I loved Kate Folk’s short story collection, Out There. I was wary of trying her novel, however, because the concept didn’t appeal to me. It’s narrated by Linda, a woman in San Francisco who is attracted to aeroplanes and feels it is her destiny to marry one via a fatal crash. This is weird but not in the speculative sense that I enjoyed in the short stories, unless you consider the use of vision boards (posters with images representing what you want the universe to manifest) slightly paranormal. I decided to give the book a try, because I like the author’s writing style.

I found the book to be unique, memorable and disturbing, although not dark. I’m not convinced that I enjoyed the book, but I appreciated the skill put into it. I liked how the reader is persuaded to root for this odd, twisted, but kind of relatable character. If you’re looking for something very different to read, or if you’re a planespotter, I suggest this strange book!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy via NetGalley.