And What Can We Offer You Tonight is set in a capitalist dystopian hellscape of a society with extreme income inequality where poverty and being unhoused is basically a death sentence. For the “lucky” few, being sex trafficked through an upscale brothel offers a kind of escape. The young men and women “employed” by these establishments are lavishly fed and clothed, but are prevented from accumulating personal wealth and kept in a state of dependency on their exploitative employers.

Sounding too sad and depressing for you? Wait, wait! And What Can We Offer You Tonight is actually the story of a murdered sex worker zombie returned from the dead to take vengeance on the wealthy client who killed her without any legal repercussions.

Winfield, the zombie sex worker, also recruits her living friends to her cause, instigating them in acts of resistance against their traffickers and other violent clients. In fact, this is my favorite thing about the novella. Mohamed does a beautiful job giving dignity and agency to her characters. Despite having little power at their disposal, they exercise whatever means they can to resist, acting in solidarity with each other and honoring those who die in funeral ceremonies forbidden by their traffickers.

Also, the cover looks like a freaking dark Lisa Frank illustration. What’s not to love?

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me advance access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really odd novella that just didn't work for me. We jumped into what seemed to be the middle of a story. It took me between the first quarter and the first third of the book to even work out what was going on. The writing style didn't help, as it was quite jarring.

There was no real world building, which is a shame, because the little we did see was interesting. It would have been nice to know more about the world.

Mohamed uses words like silk threads to weave a beautiful and devastating tale of ecological destruction, deep-seated corruption and rising up from the tight bounds of servitude. Her words lend new meaning to rebirth and cleansing.

An enthralling story of what it means to be considered less than human, and what it means exactly to be human anyway. The main characters are flawed and very real in those flaws, but still likeable and interesting, compelling. I think there's an extra level to this story, exploring the nuances of sex work and just how it impacts those that work in that industry.

"The dead girl woke and asked for her perfume and we gave it to her and she slept again."

This is how the book begins, with the courtesan Jewel standing in her room, wondering what she is supposed to do about this living dead girl sleeping on her bed.

It is a novella of 80 pages, quite short, however the length matched the scope of the story and what the author set out to do. It takes place in a futuristic setting but the world is not described overly much, so if you are the type who wants all aspects of a fantastical setting explained this is not it. We get glimpses of technology and body modifications available in this world/reality. The main character Jewel is a very practical person, dealing with her place in life with as best she can, all the while contemptuously observing the cruel reality the world has become. Where the state no longer provides for the population but all that matters is how much money you have, and if you don't have it, you die. How the owners of her "House" (because this establishment is not like those lowly whorehouses down in the slums, this "House" is a sophisticated establishment catering to wealthy and influential customers) use them, the courtesans, to become even richer while playing like they are kindly taking care of them. Then one of the girls dies, Winfield, or rather, is murdered by a client. But when you have money and influence, but mostly money, money enough that nothing else matters, then it doesn't matter if the merchandise is broken. As long as you keep coming back to utilise the House's services, then indiscretions can be swept under the rug. It is not the first time a courtesan dies, but it is the first time one comes back from the dead. Because she is dead, she is freed from the shackles of the House and society. There is no longer any need to control herself and act appropriate and submissive. She demands vengeance. The freedom, of not only going wherever you please, but most of all BEING whoever you please, when she is no longer constricted by any rules. Meanwhile, Jewel would have preferred if Winfield had just stayed dead, it would have been simpler.

The atmosphere created by the contrast of Jewels practical ways and the devastation of life in this city becomes hauntingly beautiful. The language is simple, shorter sentences, punctuation to provide force, and this works well together with Jewel's detached practicality.

"And the priest said, This, your friend Winfield, and at hearing her name she stirred and sat up and pushed open the coffin and the flowers spilled off her like water, roses, jasmine, lilies, honeysuckle, and the ugly rip they had made to fake an 'autopsy' tore open its lazy stitches and filled with blossoms."

The structure of the story is well planned and the pacing flows naturally, it makes you want to continue reading not to find out what event is going to happen, but how the characters will act, what decisions will they make when faced with a dilemma. Will they fight the injustice, or will they try to keep their small and relative safety and comfort for the worse alternatives they know exist?

1 star. Thank you Netgalley for the arc. This short story was not for me. There was zero world building. We jump into the story that feels like it has been going on for 100 pages already. We know nothing of the characters, the setting, the history. The writing style also was confusing to start, but became easier to read as the story continued.

A very readable novella set in a far future city, told from the point of view of Jewel, a courtesan in a House where only the richest can afford what’s on the menu. It’s fairly bleak as the opening of the story is at the funeral of Winfield, murdered by a client with no consequences for him. A tale of revenge and justice in a society where there is no real justice. I would’ve liked to know more about the society in this short, interesting read.

2.5.

The cover and synopsis had me hooked for this one, but it wasn’t quite a match. While I was intrigued for the first 1/3 or so, my interest dropped off after that. I didn’t feel myself connecting with the characters or the story and the element of mystery remained… an element of mystery.

It is a unique, quick read- just one that I ended up not caring much about. I wanted more from the story and the writing style didn’t grip me as I wished it would.

Not for me, but others might love it! It is short enough to be worth a try for anyone thinking of picking it up.

'And What Can We Offer You Tonight' by Premee Mohamed took me on an unexpected journey.
From the blurb and the page number, I was expecting a quick mystery, instead I got a deep and emotional tale about one woman's choice between freedom and comfort.
Since this is a short book, I'll keep the review short and say I really liked it. The story is brimming with themes of loss, disconnect from one's culture, and what one does to survive. Jewel is a prostitute in a famous establishment when her friend dies, then comes back to life. Win is bent on revenge, but Jewel struggles with the idea as it would overturn the little she's gained so far, making this book intensely introspective.
If you're looking for a light, fun read then this book isn't for you. However if you're willing to brave an emotional and, at times, heart-wrenching tale with moments of action, and an ending that makes you question whether 'happy ever after' really IS the best way to go, then don't hesitate to pick this up!

This story was gripping right from the start. The author was really able to pull your attention immediately
Somewhere along the line I stopped being as interested, but it was just not a book for me. The writing was stunning and the story was beautiful, powerful and unique. I just personally didn't resonate with the story and so I found myself Drifting off in thought and not paying attention. I'm still giving three stars because I really feel this book is great, just didn't do it for me as much as I had hoped. Thanks so much for the galley!!!

This was a quick, interesting read. I never connected with the characters and really wanted to see more of Winfield. I’m just not a fan of weak characters so I didn’t care for the MC, hence my desire to learn more about Win’s powers/story. The world building in novellas is always hard and this story did a fine job of that, especially the mix of tech and squalor and wealth. That was very clear and well done.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I was not a big fan of this story. It is a quick read about a sex worker looking for the man who killed her friend. I was never able to get into the characters and the writing was not for me. The story seemed like it started in the middle and never got better. However, it is a really quick read so if you don't like it you won't have wasted much time.

Beautiful story. I want more time with these characters and in this world. I love revenge stories and this was very well-done.

Well this was bleak, but powerful nonetheless. Set in a far-future Dystopia without law, where the world appears to have dissolved into some kind of toxic floodscape, and the government culls its citizens for the slightest infraction, this is a story about power, greed and privilege.

It’s heroine, Jewel—a courtesan in a House that exists to profit its owners, and indulge the perversities of the wealthy—is mainly preoccupied with safety and survival, and the moments of connection she shares with her fellow courtesans. At least until one of them gets murdered, and then refuses to stay murdered.

The book (well, novella really) is narrated in a kind of stream of consciousness that gives it a dreamlike quality. I can see why, as a stylistic choice, this might not work for all readers, but to me it felt very much like the right choice. Jewel’s world is regulated and controlled—her sense of safety has come at the cost of her freedom and her selfhood, even her humanity—and the narrative reflects that: her psychological need to detach herself from the realities of her position, coupled with her ultimate inability to do so. It is a conflicted voice, at once beautiful and bitter, self-deceiving and perceptive, hopeful and despairing, for a conflicted heroine.

As ever with short stories and novellas, I found myself wishing nebulously for “more”. But this is a wonderfully dark fable of power, corruption, vengeance and the limitations of freedom.

Also, just to be shallow for a moment: the cover is exquisite.

And What Can We Offer You Tonight is a gorgeously devastating little book. Mohamed’s lush, expressive prose creates a tangible world for readers to sink inside and builds the complex and intricate story into something unforgettable.

This book’s great glory is its attention to language. Mohamed’s descriptions are intoxicating: “a grand jagged ruin bleeding rust into the slowlapping sea”; “the sky is blueblack as a bruise and the water is the same and between them, very often, is a single knife-thin slice of gold sun”; “the music, from floating speakerlights, comes down ghostly and slow, like snow rather than sound”. In other hands, the tumbles of descriptions might trip over themselves, but here they soar, lifting the story out of the simmering dark cauldrons of rage that underpin its events and transforming it into something luminous and transcendent.

One minor criticism is that, every so often, the lovely, flowing sentence and paragraph structure rushes into a tangle and becomes difficult to follow. It does not happen often, and, with careful reading, is easy enough to untangle—but it did, in a few places, jar me out of the story. My only other quibble is that it’s never made clear how, or why, every character appears to simply understand and accept a central plot point that does not strike me as the obvious assumption for them to make about what is happening. However, neither of these points ultimately detracts terribly much from an otherwise spectacular story--if anything, they only serve to highlight how a story that has its little flaws can still be magnificent.

Overall, I found this book engrossing, enchanting, heartrending, and entirely worth several reads. One of the best things a novella can do is to somehow leave its reader at once satisfied by a fully-realized story and yet still longing for more. This book amply satisfies that potential; I am glad to see that Mohamed has several other books currently in print and more forthcoming.

I received a digital advance copy of this book from Neon Hemlock Press via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the Author and to NetGalley for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review!

This was an interesting and fast-paced read. I believe there was quite a bit lacking from the world-building and I was left with alot of questions about it when I finished. However this could be down to the length of the book!

There were also a few times in which the wording was confusing, however the description in a number of scenes are beautiful (espically the flying scenes!!). also due to the short nature of the story every scene is important and therefore there are no boring filler scenes.

Altogether, I really enjoyed this read and think it would be perfect for a quick afternoon read to get you out of a slump!

First I want to thank Netgalley for giving me an e-ARC of this book.

2.5\5

And what can we offer you tonight is a very peculiar name for a book and it worked out.
The cover is totally beautiful and I really loved the contrast, like if it were a sunset and the streets are water, it just gives me a good vibe.

Thing is.... A girl is murdered and somehow she really wasn't dead, I entered with the best mood and I ended up bored and not interested at all.

The writing was beautiful, is different than what I am used to, but it is good, but anything about the book didn't get me happy and things to feel.

She wanted to get revenge, yeah but it still bored me, I expected something different, and sometimes it comes out as a good thing but in here it wasn't that way.

Remember this is my own opinion and anyone can think differently.

<i>Thank you Netgalley and Neon Hemlock Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!</i>

And What Can We Offer You Tonight is a hell of a ride. It tells the story of courtesans living in a dystopian world and surviving with barely any rights, only to have one of them come back from the dead and seek revenge from those who wronged her.
For such a tiny book, it's packed with complex worldbuilding and fascinating characters; you can almost touch and smell the city and the House, almost see all the textures and scenery described. The story itself is perfectly balanced to give context into this world and still keep things moving, wheels turning as the plot advances.
The one thing that keeps this from being a 5-star read for me is that it was at times so overwritten that the language got distracting, keeping the focus on form and not content. If this had been toned down a bit, I'm sure I would be recommending this to every person I know who enjoys fantasy and dystopian worlds. Still, it's a tiny detail to overlook in order to get to such a wonderful story.
An overall great book, it is stuck in my head like only the best movies would.

Ever read a book where you loved the concept & the plot but the writing didn’t connect with you? That’s me with this little novella.

Story:
Somewhere in the far future, where life is as dystopian as you can imagine, there lives a “courtesan” named Jewel. Her world is shattered when a close friend and fellow worker named Winfield is murdered by a client, but she is left even more bewildered when Winfield returns from the dead. To get vengeance, each of them has to decide how far they can go against the status quo and the establishment.

Within its meagre 80 pages, this story packs a powerful punch. The main characters are interestingly crafted. Jewel, as a prostitute who is beyond her shelf life at 30 and struggling between her loyalty towards her friends and her dependence of the House where she works. Winfield, who is the most intriguing undead character I’ve ever come across; she’s neither a zombie nor a spirit but just someone who is “dead but not dead.” Nero, a fellow worked who aims at the oddest of accessories to further his uniqueness. Each of these trio make a mark.

The plot is also attractive. Working from within a dystopian establishment and trying to take it down with the help of an ‘undead’ is a different take on the typical gloomy futuristic tales. I was almost hooked onto the narrative from start to end. But what created the biggest hurdle for me was the writing style. Quintessentially stream of consciousness, the writing is flowery and lyrical, both of which aren’t attributes I enjoy while reading any kind of thriller as they take away from the pace of the narrative. I did enjoy the story but I am sure I would have loved it were it written in a more ‘regular” style.

3 stars for the writing, 4 for the characters, 5 for the plot. And hence, the book gets 4 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Neon Hemlock Press, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Premee Mohamed’s And What Can We Offer You Tonight is a tightly written novella about a story of rebellion from oppression focused on the inner struggle from the invisible chains of psychic servitude.

And What Can We Offer You Tonight, narrated by Jewel, a courtesan at the high-end House of Bicchieri, begins with one of the House’s workers coming back from the dead. Winfield (Win) revives and recovers her memory slowly but soon resolves to carry out revenge on the monster who killed her.

The House of Bicchieri is a strange and false outpost of comfort and luxury in the midst of a ruined, flooded city where the poor scrape by and the rich retreat to their well-guarded suburban estates. From the age of 10, children of the poor are subject to a “cull” and many are forced into prostitution, with the “lucky” few picked up by the owners of the House, a couple who go by mineral names (Ms. Serpentine and Mr. Jade). In this future city, if you lack a wristband identifying you as a worker of some value, your life is literally worthless, and you can disappear without a trace.

The owners enforce a regime of strict compliance with House rules which always put the clients first (and only) even when their tastes run to beating, mutilation and murder. Yet they also insist on a tone of benign helpfulness. Cheerfulness and beautiful clothes accompany their constant drumbeat of praise and reminders of how lucky the workers are to be saved from poverty and death in the hopeless city.

Since Winfield is now dead and beyond the brutal punishments the House can inflict, she decides to revenge herself and friends by using her new powers to come and go as she pleases. The story of her revenge is one element of the plot of this story, but the other is even more interesting. It is the story of Jewel’s inner liberation.
....
Mohamed is a brilliant writer who packs a complex story into sixteen short chapters. There is not a word wasted, yet the details of the strange world of this nameless city, even when they fly by in the midst of action, are unforgettable.
...
The story builds to an exciting conclusion, and even though I was left wanting to know more about these intriguing characters, that’s a good feeling to have. There’s a lot of richness in a small space in this remarkable novella.

Full review at <a href="https://www.scifimind.com/what-can-we-offer-you-tonight-by-premee-mohamed-a-review/">SciFi Mind</a>