—Leads readers into a morass of melancholy using absurdist techniques reminiscent of Kafka.

The author leads readers into a morass of melancholy using absurdist techniques reminiscent of Kafka. In a world rife with feral beasts, the protagonist – a “beast” staked to her hometown by familial ties and responsibilities – finds the courage to write about life’s bloody struggle for survival and, in the process, finds her way to the warm embrace of sunlight. The simple, bright words of the text open to readers dark corners of the heart that most would dare not face and boldly narrate a tale that, while world-weary, is not wholly despairing. Trapped in her nebulous prison of life, the protagonist is like the child who told the king he was indeed wearing no clothes. Her exposing human malice and the true face of life’s imperfections helps readers discern both the barren emptiness and resplendent beauty in their own lives.