Book Reviews

By Matt Ruff
2/21/23
305 pages
$30
Harper

‘The Destroyer of Worlds’

The juxtaposition of sci-fi, the horrors of racism, and the twisted nature of HP Lovecraft’s legacy make for some absolutely riveting fiction. So much is said between the lines of this sequel to the genre-bending “Lovecraft Country,” it’s like reading two stories at once, which makes perfect sense if you’ve read the first book. There’s always two (or more) worlds: the one we see and the one we feel, just below the surface.

Atticus experienced the world behind the world in vivid, mind-melting fashion in the last book, and now he’s setting off to come to terms with what he found — and with himself on a road trip to understand his roots. Others among his friends and family are also seeking understanding, hope and power amidst the ruins of what they’ve found on the other side of reality. Disparate narratives between the characters wind through a variety of horrors — mundane and magical — into an explosive ending that left me aching for the next book in the series.

I loved these characters so much the first time, I was delighted to find them just as enthralling a second time around. The strange and addictive mix of horror and history captured me immediately, and I finished this in one sitting. Fingers crossed we can get a second season of the show as well. — Review by Julie Goodrich

By Jennifer Wright
2/28/23
352 pages
$29.99
Hachette Books

‘Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist’

The fact that Ann Trow isn’t a well-known feminist heroine is a travesty. Thankfully, Jennifer Wright is here with an extensively researched, compulsively readable account of this singularly fascinating woman and her extraordinary legacy that still affects so much of the country even today.

Madame Restell, as she titled herself, was a self-made millionaire and single mother who once possessed enormous fame and social power due to helping women of all social circles get access to medical care in 1800s New York City. This includes teaching herself to perform abortions and loudly leading the charge for women’s rights when those in power decided to strip her of her influence. It’s such a shame so few know of her, but I don’t think it would be a surprise to learn why. Misogyny is a tale as old as time, after all. 

Lost to history by the concerted efforts of power-hungry, sexist men, this remarkable woman is finally receiving her due in this fast-paced, whirlwind of a book. This book is more than a retrospective on the life of a forgotten heroine; it’s a telling account of how women’s health became both a commodity and a tool of oppression. Highly recommended for anyone with an eye on today’s politics and wonders how we got here. — Review by Julie Goodrich