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The Believers: Stories
A. K.’s wondrous and shattering debut collection imbues people on the periphery with power hardly visible to outsiders—where no one conforms to type. In the title story, to leave a seemingly friendly and supportive church, a family must risk everything.
In “The Iridescent Blue-Black Boy with Wings (After Márquez),� children find a winged boy in a seaside village in Tobago. In “Ready for the Revolution?� uncertain lovers play rough with identity politics, and are set on an unexpected path. In “Drink the Dew,� love and wrath become one, while the young woman in “Inside,� navigates a complicated business arrangement with her lover.
In “Love,� a scandalous affair produces a love child, born with a dark omen, while in “Exile,� a pregnant teen from a staunchly religious family, is exiled to have her baby in secret. A gardener in “Love Story No. 8,� falls for a rich man’s daughter to disastrous ends. The Believers is at once poignant and subversive, utterly haunting and unforgettable.
In “The Iridescent Blue-Black Boy with Wings (After Márquez),� children find a winged boy in a seaside village in Tobago. In “Ready for the Revolution?� uncertain lovers play rough with identity politics, and are set on an unexpected path. In “Drink the Dew,� love and wrath become one, while the young woman in “Inside,� navigates a complicated business arrangement with her lover.
In “Love,� a scandalous affair produces a love child, born with a dark omen, while in “Exile,� a pregnant teen from a staunchly religious family, is exiled to have her baby in secret. A gardener in “Love Story No. 8,� falls for a rich man’s daughter to disastrous ends. The Believers is at once poignant and subversive, utterly haunting and unforgettable.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2024
6 people are currently reading
1,621 people want to read
About the author
A.K. Herman
1Ìýbook4ÌýfollowersA. K. Herman is a Caribbean poet and fiction writer, born in Scarborough, Tobago. She has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, and her writing has appeared in Doek! Literary Journal, Lolwe, The Waterstone Review, Shenandoah Literary Journal and others. A. K.’s debut story collection, The Believers: Stories, will be published in Fall 2024. A. K. lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 25, 2024
A collection of fascinating stories and definitely a very promising debut !
If you're looking for a refreshing read, compelling characters, flowing writing and vivid dialogs this one is for you.
I was delighted to get an ARC from Netgalley, and curiosity soon turned into pure enjoyment.
From the very first story, the strengths of A. K. Herman's writing shown through. Each of the stories have the ideal length and pace, offering us through the voices of strong and convincing main characters exactly what we needed to see, no more, no less.
I didn't love all the stories the same, a few of them did leave me a bit frustrated, but none truly disappointed me. They all shared a flowing narration, clear visual settings, and well-crafted, flawed but touching characters. What I appreciated most was the portrayal of relationships and their complexity. Their layers were either explicitly presented or subtly implied and I found it well-executed. There was something so tender, but bittersweet and sometimes a hint of cruelty which I deeply enjoyed. It felt intense in a very down-to-earth way.
The Believers - 3,75/5
Drink the Dew - 2,75/5
Exile - 5/5
Ready for the Revolution ? - 4,5/5
Love - 3,5/5
Love story no.8 : Jane and Phillip - 4/5
Inside - 3,5/5
The Iridescent Blue-Black Boy with Wings (After Márquez) - 3,5/5
ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley.
If you're looking for a refreshing read, compelling characters, flowing writing and vivid dialogs this one is for you.
I was delighted to get an ARC from Netgalley, and curiosity soon turned into pure enjoyment.
From the very first story, the strengths of A. K. Herman's writing shown through. Each of the stories have the ideal length and pace, offering us through the voices of strong and convincing main characters exactly what we needed to see, no more, no less.
I didn't love all the stories the same, a few of them did leave me a bit frustrated, but none truly disappointed me. They all shared a flowing narration, clear visual settings, and well-crafted, flawed but touching characters. What I appreciated most was the portrayal of relationships and their complexity. Their layers were either explicitly presented or subtly implied and I found it well-executed. There was something so tender, but bittersweet and sometimes a hint of cruelty which I deeply enjoyed. It felt intense in a very down-to-earth way.
The Believers - 3,75/5
Drink the Dew - 2,75/5
Exile - 5/5
Ready for the Revolution ? - 4,5/5
Love - 3,5/5
Love story no.8 : Jane and Phillip - 4/5
Inside - 3,5/5
The Iridescent Blue-Black Boy with Wings (After Márquez) - 3,5/5
ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley.
July 15, 2024
This book is available to read now on Netgalley! (july 15 ,2024)
I enjoyed the middle stories the most otherwise I was just confused. The academia one was my favourite and one of the longer ones but maybe that's just because of my own personal journey. I loved how it focused on women and often women who are 'bad'. I liked the look into the lives of people in Trinidad and Tobago and would love some recs.
I enjoyed the middle stories the most otherwise I was just confused. The academia one was my favourite and one of the longer ones but maybe that's just because of my own personal journey. I loved how it focused on women and often women who are 'bad'. I liked the look into the lives of people in Trinidad and Tobago and would love some recs.
February 2, 2025
A. K. Herman's debut � The Believers : Stories is a tantalizing and scandalous set of stories set in parts
of Tobago and Trininad. Some stories are better than the others. They all had a shocking factor, a horrifying end that made me flinch with every story.
This is why I love short story collections coz they are raw, short but impactful. In mere few pages, you get to be awestruck and you don't even have time to absorb that shock coz you have another story waiting for you to devour.
Some quotes which I found, well that made me feel something. Some are beautiful, some brutal but every single one will make you think hard. A. K. Herman is Caribbean author born and brought up in Tobago and Trininad and that's why the setting of her stories is the same. The book is both brilliant and heartbreaking for a debut.
* The believers �
Story of Ronald and his family where a church tries to takeover their life by being "kind". There's always some hidden motive behind kindness, isn't it?
if yuh know what a man want, yuh could own him. A food. A fuck. A money. A house. A car. Once that man take the thing he wanted from yuh hand, yuh could pet him like a dog and he go lick yuh hand. Then, when yuh ready, beat him like a dog too and he go convince he self that you do something for he that he couldn’t do for he self.
* Drink the dew
Story of a man and his life when he meets a girl named Queenie and marries her to have a family but there are sometimes no happy endings especially when love and hate come together.
That was how Queenie was. All she actions flow into one another, like river into sea. She was the mouth of the river. You could never know how deep she was.
* Exile
Exile was a story about a young girl Paula who is sent to her aunt in US because she is pregnant. Sometimes I wonder is your religion really good or worth to you, if the beliefs of that religion forces you to destroy your daughter's life? Only daughter's but never son's? One of the powerful stories in the collection. Loved the ending.
I will not be waiting for things to happen to me. I WILL BE HAPPENING TO THINGS.
Paula wondered if she was sent to live with Lorna because she belonged there. Keep the sinners together.
* Ready for the revolution?
A scholar Darren in US where he earns a prestigious position in university yet sometimes nothing changes for an outsider. Uncertain about his love interest, his life takes an uncertain path too.
That is how love happens. You panic at the thought of her dying.
Everyone gets angry in their native tongue.
* Love
A scandal. A Love child. Story around it.
I think that this story was interconnected with another story, drink the dew. Betty and Queenie.
We are a match. Complexion. We look at the world the same way. I have the womanhood to match his manhood. A match.
* Love story no. 8 : Jane and Philip
What a brilliant story. Mr. Cromwell hires a gardener for his garden to seduce his neighbour's wife while his own daughter is being seduced. The ending was tragic, hypocrisy in this story was blinding, I think this story was my favourite among the collection apart from exile.
In the meantime, Cromwell read poetry to Alice Brown on her narrow settee, while she commented on his evolving garden. Theirs, a proper seduction by the book!
* inside
This stroy was brutal and sad. A rich girl's obsession leads to a disastrous change in her lover's life. A story of trininadian Indian couple.
* The iridescent blue - black boy with wings (after Marquez)
I don't know what to take from this story really. I felt clueless. A group of friends come across a boy with wings with batlike appearance.
It makes me feel melancholic that how we human beings live on different continents, follow different religions, speak different languages and yet behave with same cruelty and animosity with others. I wish we had different similarity for once but sadly and unfortunately we are what we are.
Thank you Netgalley and A. R. Phillips Press LLC for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
of Tobago and Trininad. Some stories are better than the others. They all had a shocking factor, a horrifying end that made me flinch with every story.
This is why I love short story collections coz they are raw, short but impactful. In mere few pages, you get to be awestruck and you don't even have time to absorb that shock coz you have another story waiting for you to devour.
Some quotes which I found, well that made me feel something. Some are beautiful, some brutal but every single one will make you think hard. A. K. Herman is Caribbean author born and brought up in Tobago and Trininad and that's why the setting of her stories is the same. The book is both brilliant and heartbreaking for a debut.
* The believers �
Story of Ronald and his family where a church tries to takeover their life by being "kind". There's always some hidden motive behind kindness, isn't it?
if yuh know what a man want, yuh could own him. A food. A fuck. A money. A house. A car. Once that man take the thing he wanted from yuh hand, yuh could pet him like a dog and he go lick yuh hand. Then, when yuh ready, beat him like a dog too and he go convince he self that you do something for he that he couldn’t do for he self.
* Drink the dew
Story of a man and his life when he meets a girl named Queenie and marries her to have a family but there are sometimes no happy endings especially when love and hate come together.
That was how Queenie was. All she actions flow into one another, like river into sea. She was the mouth of the river. You could never know how deep she was.
* Exile
Exile was a story about a young girl Paula who is sent to her aunt in US because she is pregnant. Sometimes I wonder is your religion really good or worth to you, if the beliefs of that religion forces you to destroy your daughter's life? Only daughter's but never son's? One of the powerful stories in the collection. Loved the ending.
I will not be waiting for things to happen to me. I WILL BE HAPPENING TO THINGS.
Paula wondered if she was sent to live with Lorna because she belonged there. Keep the sinners together.
* Ready for the revolution?
A scholar Darren in US where he earns a prestigious position in university yet sometimes nothing changes for an outsider. Uncertain about his love interest, his life takes an uncertain path too.
That is how love happens. You panic at the thought of her dying.
Everyone gets angry in their native tongue.
* Love
A scandal. A Love child. Story around it.
I think that this story was interconnected with another story, drink the dew. Betty and Queenie.
We are a match. Complexion. We look at the world the same way. I have the womanhood to match his manhood. A match.
* Love story no. 8 : Jane and Philip
What a brilliant story. Mr. Cromwell hires a gardener for his garden to seduce his neighbour's wife while his own daughter is being seduced. The ending was tragic, hypocrisy in this story was blinding, I think this story was my favourite among the collection apart from exile.
In the meantime, Cromwell read poetry to Alice Brown on her narrow settee, while she commented on his evolving garden. Theirs, a proper seduction by the book!
* inside
This stroy was brutal and sad. A rich girl's obsession leads to a disastrous change in her lover's life. A story of trininadian Indian couple.
* The iridescent blue - black boy with wings (after Marquez)
I don't know what to take from this story really. I felt clueless. A group of friends come across a boy with wings with batlike appearance.
It makes me feel melancholic that how we human beings live on different continents, follow different religions, speak different languages and yet behave with same cruelty and animosity with others. I wish we had different similarity for once but sadly and unfortunately we are what we are.
Thank you Netgalley and A. R. Phillips Press LLC for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
October 21, 2024
A.K. Herman’s prose is intriguing, if anything, and it took me a while to get used to it. There’s almost an unhinged quality. The writing had knack for throwing me for a loop every few paragraphs, giving me something to be shocked about in each story.
I also found these stories pretty thought-provoking. The characters aren’t meant to be likable or unlikable; their stories simply tell a very raw, realistic tale of Trinidadian experiences. Overall, I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this collection of short stories!
Thank you to NetGalley and A.R Phillips Press for the advanced reader copy of this book!
I also found these stories pretty thought-provoking. The characters aren’t meant to be likable or unlikable; their stories simply tell a very raw, realistic tale of Trinidadian experiences. Overall, I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this collection of short stories!
Thank you to NetGalley and A.R Phillips Press for the advanced reader copy of this book!
October 20, 2024
I received this book as a winner of a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway. I went in with high hopes since I enjoy short story collections generally and finished the book feeling satisfied. The short stories focus on individuals living in Trinidad (or from Trinidad). Much of the dialogue is written in a Trinidad dialect of English which can be very difficult to decipher at the beginning. Once you figure the common words out, the reading goes much quicker. Some of the stories dragged on much longer than they needed to, and others were quite brief. Overall a solid debut collection of stories that I enjoyed reading.
August 7, 2024
A bit of a mixed bag but overall it was an enjoyable collection and I really appreciated reading stories set in Tobago. I am not sure that I have previously read very much material set in Tobago (even though I am from Trinidad and Tobago).
Liked the most: 'Ready for the Revolution?'
Liked the least: 'Love Story No. 8: Jane and Phillip'
Thanks to Net Galley and A. R. Phillips Press LLC for the ARC.
Liked the most: 'Ready for the Revolution?'
Liked the least: 'Love Story No. 8: Jane and Phillip'
Thanks to Net Galley and A. R. Phillips Press LLC for the ARC.
December 23, 2024
Recommended: sure
For a variety of Trinidadian-based stories with degrees of realism, for direct storytelling that gives the facts and allows you to make your own judgments and assessments, for home and away stories
Thoughts:
I enjoyed these stories. I did not always "get" them and that's part of what I liked. I would read one, stop, and think about it for a while. There were often different layers to consider. Right and wrong or just and unjust were often dichotomies pursued where I had to wonder about the spectrum in between. What guilt do people have when they are cheating or being cheated on in a relationship? If something is kept caged, what responsibility do the captors have for it's eventual violence? Is black magic more wrong than a system that traps people by controlling their lives in return for service and worship?
Honestly a lot of them are not questions I ask often. Or maybe ever. That's part of what made them so compelling to turn over with the way they were presented in this.
Each story is it's own flavor. The people are linked in them by their blood and their homes and their dreams. There are some who immigrate away, there are some who return home, and there are some who never left. Some of them you might like, and others you might not know whether it's okay to like them or not. You might like them, and then wonder what it says about you that you like that character.
A lot of these stories are a bit painful to read. Good people have bad things happen, and people who do bad things go unpunished. It embodies the sentiment of "life isn't fair" and there's some bitterness that comes along with it. The way they are written is the sweetness, the elegance and simplicity of the presentation. It's almost musical at times with their way of speaking represented in the text. I fell into it after a while, and felt like I could hear it in my mind.
Anyway, this was a thoughtful collection that I enjoyed and find myself thinking about even after finishing it. Thanks to the author and LibraryThing for a free copy. This is my honest review.
For a variety of Trinidadian-based stories with degrees of realism, for direct storytelling that gives the facts and allows you to make your own judgments and assessments, for home and away stories
Thoughts:
I enjoyed these stories. I did not always "get" them and that's part of what I liked. I would read one, stop, and think about it for a while. There were often different layers to consider. Right and wrong or just and unjust were often dichotomies pursued where I had to wonder about the spectrum in between. What guilt do people have when they are cheating or being cheated on in a relationship? If something is kept caged, what responsibility do the captors have for it's eventual violence? Is black magic more wrong than a system that traps people by controlling their lives in return for service and worship?
Honestly a lot of them are not questions I ask often. Or maybe ever. That's part of what made them so compelling to turn over with the way they were presented in this.
Each story is it's own flavor. The people are linked in them by their blood and their homes and their dreams. There are some who immigrate away, there are some who return home, and there are some who never left. Some of them you might like, and others you might not know whether it's okay to like them or not. You might like them, and then wonder what it says about you that you like that character.
A lot of these stories are a bit painful to read. Good people have bad things happen, and people who do bad things go unpunished. It embodies the sentiment of "life isn't fair" and there's some bitterness that comes along with it. The way they are written is the sweetness, the elegance and simplicity of the presentation. It's almost musical at times with their way of speaking represented in the text. I fell into it after a while, and felt like I could hear it in my mind.
Anyway, this was a thoughtful collection that I enjoyed and find myself thinking about even after finishing it. Thanks to the author and LibraryThing for a free copy. This is my honest review.
October 16, 2024
The Believers by AK Herman is a group of short stories written about a part of humanity most don’t get to see and I am glad he is bringing it to the forefront for everyone to enjoy because ultimately we’re all people and people react to things in basically the same ways so to see someone in a position where they want to leave what they believe is a cult type Church because the leader wants their daughter, who they want to be educated, her to marry the youth leader and for many other reasons is interesting and had me reading until the story was over I really enjoyed the one where the girls dad was paying for her boyfriend to go to school in New York and she came to visit that one to me was not only the funniest but very interesting. Then again if you read the summary all the stories are really worth reading. It’s like being a fly on the wall which is my favorite thing to be. There were some things that were surprising to me such as the amount of sex in the book but it was not prolonged and only written about when apropos to the story I really enjoyed these short stories in a highly recommend it I love books written about other places and other people in this certainly fits the bill and then some they had some from Trinidad some from Jamaica but all are worth reading about. #NetGalley,#ARPhillipsPress, #AKHerman, #TheBelievers,
January 28, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
A. K. Herman's "The Believers: Stories" is a captivating collection that explores the multifaceted nature of faith and its impact on the human experience. These stories delve into the profound questions of belief, doubt, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.
Herman's prose is both lyrical and unflinching, capturing the nuances of human emotion with remarkable sensitivity. Each story is a unique and poignant exploration of the human condition, from the quiet desperation of a grieving mother to the unwavering devotion of a cult leader.
The collection is a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the complexities of the human experience. Herman's characters are richly drawn and unforgettable, their struggles and triumphs resonating deeply with the reader.
"The Believers: Stories" is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant collection that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. It's a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of faith, doubt, and the human condition.
Recommended for readers who appreciate literary fiction with a focus on character and emotion and fans of authors such as Alice Munro and Raymond Carver
A. K. Herman's "The Believers: Stories" is a captivating collection that explores the multifaceted nature of faith and its impact on the human experience. These stories delve into the profound questions of belief, doubt, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.
Herman's prose is both lyrical and unflinching, capturing the nuances of human emotion with remarkable sensitivity. Each story is a unique and poignant exploration of the human condition, from the quiet desperation of a grieving mother to the unwavering devotion of a cult leader.
The collection is a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the complexities of the human experience. Herman's characters are richly drawn and unforgettable, their struggles and triumphs resonating deeply with the reader.
"The Believers: Stories" is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant collection that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. It's a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of faith, doubt, and the human condition.
Recommended for readers who appreciate literary fiction with a focus on character and emotion and fans of authors such as Alice Munro and Raymond Carver
April 2, 2025
A. K.’s wondrous and shattering debut collection imbues people on the periphery with power hardly visible to outsiders where no one conforms to type. In the title story, to leave a seemingly friendly and supportive church, a family must risk everything. In “The Iridescent Blue-Black Boy with Wings (After Márquez),� children find a winged boy in a seaside village in Tobago. In “Ready for the Revolution?� uncertain lovers play rough with identity politics, and are set on an unexpected path. In “Drink the Dew,� love and wrath become one, while the young woman in “Inside,� navigates a complicated business arrangement with her lover. In “Love,� a scandalous affair produces a love child, born with a dark omen, while in “Exile,� a pregnant teen from a staunchly religious family, is exiled to have her baby in secret. A gardener in “Love Story No. 8,� falls for a rich man’s daughter to disastrous ends. The Believers is at once poignant and subversive, utterly haunting and unforgettable.
September 12, 2024
A. K. Herman's debut story collection, The Believers: Stories, is a captivating exploration of the lives of people on the periphery. The stories immerse readers in a world where language and culture are intertwined, and the protagonists refuse to conform to societal expectations.
Herman's writing imbues these characters with a power that is often invisible to outsiders, challenging the notion of conformity. The stories stand apart from other collections, showcasing Herman's unique voice and perspective.
The Believers: Stories presents a tapestry of human emotions and societal critiques, making it a compelling read that resonates with contemporary issues while celebrating the richness of diverse narratives.
Herman's writing imbues these characters with a power that is often invisible to outsiders, challenging the notion of conformity. The stories stand apart from other collections, showcasing Herman's unique voice and perspective.
The Believers: Stories presents a tapestry of human emotions and societal critiques, making it a compelling read that resonates with contemporary issues while celebrating the richness of diverse narratives.
September 22, 2024
A thought provoking set of stories told by Trinidadian people. They were all quite different but the thoughts and behaviours were rather similar. I liked the first and last stories the most - church culture and ‘how to behave� were the forefront of social acceptance and when the characters strayed, shame was prevalent.
It is a book I’d choose for a book club, because I’d like to hear others opinions on it - how they would react to the situations presented in the stories.
I enjoyed it and read through it quite quickly those getting to grips with the patoise was a little challenging at first.
Thanks to NetGalley and A.R Phillips Press LLC for this ARC.
It is a book I’d choose for a book club, because I’d like to hear others opinions on it - how they would react to the situations presented in the stories.
I enjoyed it and read through it quite quickly those getting to grips with the patoise was a little challenging at first.
Thanks to NetGalley and A.R Phillips Press LLC for this ARC.
November 26, 2024
I loved these short stories. The characters, either in Trinidad or from the Trinidadian community in the US, strive for something more, want to build a different future, miss home or want to leave it. I loved that we meet characters and later meet them again: one woman and her husband, and later in another short story, her mother and her grandmother, for example. The short story following a lecturer in Carribbean Studies was probably my favourite.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
December 31, 2024
I have mixed feelings after reading it. Some stories were captivating while some left me either upset or wanting a satisfying conclusion. “Inside� was my favorite story as it felt real and I was heavily invested in the drama. The final story fell flat and didn’t feel as if it belonged within the pages of the book but that just my basic opinion. I would read more by this author in a heartbeat as she definitely has got some more stories to tell and bacchanal to share.
October 20, 2024
This was a very pleasantly surprising read! The characters really jumped off the page and I really connected with them and their stories. I think my favourite read was Ready for the Revolution. Can’t wait to see what the author does next!
Thank you to NetGalley and A. R. Phillips Press LLC for the earc
Thank you to NetGalley and A. R. Phillips Press LLC for the earc
September 11, 2024
This was a very fascinating and unique set of short stories which I really enjoyed. Some stories left me wanting more. Each story though, once I started reading I couldn’t stop, I was immediately sucked right into it.
November 6, 2024
Engrossing short stories about Tobagans set both on the island and in New York.
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