"The center point of this novel is a house in the Netherlands, around which the two main characters, Isabel and Eva revolve. Isabel and her family moved into the house during WWII (when she was a child), and Isabel has continued to live in the house and care for it (both practically and emotionally) after her brothers moved out to live on their own. Eva is the girlfriend of Isabel’s brother, Louis. Louis asks that Eva stay with Isabel while he travels. From there the story takes off.
Isabel is set in her ways, lonely, cold and unfriendly � and treats her temporary housemate, Eva, terribly. Eva is warm and friendly. The reader watches as the emotions between the two women change and develop. Simultaneously, the reader experiences the story of the house. I cannot say more without giving away wonderful plot points.
The writing is very good, and it is hard to believe this is a debut novel. It dealt with WWII’s tragic events from a unique angle, and I really appreciated that. My only caveat is that there is a great deal of explicit sex, so if this is not your cup of tea, you may wish to pass on this one.
"

"Publisher, editor and author Jeanne Thornton’s novel deals with fractured friendships and the complexities of navigating the world as a trans woman. Three queer teens Abraxa, Sash and Lilith meet online in the late nineties, the internet is still a new phenomenon, a space that enables a retreat from the everyday where they can immerse themselves in fantastical ways of being. They find CraftQ which allows them to design their own games, working on one together until something causes them to suddenly break away. Eighteen years later they’re no longer in touch, adults struggling to survive what life throws at them. Abraxa is homeless, gradually losing touch with reality, she retreats into her own version of her childhood game. Sash lives with her parents, online dominatrix gigs barely paying her way. Lilith has a more conventional existence working in a bank but even so everything around her feels on the verge of falling apart. Then, by chance the three cross paths.

Thornton’s inventive, often moving, story builds on online trans communities she encountered in her own youth. Her piece is suffused with intricate recreations of chat room talks, tech design and gaming culture. The structure’s partly inspired by Hironobu Sakaguchi et al’s 1990s RPG Final Fantasy VI. There are some wonderful passages particularly in the first half of the novel � I especially liked Lilith’s sections. But towards the end it started to feel stretched thin and slightly meandering, it could easily withstand substantial trimming. So, by no means perfect, yet a strangely compelling read that was more than worth the time.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Dead Ink

Rating: 3/3.5"