivid prose painted the pictures of the story in my mind’s eye. It was an amazing experience listening to narrator, Ell Potter, with her British accent, bring this story to life. A little more than halfway in, the story takes a turn I didn't expect, and it changes everything I thought this book would be. It quickly became the best and most interesting part of the book and takes the reader to the heart of the premise. The social topics within take this one up a notch for me: motherhood versus loss of personal identity, self-doubt versus confidence, perception versus reality, and apathy versus compassion. This is the type of story that creates thoughtful conversation, different interpretations, and it's what I love the most about this book! This is an interesting dystopian community with peculiar lifestyles and customs. One thing is certain, I will never pass-through, visit, or live in this place in the clouds! I do, however, recommend this novel to those who enjoy the Sci-Fi genre. I look forward to reading this author's future work and plan to read her debut novel, "Saint X" in the near future. 4.5 stars! Thank you to Celadon Books for a physical ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Interesting read
I am definitely not a sci fi reader and I didn't realize this book was. I only wanted to read it because I read Saint X and did not really like it. I really did like this book once I got into it. It was a strange book and liked the second half better than the first. It had me wanting to keep reading it to see what happened to the "mothers." I was a little surprised to say in the least of how this book panned out and how it ended.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Haunting
Elsewhere was a beautifully written and highly atmospheric story exploring motherhood and self identity. The author did a wonderful job building the melancholic and dream-like mood throughout the novel. The exploration of the complex emotions associated with the mother-daughter relationships was done well, giving room for the more off-putting behaviors and feelings without glorifying them. The middle sections of the book portray the anxieties around what is the 'right way' to behave as a parent, if there is such a thing, and the judgement of others. While the themes and the tone are both very well crafted, the plot and the development of the main character were somewhat lacking. Vera, the main character, also seemed very distant and underdeveloped compared to the other characters, especially in the middle of the book. The plot also moved slowly and somewhat aimlessly except around the transitions between the five sections/chapters. While the other aspects of Elsewhere were enough to keep me engaged, if you are looking for something tightly plotted or action filled, this may not be the one for you.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Haunting Tale of Motherhood
I received an advance review copy of this audiobook for free from MacMillian Audio and NetGalley, and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily as a courtesy. In this interesting piece of women's fiction, we follow a young woman, Vera, through her childhood and into adulthood as she grows, marries, and has a child in a small town nestled in the mountains. With the essence of a fairy tale or fable, the writing was rich and full of vivid imagery. It explores what it means to be a girl/woman living in a small town and the uncertainties and judgment one encounters throughout life. The audiobook is narrated beautifully by Ell Potter and I was whisked away by her richly emotive voice. I found myself getting lost in the story up until the end when I realized that the story wasn't quite what I thought it to be. As a woman who has chosen to live her life child-free, I believe I may not have the required experience or knowledge to fully appreciate the message of this book. It was excellently written and I enjoyed listening to the narration, but I feel as though I just didn’t really get “it,” whatever “it” may be. Overall, I gave this 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 because of the excellent writing and narration) and would recommend it to those I know who are mothers who would understand the overall meaning better than I.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
New Speculative Dystopia
Thank you to Celadon Books for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. Overall, I thought the concept of this book was super interesting. There was also a twist I didn't see coming. The writing was so profound and intense which made it all the more captivating. I don't think this genre is specifically for me and it falls mainly into speculative or literary fiction. Parts of it just didn't stick. Even though there were no chapters, the content did keep my attention to keep reading and I think that is also a success. I liked this one, just not something I'd necessarily go for again. This was also hard to devour since the chapters were sections. Each one was at least sixty pages an it was hard to fully keep my attention. I get dystopian/ speculative fiction vibes from this book and while it was unlike other books I've read, it isn't my cup of tea.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
For fans of dystopian and feminist literature
The first description I read about this book stated that Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin is, "Richly emotive and darkly captivating, with elements of Shirley Jackson’s 'The Lottery' and the imaginative depth of Margaret Atwood." Well... this book had me at Margaret Atwood who is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite authors! And yes, I would whole heartedly agree with that description. Elsewhere contains a very odd group of people living in an isolated town who have a very bizarre affliction: "some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning." The characters are well developed, the plot is very unique and the story moves along quickly. I would recommended this book to all fans of dystopian and feminist literature.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com