Liquid Snakes; A Novel by Stephen Kearse was not for me, personally. I am still thankful that I got to read this!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Soft Skull Press for the eARC of this unique title**

As far as debut novels go, this one was wild and I greatly appreciated the unique concepts. Liquid Snakes follows several impressive characters, and their individual experiences of being black in Atlanta.

I was hooked from the start of this novel, with Ebonee from the CDC exploring the apparent suicide of a student that resulted in a massive sinkhole opening on the school grounds. So launched an investigation into the substance that caused the sinkhole, and the ultimate revenge plot against an evil corporation.

Kearse's writing reminded me a lot of P. Djeli Clark in Ring Shout, in the sense of racial exploration and looking at the ways that inequality still shatters lives to this day.

Check this book out if you like medical thrillers, suspense, and scifi. Kearse is definitely an author to look out for!!

Wha?!? This novel was a wild ride through Atlanta with CDC investigators, vigilante chemists and a racist government cover up.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley, Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Liquid Snakes releases August 8, 2023

<i>“chacun prepare sa propre mort — everyone prepares their own death”</I>

Liquid Snakes is a very creative and perplexing sci-fi story about toxic pollutants and race.

This story weaves together the perspectives of a few characters in an Atlanta setting:
- Ebonee and Retta, two CDC workers who are part of a team investigating suicides that present as chemical spills that turn into black sinkholes.
- Kenny, a biochemist turned coffee shop owner by day and manufacturer of designer drugs by night.

The overall vibe here is very reminiscent of speculative crime shows, while still bringing its own originality. It kind of reminded me of “Burden of Truth” in a sense, with the communities of marginalized individuals that keep getting illnesses linked to environmental pollutants.

It’s innovative and thought provoking, but was missing something that I can’t quite put my finger on… more detail on the actual sinkhole sites? More focus on the victims in relation to the app they used? More from Kenny and the minute details of how the venom concoction works to disintegrate so well or his daily injections?
While I did get a large sense of revenge throughout, I didn’t always feel Kenny’s grief.

cw: suicide, suicidal thoughts, uses the n-word a lot

The novel "Liquid Snakes" by Stephen Kearse is a thought-provoking exploration of pollution, poison, and their effects on individuals and communities. Set in Atlanta, the story follows a biochemist-turned-coffee-shop-owner named Kenny Bomar, who is struggling with the aftermath of a divorce and the death of his stillborn daughter. As Kenny investigates the cause of his daughter's death, he discovers that the government is hiding a toxic plant in Black neighborhoods, leading him down a dangerous path of addiction and vengeance.

Meanwhile, two Black epidemiologists, Retta and Ebonee, are called in to investigate the death of a high school girl caused by a mysterious black substance. The investigation leads them down separate paths of blame and retribution, culminating in a dramatic conclusion that ties the seemingly disparate narratives together.

Kearse's writing is immersive and propulsive, with a cinematic quality that makes the story feel like a thrilling TV show. The characters are complex and flawed, grappling with their own demons as they navigate a world that is poisoned by pollution and institutionalized racism. "Liquid Snakes" is a powerful commentary on the intersections of race, class, and environmental justice, and an impressive debut from Kearse.