Mini Novella Review: Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
Tordotcom
Publication: November 9th, 2021

Hardcover. 112 pages.

About Comfort Me With Apples:

"Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect. 

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect. 

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze... 

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?"

Comfort Me With Apples is an odd little novella, but I would expect nothing less from Catherynne Valente. I've been struggling with how to adequately summarize this novella without saying too much and it's proven to be a bit of a task. In essence, this is a story about a woman, Sophia, who lives in what may be seen by some to be an idyllic, perfect community with her husband, whom she loves more than anything and essentially bases her entire life around. Things unfortunately begin to take a somewhat darker turn when Sophia begins to discover some unexpected items around her house and thus starts to question her life and surroundings.

Comfort Me With Apples is an incredibly sharp, intelligent, and clever story that is littered with hints and clues about some greater themes and backdrops that are at play than may be realized. Once I got near the end and started connecting a lot of the dots that had been laid out for me without realizing, I started making all of those connections that were right in front of me the entire time. This book has a lot of mythology incorporated into it in both overt and subtle ways that really made this an entertaining story to read. 

The writing is beautiful and flows effortlessly, and no matter how weird the things happening on the page are, it's hard not to be drawn into Valente's writing. Not to mention that the weird things happening on the page are, in fact, captivating in their own right and for their own reasons. 

Overall, I've given Comfort Me With Apples four stars! This was an unexpected, yet diverting read that gave me something new to ponder and enjoy. This is a quick read because you just have to keep turning the pages, so I would absolutely recommend to anyone even remotely curious about it. 

 

 *I received a copy of Comfort Me With Apples courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | IndieBound

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Haunting Season by Bridget Collins, et al., Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson, & Comfort Me With Apples by Catherine M. Valente

**Quick note: from September 1st-7th, I will be out of town and therefore will likely not be responding to comments on these pre-scheduled posts/blog hopping as much as usual-sorry! I will be sure to catch up once I'm back.  Happy reading!

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

The Haunting Season by Bridget Collins, Natasha Pulley, Laura Purcell, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, et al.
Publication: October 21st (UK)/October 12th (US), 2021

Sphere (UK)/Pegasus (US)

Hardcover. 464 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Eight bestselling, award-winning writers return to the time-honored tradition of the seasonal ghost story in this spellbinding collection of new and original haunted tales. 

Long before Charles Dickens and Henry James popularized the tradition of supernatural horror, the shadowy nights of winter have been a time for people to gather together by the flicker of candlelight and experience the intoxicating thrill of a spooky tale. 

Now eight bestselling, award-winning authors—all of them master storytellers of the sinister and the macabre—bring the tradition to vivid life in a spellbinding new collection of original spine-tingling tales. 

Taking you from the frosty fens of the English countryside, to the snow-covered grounds of a haunted estate, to a bustling London Christmas market, these mesmerizing stories will capture your imagination and serve as your indispensable companion to cold, dark nights. So curl up, light a candle, and fall under the ghostly spell of winters past . . ."

It's the beginning of September, which means it's time to start preparing for October reads! First up is what sounds like it's going to be a perfect book of ghost stories for the spooky season, and I am so excited to check it out. (It's also, as the blurb notes, perfect for winter, so maybe save it for then, also?) I have really enjoyed Bridget Collins' books, so I am most excited for her story, but many of the other authors included, like Laura Purcell and Kiran Millwood Hargrave, have stories that I'm really excited to check out as well!

and...

Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

Publication: October 26th, 2021

Orbit

Paperback. 384 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Tense and thrilling, Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson's new science fiction is an unforgettable vision of humanity's future among the stars. 

The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years from home to bring thousands of sleeping souls to safety among the stars. 

Some of the sleepers, however, will never wake - and a profound and sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel as its skeleton crew make decisions that will have repercussions for the entire system - from the scheming politicians of Lagos station to the colony of Nightshade and the poisoned planet of Bloodroot, poised for a civil war."

I loved Tade Thompson's Wormwood trilogy and I have high hopes that this book is going to be amazing! It sounds exactly like something I'm interested in checking out.

and...

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Publication: October 26th, 2021

Tordotcom

Hardcover. 112 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"A terrifying new thriller from bestseller Catherynne M. Valente, for fans of Gone Girl and Spinning Silver 

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect. 

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect. 

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze... 

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?"

Catherynne M. Valente is one of my favorite and most-read authors, and I am truly ecstatic that she has another book coming--and that it sounds so good! I cannot wait to read this one.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?