The Perishing is a wildly imaginative debut novel. With notes of fantasy, magical realism, and the pathos of contemporary fiction, Deon takes the reader through a wild ride.

This title just didn't work for me. It's been getting great reviews, and I would definitely try another title by this writer, but the structure and violence in this title were a bit much for me.

I wanted to love this book so much. It had potential, but in the end, the pieces didn't quite fit together for me. I do wonder how much the editing process may have changed the book before its final publication, as I read a digital advance copy. I thought this book had promise as a work of historical fiction, and maybe if the book had focused on Lou and her experience as a Black reporter in L.A. in the 1930s, it would have been stronger for me. I felt that the other sections of the book (like the "Sarah" of the 22nd century) weren't fleshed out enough and therefore seemed to be trying to do too much and detracting from the strength of Lou's story. Personally, I would have rather read a historical fiction novel about Lou, or I would have rather read a novel that more deeply touched her other lives instead of mentioning them in such quick passes. There were also some passing mentions that seemed very directly related to society's current treatment of Covid-19, and while I agreed with the sentiment of the statements expressed, they were also a little distracting and felt out of place. (Again, trying to do "too much"?) I do hope Natashia Deon writes another novel soon, and I would love to read it, but this one did not hit the mark for me.

The blurb of The Perishing was so much better than the book itself.

For most of the book, I was confused. When the denouement finally appeared, it felt rushed. And, to be honest, I didn’t care what happened by then anyway. Do yourself a favor and skip this book. 2 stars.

Thanks to Counterpoint Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

“Sadness can be the hardest thing to let go of when there are no visible scars. Scars are the only proof a person has to show that something went terribly wrong.”

Natashia Deon’s character Sarah gave the reader much to ponder with her lyrical, insightful, mystical and poetic internal dialogue. Her comments on grief, responsibility, owning your narrative and survival resonated with me. Most of what I highlighted in the book were from her sections.

I enjoyed Lou and Esther’s friendship and how loyal and committed they were, especially Lou. Deon does a great job weaving history into the novel and I learned about the history of Los Angeles. Her book portrayed what it is like to live in the 1930s as a Black woman and, to a certain degree, what life was like for Asian Americans.

The ending confused me, and I am somewhat unsure I understand how everything tied together in the end. The relationship of the characters was also confusing. As others have said in their reviews, much of the unfolding of the major plot points happen in the last 40 pages of the book. I wish this was introduced or foreshadowed earlier in the book. The ending felt abrupt, and I would have loved for the ending to have been expounded upon more.

I received an Advanced Reviewers Copy of The Perishing in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Netgalley and Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press.

I finally had to DNF this at 35%. All of my complaints have been said before in other reviews. The first couple of chapters were fascinating but then the past lives bit was barely present and the rest of the story felt disjointed. I didn’t mind the point of view switching between the future life and past life but even subsequent chapters of the same characters felt more like a collection of chronological anecdotes rather than a cohesive story with connected events. I was forcing myself to continue reading it, but after opening it 3 times with the thought of “ugh I don’t feel reading this” I decided life is too short and gave up. I would read something else by this author but this book just missed the mark.

It tried with the book and had high hopes, but I DNF’d at 41%. I wasn’t a fan of the switching POVs and I just couldn’t find anything to connect me to the book or make me care what was happening.

I really wanted to love this book, but I could not get attached to it. The writing was well done, but the narrative itself was too abstract to follow. I have read books like this that are well done, but this work was too messy to be enjoyable. I ended up skimming the last half, because I found myself just wanting to get it over with. It may just be that I am not intelligent enough for this novel, but it was not for me.

The Perishing by Natashia Deon has an appealing sci-fi premise, featuring a heroine who exists across multiple timelines, but ultimately doesn't live up to expectations. I appreciated what Deon was trying to do with this novel (a bit of Butler here, a dash of Le Guin there), and was invested in the story's centering around race, but found it ultimately wanting in the end.

The novel follows Lou, a teenage Black girl, who awakens with amnesia in downtown depression-era Los Angeles. Not knowing who she is, Lou has to deal with being a strange city in a strange body while she navigates the circumstances of the time. Some part sci-fi, some part journalistic thriller, and some part romance, the novel moves more languidly than the switches in genre may suggest. I struggled to finish the book. While the story itself doesn't tread terribly new ground, the vantage point from a woman of color's perspective does present new areas of exploration. I just wish that I cared more about the characters to find myself more invested in the story.

Fans of modern sci-fi and fantasy will enjoy this book, including fans of modern classics from the aforementioned Octavia Butler and Ursula K. Le Guin, but also Philip K. Dick and maybe even Vonnegut. I can see where Deon was influenced by these works, but unfortunately the novel doesn't fare well in comparison in my opinion (although, that is quite a high bar). There's enough red meat to satisfy a genre-goer's interest. For a contemporary reference, fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue comes to mind immediately as a similarly fluffy sci-fi/fantasy piece with an insular narration.

The writing was absolutely gorgeous. The plot was intriguing, not something overdone lately. Someone else described this as ambitious and I can't disagree. I fell in love with it and cannot wait to obtain a physical copy so that I can go back through and annotate.

I didn't love this book, I didn't like it either. But, to be fair, I blame that on the book description and not the book itself.

The book was described as this fun science fiction adventure featuring an immortal black woman with amnesia. THAT was the book I was excited to read. Unfortunately, what I got was this boring, rambling tale about a depressing orphan living a boring life. Nothing personal against orphans or stories about orphans, but that's not what I signed up for when I got this book.

Lou wakes up in an alley, with no memory and no clothes. And for the next 100-120 pages (not sure of the actual page count because page numbers were omitted in favor of location, lame), that's the only exciting/interesting thing that happens. Eventually, like in the last five or so chapters, Lou learns of her origins, sort of, and manages to fight off the big bad.

Sigh.

For the sake of fairness, I will say that the author's writing was engaging. If this book had simply been marketed as literary fiction, then I might feel differently. But imagine being told that you're going to go to see a lion, but instead you're presented with a lazy house cat. I spent most of the book desperately waiting for the cool sci-fi stuff to happen, and by the time it did, I was underwhelmed.

I received this book via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Before I could even read the e-book before the publication date, I was surprised to find that Book of the Month had selected The Perishing as one of its monthly picks! I found the book to be devastatingly well-written, and I loved the way everything fleshed out. A+ characters, plot development, and structure. I have no notes!

A body hopping immortal wakes up in 1930 Los Angeles with no memory of who she is. Sometimes the book read like a list of historical facts instead of a novel. Also it was never clear what was going on with the future character.

There was a lot to unpack as I read this book but my initial worries that this book would be "too sci-fi" for me faded immediately. I found the synopsis to be very interesting. Once I was deep into it I found myself more and more intrigued. The innovative blend of historical fiction and science fiction was impeccable! If you are a fan of Octavia Butler, as I am you'll enjoy reading this book! The desire to know the backstories of the characters developed as I traveled through this book and if there is a follow-up, I would definitely read it as the ending left me with several questions.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book but, I need more answers! Natashia Deón is an incredible writer and storyteller. I look forward to enjoying more of her work.

Set in Los Angeles and dually narrated, this book tells the story of Lou, a Black woman in the 1930s. While the novel is also narrated by Sarah, living in a future Los Angeles, the book is primarily about Lou. Lou, a writer for the Times, has seen more death than most. She has turned it into stories, helping both herself and others understand grief. Or at least begin the attempt, as grief is never thoroughly understandable. However, while Lou may tell stories of death, it’s her life that holds the real mysteries. Wounds that heal unexplainably. Memories that she can’t quite place. A past that doesn’t exist.

This book is excellent. To say it’s well-written is an understatement. This novel has a depth, a voice, that I can’t begin to describe with my limited vocabulary and creativity. Rich with history, Deón tells stories of Black Los Angeles - a history that, of course, I was never taught. How did I graduate from high school in the ‘90s and never once hear the name LaTasha Harlins? Deón speaks truth that may be difficult to read, but is so necessary to share. When I do reviews, I try to share what I liked best about the book, but the irony here is that I hated this book. As wonderfully crafted as it is, I hated that these things needed to be said. I hate that they are true. I can’t claim to like anything that made this book necessary. I spent the entire book trying to make sense of the filthy souls that plague the history of this country. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to cause so much pain. That being said, I love that people, like Deón, are speaking up, uncovering the past for what it is. We can do better.

The book comes out on November 2, 2021. Definitely recommend.

Thanks to Natashia Deón, Counterpoint Press, and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

While I enjoyed this book I think it felt a little jumbled for me. I think the story was strong enough, but felt that the characters (most importantly Lou) left me wanting more depth. The historical aspect was extremely well done but I felt let down at the end, especially when it took so long to find out 'the mystery'.

I think this book had a lot of promise to be something great. I don't think sci-fi is really my thing, even though I want to enjoy this genre very much. This is a very messy and disjointed novel. Too much switching back and forth. It was hard to keep all the backstories straight. Jus too much information that doesn't really go anywhere. It's a shame, I really wanted to like it. The plot so intriguing, but the overall prose and tone was all over the place. The cover is gorgeous though.

Ms. Deon's new book The Perishing is fantastic in all meanings of the word; I loved the use of time in this novel, the narrative that wove in the intersections of misogyny and racism within the context of LA's neighborhoods and across time. My initial worries that this book would be "too sci-fi" for me faded immediately as the book was actually just right for a reader like me who is seeking books that make me question what I know and don't know about race and cultural histories in the US, books that indeed play with time and memory while mixing in a coming of age/identity themes. I loved the voice of the narrator and the writing style provided for me a strong sense of cohesion and clarity even as the book moved between times and aspects of memory/lived lives.

I am often captivated by books that play with the idea of how time could be out of order or experienced in ways we do not plan (such as past lives or connections across time) and I loved how the protagonist talked about time and memory in a way that helped me immediately understand how these were experienced by her and how they were at the heart of the plot. The elements of magical realism and hints of mystery and themes on identity were also elegantly integrated into this book. I was drawn into the examination of who Sarah/Lou was and the examination of the self in time, place, memory, and consciousness and am still thinking about the prose and questions this book posed a day after finishing this book.

I saw this book listed in a preview of anticipated fall books in the NYTimes which lead me to request this book for review and I agree, this should be a highly recommended and anticipated book. I think this is a must read for readers and book clubs who are open to examining racism and sexism within the supernatural, magical realism contexts this book offers. I run a literary fiction chat and can't wait to recommend it to that group in particular. It is of course easy to say that fans of Octavia Butler should read this book but I would also recommend it to fans of Dawnie Walton's debut this year, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev as I feel both books examine Black women's lives in important ways and with strong writing and to fans of Velvet was the Night for similarities in noir vibes and use of culture/contexts as an important part of plot and mood.

Thank you to Counterpoint press and NetGalley for the chance to read and comment on this book.

My full review will be shared on instagram and my website https://pageusbookstuff6.wixsite.com/pageus closer to publication date.

I am docking 0.5 stars for lack of closure. I have so many questions. I need to know the backstories of the others. Please tell me, this is NOT a stand alone novel.

Special shout out to a book-friend who's review of the book bumped it up on my TBR. And thank you to @netgalley and @counterpointpress for sending me an ARC.

And applause and appreciation to @natashiadeon for this masterpiece. Your writing is gorgeous, poignant, thoughtful and provocative.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise of the book drew me in with the promise of a thriller having a black female protagonist with a sprinkle is sci-fi. But I just felt like there wasn’t enough magical realism or thrilling plot for me to disappear in. Often times I felt reminded of where I am today in the middle of a pandemic in 2021.