Synopsis:
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?
Review:
What a gloriously weird little novella. I really enjoyed it! I had no idea where it was heading, but once I finished it, I felt I should have! Honestly, to delve into it too much would ruin the experience. I will say that if you’re religious and offended by biblical deviations, this might not be the novel for you.
I started with this on Netgalley, but to be honest, the formatting was absolutely horrendous and almost unreadable. There were random numbers throughout the text that I was unsure if they were supposed to be a mysterious addition to the story. I finally saw that the audiobook was on Hoopla and listened to it! I’m so happy I did—the numbers did seem to be a formatting error. Sometimes these things happen, and I’m glad I didn’t lose out on a great novella! The narrator, Karis Campbell, was the perfect person to give voice to this story.
Comfort Me With Apples was eery, disturbing, and downright devour-able. Something about it just clicked with me! I feel immense satisfaction upon completing this story, although I know it won’t be for everyone. The writing style is so unique but engaging. I’ll definitely be reading more of Catherynne M. Valente. Thanks to Tor for getting this book on my radar!
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