Fiction

Quick Review: LIKE THIS, BUT FUNNIER by Hallie Cantor (Simon & Schuster)

Civilian Reader Review , , , , ,

Interesting premise, but ultimately a strangely familiar story

TV writer Caroline Neumann is thirty-four and mired in professional envy and self-hatred. Even Harry, her usually supportive therapist husband, thinks it’s time for her to press pause on her career ambitions and focus on getting pregnant, despite Caroline’s serious ambivalence about having children.

When Caroline accidentally stumbles on Harry’s patient session notes and offhandedly mentions what she finds in a meeting with a producer, the momentum of Hollywood takes over. Before she knows it — and unbeknownst to Harry — Caroline finds herself pitching a TV show about the deepest, darkest secrets of her husband’s favorite patient, a woman known to Caroline only as the Teacher.

Amid the indignities of the Hollywood development process, Caroline must balance her burning desire for professional validation against her own morality and the health of her marriage. And when Caroline forms a real-life relationship with Teacher herself, the lines between art and life begin to blur further, shaking up Caroline’s understanding of what it means to be the “likeable female protagonist” of her own life.

One of my most-anticipated novels of the year (yes, I’m a big fan of Hollywood-related books), and this one had a very promising premise. It’s well-written, and the characters are believable and mostly well-composed. However, most of the commentary about and critique of Hollywood felt familiar, which made this a less-satisfying read than hoped. Continue reading →

Quick Review: TELEVISION by Lauren Rothery (Ecco)

Civilian Reader Review , , , ,

An interesting look at a Hollywood and relationships, told with an unusual premise

Some people you meet them and you imagine this movie together. The two of you make a kind of movie and then it’s over. Other people, what you imagine isn’t a movie, because it keeps going. It’s television… If you can’t see how romantic television is, you’re blind.

An aging, A-list movie star lotteries off the entirety of his mega-million blockbuster salary to a member of the general viewing public before taking up with a much younger model. His non-famous best friend (and often lover) looks on impassively, while recollecting their twenty-odd years of unlikely connection. And an aspiring filmmaker, unknown to them both, labors over a script about best friends and lovers while longing for the financial freedom to make great art.

Told in their alternating, intricately linked perspectives, Television is a funny, philosophically astute novel about phenomenal luck, whether windfall or chance encounter. Like Joan Didion’s classic Play It as It Lays, but speaking to a since irrevocably changed Hollywood, it portrays a culture in crisis and the disparities in wealth, beauty, talent, gender, and youth at the heart of contemporary American life. In this glittering but strange new world, lit up by social media and streaming services — what, if not love, can be counted in your favor?

Lauren Rothery’s Television was one of my most-anticipated novels of 2025, so I was very pleased when I received a DRC — it promised (and mostly delivered) an interesting look at a long-time friendship in Hollywood, altered but not damaged by diverging paths and differing levels of success. While I enjoyed the novel, there were some strange choices made. Continue reading →

Upcoming: EXIT PARTY by Emily St. John Mandel (Knopf/Picador)

Civilian Reader Upcoming , , , , , ,

The covers for Exit Party, the highly-anticipated next novel by Emily St. John Mandel, were unveiled today by Knopf (North American publisher) and Picador (UK publisher). I spotted a listing for the book a few days ago in one of Knopf’s catalogues, and it immediately shot to the top of my Most Anticipated list (metaphorically — there isn’s an actual list). It’s not out until September, which feels very far away. Here’s the synopsis:

A novel of doubles, shadow worlds, and fractured timelines as a man disappears from a glittering Los Angeles party, and a woman — a gunrunner, an art collector, an operative of the State — searches for answers.

Los Angeles, 2031: The first spring after the collapse of the United States, peacekeeping troops withdraw from the city, the Jacaranda trees blossom, and the curfew is finally lifted. Ari Waker and her roommate pass the gauntlet of bomb-sniffing dogs, the shanty towns, and the Red Cross tents as they walk across Silverlake to a party. The mood is ecstatic inside the apartment, people drink and dance, a woman wears a silver dress, pleated like tinfoil. And then: A shift. A bewildered twin, an uncanny doppelganger stumbles through the crowd and out into the night, and Kareem, the party’s host, vanishes into thin air.

As Ari Waker unravels the mystery of this inexplicable night, Emily St. John Mandel unfurls a story that takes us from a future America splintered by civil war to the seaside cliffs of Greece where weapons dealers hide in an elegant resort, and from the domed city of Paris to a colony on the moon. An unforgettable literary feat, Exit Party is a novel about the price of safety, the perils of the surveillance state, a requiem for a world not unlike our own, and a breathtaking story of resilience in the face of cataclysmic change.

I’ve been a fan of the author’s ever since I read a (very) early ARC of Station Eleven, and have been an eager reader of every new novel that’s come out. The author’s previous novel, 2022’s Sea of Tranquility, was especially great so I’d recommend you give that a read as well, if you haven’t already.

Emily St. John Mandel’s Exit Party is due to be published by Knopf in North America (September 15th) and Picador in the UK (September 17th).

Also on CR: Reviews of Station Eleven, Last Night in Montreal, and Sea of Tranquility

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Upcoming: WE WILL SEE YOU BLEED by Ron Currie (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

Civilian Reader Upcoming , , , , , , ,

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne was the first novel by Ron Currie that I read, and it was an excellent introduction to his work: it was a gripping mystery overlying sharp and empathetic social commentary, populated by engaging and three-dimensional characters. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to learn that the author is returning to the setting, Little Canada, in his next novel: We Will See You Bleed, due out next summer. Definitely one of my now-most-anticipated novels of 2026. Here’s the synopsis:

It’s late summer 1984, and Babs Dionne’s hometown of Waterville, Maine is on the verge of collapse. A strike at the paper mill has dragged on for a year, pitting neighbor against neighbor, leaving everyone broke and exhausted. 

As head of the union local, Babs has presided over Little Canada’s decline. She’s sworn off violence since killing a man when she was a teenager, and has stuck to this vow even as it’s become clear that only violence can save their community. When Babs’ best friend Rita returns home after five years away, she is shocked by the state of things. And as the strike comes to a head, Rita notices something else: the men may be broken, but the women are furious, ready to do whatever necessary to take back Little Canada. 

They just need Babs to be the fearless woman who emerged from the woods fifteen years ago, drenched in blood. They need Babs to face what she already knows: that the only way to fix things is to assume control. Completely. Mercilessly.

Ron Currie’s We Will See You Bleed is due to be published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in North America, on July 7th, 2026. (No UK publisher at the time of writing, but the first book was published by Atlantic Books.)

Also on CR: Review of The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads

Upcoming: THE FRANCHISE by Thomas Elrod (Tor)

Civilian Reader Upcoming , , , ,

“The Truman Show meets Game of Thrones in this epic tale of a studio-owned Fantasy world.” While the cover is arresting (that green…), that pitch is what hooked my attention. Long-time readers of CR will know how much I enjoy reading about Hollywood and behind-the-scenes books. So, coupling this with an interest in fantasy fiction (even if it has been waning, recently), means Thomas Elrod‘s upcoming The Franchise is of considerable interest. Really looking forward to giving this a try. Here’s the synopsis:

A land filled with magic and dragons and wizards and warriors.
Thousands of people live and work within its borders — fearful of their enemies and loyal to their king.

The classic fantasy world of The Malicarn has been brought to life on the big screen in a series of epic movies, almost entirely populated by characters in total belief that their sham fantasy lives are real.

A fan-favorite actor finds himself doubting the studio’s work, but the world of The Malicarn has an almost unstoppable momentum, and bringing freedom to a population who already believe themselves to be free won’t be as easy as he thinks.

All the world’s a stage.
Meet the players.

Thomas Elrod’s The Franchise is due to be published by Tor Books in North America on May 12th, 2026.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, BlueSky

Excerpt: THE HAUNTING OF MODESTO O’BRIEN by Brit Griffin (Latitude 46)

Civilian Reader Excerpt , , , , , ,

This Thursday, Latitude 46 are due to publish The Haunting of Modesto O’Brien, the new novel by Brit Griffin. To mark the occasion, the publisher has provided CR with an excerpt to share! First, here’s the synopsis:

A gothic tale from deep within the boreal forest…

Violence and greed have intruded into a wild and remote land. It’s 1907, and silver fever has drawn thousands of men into a fledgling mining camp in the heart of the wilderness. Modesto O’Brien, fortune-teller and detective, is there too – but he isn’t looking for riches. He’s seeking revenge.

O’Brien soon finds himself entangled with the mysterious Nail sisters, Lucy and Lily. On the run from their past and headed for trouble, Lily turns to O’Brien when Lucy goes missing. But what should have been a straightforward case of kidnapping pulls O’Brien into a world of ancient myths, magic, and male violence.

As he searches for Lucy, O’Brien fears that dark forces are emerging from the ravaged landscape. Mesmerized by a nightmarish creature stalking the wilderness, and haunted by his past,  O’Brien struggles to maintain his grip on reality as he faces hard choices about loyalty, sacrifice, and revenge.

Continue reading →

Excerpt: LADDER TO HEAVEN by Katie Welch (Wolsak & Wynn)

Civilian Reader Excerpt , , , ,

Today, we have an excerpt from Ladder to Heaven by Katie Welch: a “speculative story of addiction and resilience, as well as alienation from a bewildering, rapidly-changing world that simultaneously highlights the non-centrality of humans on our planet”. Due out in October, via Wolsak & Wynn, here’s the synopsis:

You don’t seem close to death. Why are you here? 
A breeze brushed my skin, and I shivered. “It’s a long story.” 
Story! Tell the story! The sea lions levered bulky bodies to front flippers and rocked from side to side.

In 2045 an earthquake ravages the Pacific Coast of North America and the world shifts. Suddenly people and animals can understand each other, while the chaos of climate change combines with the destruction of the earthquake in terrifying ways. Inland, where she should be safe, Del Samara finds her life spiralling out of control. Struggling with addiction and with her ranch in ashes around her, Del decides her family would be better off without her. Leaving her daughters behind, she retreats to her father’s fishing cabin with her dog, Manx. When she emerges three years later, she finds the world since the earthquake has become a very different place and she begins a dangerous journey to Vancouver Island to find her family and, perhaps, find peace.

Continue reading →

Excerpt: LETTERS FROM AN IMAGINARY COUNTRY by Theodora Goss (Tachyon)

Civilian Reader Excerpt , , , , ,

On November 11th, Tachyon Publications are due to publish a new collection of short fiction by Theodora Goss: Letters From an Imaginary Country. To mark the occasion, and give readers a taste of what’s in the book, CR has been provided an excerpt to share with our readers. Here’s the book’s synopsis:

Roam through the captivating stories of World Fantasy, Locus, and Mythopoeic Award winner Theodora Goss (the Athena Club trilogy). This themed collection of imaginary places, with three new stories, recalls Susanna Clarke’s alternate Europe and the surreal metafictions of Jorge Luis Borges. Deeply influenced by the author’s Hungarian childhood during the regime of the Soviet Union, each of these stories engages with storytelling and identity, including her own.

The infamous girl monsters of nineteenth-century fiction gather in London and form their own club. In the imaginary country of Thüle. Characters from folklore band together to fight a dictator. An intrepid girl reporter finds the hidden land of Oz—and joins its invasion of our world. The author writes the autobiography of her alternative life and a science fiction love letter to Budapest. The White Witch conquers England with snow and silence.

Continue reading →

Quick Review: IN A DISTANT VALLEY by Shannon Bowring (Europa Editions)

Civilian Reader Review , , , , ,

Events in Dalton are coming to a head, as a record-breaking storm rolls in…

For a while, Rose Douglas believed life had given her a break. She was enjoying a steady job at the local clinic in Dalton; her two young boys, Adam and Brandon, were doing well in school; and their little family had found an easy friendship with widower Nate Theroux and his daughter, Sophie. The possibility of something deeper even hung between her and Nate—until the day Tommy Merchant, her ex and the father of her sons, showed up without warning on her doorstep. While Rose knows all too well his erratic and abusive nature, he swears he’s clean, and ready to turn over a new leaf.

Tommy isn’t the only one who’s found his way back to the town that defined him. Lost after a disastrous stint living down south with her father, Angela Muse has returned home to Dalton. There she runs into Greg Fortin, the friend who once saved her life when they were children and finally starts to believe there may be someone who understands her in a world that offers more questions than answers.

But secrets are the lifeblood of a small town, and everyone in Dalton soon finds themselves part of a chain of events hurtling towards outcomes beyond their control, where more than one future will be decided.

In a Distant Valley is the third, excellent novel in Shannon Bowring’s Dalton novels — following The Road to Dalton and Where the Forest Meets the River. It forms the end of a trilogy, of sorts, as the various characters are maneuvered into new situations and down new paths. I really enjoyed this. Continue reading →

Quick Review: THE PROOF OF MY INNOCENCE by Jonathan Coe (Europa Editions)

Civilian Reader Review , , , , , ,

A coming-of-age tale, wrapped up in a mystery, with a backdrop of state-of-the-nation and politics

When Phyl, a young literature graduate, moves back home with her parents, she soon finds herself frustrated by the narrow horizons of English country life. As for her plans of becoming a writer, those are going nowhere. But the chance discovery of a forgotten novelist from the 1980s stirs her into action, as does a visit from her uncle Chris — especially when he tells her that he’s working on a political story that might put his life in danger.

Chris has been following the careers of a group of students, all present at Cambridge University in the 1980s, now members of a think-tank which has been quietly pushing the British government towards extremism. And now, after years in the political wilderness, they might be in a position to put their ideas into action.

As Britain finds itself under the leadership of a new Prime Minister whose tenure will only last for seven weeks, Chris pursues his story to a mysterious conference taking place deep in the Cotswolds. When Phyl hears that one of the delegates has been murdered, she begins to wonder if real life is starting to merge with the novel she’s been trying to write. But does the explanation really lie in contemporary politics, or in a literary enigma that is almost forty years old?

Darting between decades and genres, THE PROOF OF MY INNOCENCE reimagines the coming-of-age story, the cosy crime caper and the state-of-the-nation novel with Coe’s trademark humour and warmth. From one of Britain’s finest living novelists, this is a witty, razor-sharp novel which explores how the key to understanding the present can often be found in the murkiest corners of the past.

The Proof of My Innocence is a very good read. An interesting blend of mystery, character focus and contemporary and past British politics, I was hooked from early on and read this in a couple of deep-into-the-night sittings. Continue reading →