Publishers Weekly
07/12/2021
Rocklyn’s lyrical gothic fantasy debut considers how life can persist in a world of rot, death, and destruction. Iraxi and her community have survived at sea for 1,743 days, refugees of a flooded, highly stratified kingdom. Now Iraxi, who had been a commoner on land, is in the final days of a pregnancy, and many on the ark view her unborn child as a sign of hope. But Iraxi questions the morality and purpose of bringing life into such a disastrous environment: razorfangs circle in the water, the refugees scrape by on a dwindling supply of rosehip water and beans, and interpersonal conflict abounds. As Iraxi’s due date comes ever closer, a darker fear takes root: that her baby may be something other than human. Rocklyn conjures Iraxi’s precarious position in fluid, lovely prose, though the tight focus on her pregnancy causes the narrative to feel stagnant at times, as the ark lacks direction both literally and metaphorically, and the world that came before is only hinted at. Still, the constant threats of life on the water present just enough tension to keep this novella afloat. Agent: Roseanne Wells, the Jennifer De Chiara Agency. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
A Library Journal Editor's Pick! A Den of Geeks Best Books of 2021!
Winner of the Pulver Award
An Ignyte Award Finalist
"Gorgeously written."—Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author
“Rocklyn is angry, lyrical, honest, and heartbreaking, riding the line between fantasy and true horror.” —Catherynne M. Valente, New York Times bestselling author
"A name to watch."—The Washington Post
“Rocklyn’s lyrical gothic fantasy debut considers how life can persist in a world of rot, death, and destruction. . . . [They] conjure Iraxi’s precarious position in fluid, lovely prose.” —Publishers Weekly
“This novella will whet the appetite of fans of classics like Ira Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby, P. D. James’ The Children of Men, and Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild.” —Booklist
“A lush, mesmerizing novella about survival and the hope of righteous anger. An auspicious debut baring beauty and razorfangs.” —Paul Tremblay, New York Times Bestselling author
“A gorgeous, powerful debut. . . . You don't want to miss it.” —Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author
"Rocklyn manages to write a darkly spectacular, yet strangulating world in the middle of the sea, with well-developed characters, vivid imagery, and dense lyrical prose....This claustrophobic story had me reeling as the tension rose until I reached the impressive ending."—Cemetery Dance
"Zin E. Rocklyn’s extraordinary debut is a lush, gothic fantasy about the prices we pay and the vengeance we seek."—The Quiet Pond
Library Journal
★ 10/01/2021
DEBUT Dark fantasy and horror work in tandem, gently overlapping at first, before violently colliding in this captivating and disquieting novella. Iraxi lives with the remnants of humanity on a ship, helplessly floating on the sea surrounded by the dual threat of tentacled monsters from below and "razorfangs" from above. It has been 1,743 days since the land flooded and became uninhabitable. Iraxi is the last of the "nims," who have a magical connection to the sea, but their power is no longer revered. The story is framed around Iraxi's final days of pregnancy up to just after she gives birth, a pivotal moment for these survivors as no one has been able to birth a live baby on board, and most have died trying; it also features flashbacks to Iraxi in the before-times. Told in language that is both lyrical and spare, employing immersive but efficient worldbuilding, this story engages all five of the senses, allowing readers to physically experience the dread, claustrophobia, and fear but also the wonder, awe, and hope. VERDICT Rocklyn has written an astounding story that will leave readers begging for more, recalling other critically acclaimed novellas like Priya Sharma's Ormeshadow and P. Djèlí Clark's Black God's Drum.
DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile
Narrator Amina Koroma delivers an impressive performance of this dark yet poetic fantasy novella. Koroma's powerful narration carries listeners into an eerie dystopian world in which the remains of a population of a flooded land drift desolately on an ark, battling sky monsters, starvation, and the psychological trauma of losing everything they once knew and loved. Koroma delivers an intense portrayal of the hate-fueled and despairing Iraxi, who begrudgingly carries this ill-fated civilization's only viable pregnancy. Listeners will be enthralled by Koroma's empathetic depiction of the rage, terror, and helplessness of Iraxi's locked-in existence. Koroma's poignant narration is unwavering in its beautiful and credible delivery of every unforgettable character in this haunting and imaginative story. M.M.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
