Okay I stretched my imagination for that title whatever!!! This is what I thought was going to be literary fiction but is instead more of a thriller about Mallory, a woman who had a successful YA debut publication years ago but hasn’t been able to write anything since. She happens to meet Leo, a young gay addict, and becomes obsessed with his story. What follows is a twisting tale of Mallory doing her best to wring whatever story she can out of Leo to co-opt for a book and trying to survive her contentious marriage while Leo tries to survive his addiction.

Primarily, it is discussion of who is allowed to tell tales about marginalized groups, specially calling out the rash of gay tragedy porn that has been sweeping the nation (A Little Life you will always have a hater in me). Personally, I’m a little disappointed that it wasn’t more literary but also I read it in one sitting. Tense, uncomfortable, gross, I’m overall pleased with this book but I don’t think I could stand to read it again. I also don’t think I care as much about books about books. This one has a lot of buzz about it (haha), so if you’re into satirical thrillers it might be the book for you.

Creature