I really enjoyed reading this ARC of DEAD IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA by Venita Blackburn! And I love the cover! This novel is about Coral, who finds her brother as the title describes. I loved the timeline that starts on Friday and chronicles the week as Coral descends into her immense grief. I loved the characterization of Coral. She's a queer writer and parts of her writing is incorporated into this novel. There was an interesting dynamic between Coral and her niece. This writing was a very captivating portrait of an unraveling woman. I reread this book on audio and the narrator Lynnette Freeman was great. A fantastic 2024 debut novel!!

Wow - this book.
So much complexity. So much representation, Just so much.
Loved the audio - it drew me in quickly and held me entranced.
The chaos of grief is so well done with Coral.

What an interesting story. I've never read anything by Venita Blackburn before, and Dead in Long Beach, California: A Novel is nicely written. It's a really unique story, and I'm glad I read it.

The audio version is beautifully performed by Lynnette Freeman.

First Advance Listening Copy of the year for me and it was a real doozy! Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, because this was great! I first discovered this book as part of a Kirkus list of recommendations, and they didn’t steer me wrong.

Dead in Long Beach California is an experimental novel about grief that is expertly crafted. Each chapter we get bits of plot, remembrances, history, fantasy; all blended together. This is high level writing without being impenetrable. It meanders at times and might be a hair too chaotic for the casual reader, but is very rewarding on the whole. I found the narrator excellent, and did great job of not losing the thread despite the quick changes in writing.

At times this novel is hilarious and others heartbreaking, but overall I enjoyed this very much, particularly for its realistic representation of how the mind deals with grief and trauma. I would recommend to anyone looking to broaden their literary horizons. Give it 50 pages, you’ll know if it’s for you or not. Looking forward to what’s next from Venita Blackburn.

I am having a hard time figuring out how to review this book. This isn't like anything I've really read before. I definitely enjoyed it but more for the use of language and style than anything else. I did have to re-read the blurb a time or two to orient myself as to what the story was - but I don't really think I needed to know I probably could have just let the book play out. There are some incredible moments in the book and some passages I will think about for a long time. This was more like poetry and Lynnette Freeman did a wonderful job of pacing and expression in the narration. Did I enjoy the book - yes, could I describe it to someone...maybe? I would definitely use the word innovative. I guess you'll just have to see for yourself. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a ride, or maybe a slow burn that slowly lets the reader in. This book gets some push back for the non-traditional storytelling. If you are a reader that needs a linear story and reliable narrators, then yeah, this book isn’t for you. However, for those that are willing to relax into the neurosis, guilt and occasional indifference of a woman trying to make sense of her brother's untimely death, then here you go. As someone who lost a brother unexpectedly and then tried to make sense of his life, this book resonated with me, I think Coral and I are nothing alike, but I appreciate the meditation on loss and the fragility of life that comes out in this book,

I would suggest reading instead of listening. While Freeman does an excellent job the jagged story line needs a reader's full attention to really grasp. I found myself having to go back repeatedly to make sense of the book if I was not 100% dedicated in the moment.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy and giving me the chance to review it honestly.

I received Dead in Long Beach, California as an ALC and I found it to be an OK listen. I enjoyed the narrator and the writing style but that’s pretty much all I enjoyed. Unfortunately I requested this book based on the title and cover and not so much on the description. Maybe I just didn’t get it because I did find myself to be confused at times. I honestly just think I had the wrong expend or this book. As always, please take my opinion with a grain of salt. Just because it didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.

Happy reading!

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan audio for this ALC.

As someone with numerous degrees in Literature, and who has read thousands of books, I can safely say that this text is one of the rarest forms of composition that I have ever read. What I would call somewhere in the middle of fiction, stream of consciousness, satire, and memoir, this text adeptly explores ideas of guilt, loss, and reslience in a form I could only call experimental. There were times that I was confused, but drawn in and pulled along. I would think the confusion was purposeful on the author's part, as when someone experiences such a devestating, unexpected loss, feels that way as well. This is not a book that you will read for "light" reading. It will make you work as a reader, and you will be an active participant in this plot.

This is a wonderful example of the innovative ways that authors are tackling storytelling in 2024.

Reading this book was a little similar to a fever dream taking place in a language you only somewhat recognize. The prose was musing and long, but every page or so, the author would make an incredibly poignant observation that would make me stop and raise my head up out of the fog.

My favorite beats of the first several chapters was the repetitive phrase the author used to situate the memories, recollections and false narratives. For example:

“Things that survive the apocalypse.”

“In the clinic for telling lies to avoid impending death”

“In the clinic for accidentally killing the person you only meant to seduce”

While there was a tiny bit of a plot, the plot was truly unimportant to the story and if you enter into reading this hoping for a plot you will be highly disappointed. Instead, enter into this book with an open mind and a bit of a detached air and I think you’ll truly enjoy the sharp whit and shockingly melancholy commentary.

Unfortunately, this was a quick DNF for me. I was finding myself struggling to understand what was going on in the text, but really wanted to give it a shot. I am still really thankful to FSG Books, Venita Blackburn, and Netgalley for granting me early ALC access to this one before January 23, 2024.

This was more experimental than I expected and experimental fiction is very hit or miss for me. The book very competently executed what it set out to do, so it deserves at least three stars, but it wasn’t for me.

The story grapples with grief, family, the meaning of life and living, in an experimental way that mixes present and a post-apocalyptic future. It touches on really moving topics, but the degree of remove maintained by the narrative kept it from moving me. That said, I think fans of experimental speculative fiction will find a lot to love here.

📚 Series or Standalone: standalone
📚 Genre: speculative fiction
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: no
✨ Recommended For: fans of experimental speculative fiction

💕 Characters: 3/5
💕 Writing: 4/5
💕 Plot: 3/5
💕 Pacing: 2/5
💕 Unputdownability: 2/5
💕 Enjoyment: 3/5
💕 Book Cover: 2/5

Thanks, NetGalley and MCD, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Wow. Just...wow.

I'm an incoming fan of Blackburn's short stories and flash fiction and love some pieces so much that I teach them on rotation (i.e., I love them enough to read some truly wild interpretations of them and still find enjoyment in them. That's special and rare). My expectation for Blackburn's debut novel was it was going to be unlike anything I'd read previously. This came to fruition.

This isn't going to be for everyone. It's dark, experimental, and sometimes confounding, and I say that after having read the e-book and listened to the audio (which is remarkably well narrated; I recommend this option when and where accessible). Folks who are familiar with strange, gritty parts of Southern California, including but not limited to the overall scope of Long Beach, obviously, and bonus points for those who went to Medieval Times in Buena Park 15 years ago - you won't believe the related reference, will find a sinister kinship with this entire narrative based on Blackburn's sense of and depiction of place.

I'm planning on a third read (likely listen) again in the near future. This is something else.

Blackburn's work is in a class of its own, and I'm already looking forward to whatever chaotic, thought-provoking creation hits us next.