Scan barcode
evanstevens's review against another edition
5.0
Anya Ow’s post-apocalyptic speculative lit novella, Cradle and Grave was breathtaking.
Lien works as a scout for scavenger supply runs and a shopkeep in a wasteland known as the Scab. Her body has been severely altered by the Change, which is the aftermath of wars from people long ago. She is visited by a “halfer” with “prefab” parts named Yusuf, who resembles a centaur, his bottom half being that of a horse. He offers her a hefty sum of money to guide him and an associate of his through the Scab and into the City. She accepts the offer only after Yusuf leaves a photo of a room Lien remembers from her childhood, before she was changed.
Lien and Yusuf, along with Servertu, the mysterious cloaked figure who rode atop Yusuf’s back make way for the City, and it’s a treacherous journey. They come across mutants and mercenaries determined to kill. They must also guard themselves from the post-apocalyptic landscape that can alter their bodies beyond repair.
The detail Ow gives to the landscapes, mutants, atmosphere, and anatomy is grotesque and beautiful. The world building is impressive, and I was truly invested in all of the characters. I very much appreciated that each time someone was introduced, they gave their pronouns with no fuss, and there’s a discussion of how people pre-Change saw many things in binaries, or dualities, that do not exist in the new world. Was refreshing to see what I perceived as an asexual character represented, as well.
Amongst all the mutants, radiation, and the ruins of civilization we find what it means to be human. And it doesn’t always look like what you might expect.
Cradle and Grave would be great for fans of Jeff Vandermeer and N.K. Jemisin.
Lien works as a scout for scavenger supply runs and a shopkeep in a wasteland known as the Scab. Her body has been severely altered by the Change, which is the aftermath of wars from people long ago. She is visited by a “halfer” with “prefab” parts named Yusuf, who resembles a centaur, his bottom half being that of a horse. He offers her a hefty sum of money to guide him and an associate of his through the Scab and into the City. She accepts the offer only after Yusuf leaves a photo of a room Lien remembers from her childhood, before she was changed.
Lien and Yusuf, along with Servertu, the mysterious cloaked figure who rode atop Yusuf’s back make way for the City, and it’s a treacherous journey. They come across mutants and mercenaries determined to kill. They must also guard themselves from the post-apocalyptic landscape that can alter their bodies beyond repair.
The detail Ow gives to the landscapes, mutants, atmosphere, and anatomy is grotesque and beautiful. The world building is impressive, and I was truly invested in all of the characters. I very much appreciated that each time someone was introduced, they gave their pronouns with no fuss, and there’s a discussion of how people pre-Change saw many things in binaries, or dualities, that do not exist in the new world. Was refreshing to see what I perceived as an asexual character represented, as well.
Amongst all the mutants, radiation, and the ruins of civilization we find what it means to be human. And it doesn’t always look like what you might expect.
Cradle and Grave would be great for fans of Jeff Vandermeer and N.K. Jemisin.
greeniezona's review against another edition
dark
tense
4.0
This novella is post-apocalyptic body horror with major Annihilation vibes. Well, it starts out more Mad Max and then eases into Annihilation. Dark and atmospheric, with scenes that linger in the mind long after closing the book. This one definitely exceeded my expectations.
lauriereadslohf's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Review to come, rating may change
quorumbutton's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An excellent novella. Extremely interesting world-building and excellent character work, with a sort of bitter-hopeful ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
post-apocalypticselenotropic's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A tremendous entry in the "people entering a strange twisted zone" subgenre of sci-fi. The original and intense body horror is buoyed by gentle, humane character work and some really interesting large-scale themes of transhumanism and ecological devastation. I wish the book was slightly longer because the ending is awfully quick and things get very abstract for a bit there - I would've liked to see some of that dense conceptual stuff fleshed out a little more. Nonetheless, Cradle and Grave is an excellent novella and I can't recommend it enough.
More...