“Dreamlike, atmospheric stories that revel in haunting, protracted tension…Plunkett is a writer of such extraordinary power that she’s able to summon the unknowable chaos into spellbinding story.” —Rachel Yoder, The New York Times Book Review

“Plunkett’s writing is mesmerizing in its even pacing, crisp prose and minute character insights…The neatness and precision of Plunkett’s writing is well-suited for the quiet but emotionally deep nature of her characters, who straddle the line between a too-lucid understanding of the world and a longing to escape into the imaginative realm of the ever-evasive could-be.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Plunkett hooks readers easily with carefully crafted first lines, drawing readers in with dead bodies, mysteries, and odd images. From there, the stories build momentum slowly, but precisely, spiraling out along tangential subplots.” —Ian Macallen, Chicago Review of Books

“Plunkett’s strength is in the patience and precision of her interior and exterior landscapes. Like horses, too, these stories are full of beauty and elegance but also inscrutability, with Plunkett content to braid scenes and images together and let the mystery of their relationships abide. Wistful tales rendered with delicate writing and powerful perception.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Genevieve Plunkett depicts the lives of women as they are really lived—with conflict and chaos, love and tenderness, and no small amount of confusion about what is supposed to come next. Each story reflects a different facet of the human condition, some glittering, some blinding, all shining a light on how impossible it can seem to figure out what it means to be alive, but also how worthwhile a pursuit it really is.” —Kristin Iversen, Refinery29

“Plunkett’s striking debut puts a series of women’s interior lives in stark relief…Plunkett’s keen observations will pique readers, and the stories pay off with dividends.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] nuanced debut story collection…With bracing honesty, Plunkett’s richly drawn narratives bring emotional depth to the characters’ struggles and internal conflicts.” —Booklist

“Genevieve Plunkett’s stories are elegant, original, and moving, with the lyrical brilliance and bite of Sylvia Plath…a thrilling debut.” —Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of Almost Famous Women

“Few writers capture sex as beautifully and self-consciously, as strangely and humorously, as Plunkett. Simply put, I loved these stories.” —Lori Ostlund, author of After The Parade

“…we can believe again in the possibility of triumph over despair, of life over emptiness. This book beats with the heart of our times.” —Anne Raeff, author of Only the River

“Perfectly calibrated and teeming with style, these dark little masterpieces are full of grim brilliance. Plunkett is a rare and ferocious talent, and this is a stunning debut.” —Kimberly King Parsons, author of Black Light

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Genevieve Plunkett

Writer

Genevieve’s debut collection of stories, PREPARE HER, is available July 13, 2021 (Catapult). A recipient of an O. Henry Award, her short fiction can also be found in New England Review, Southern Review, Crazyhorse, Colorado Review, Literary Hub, and The Best Small Fictions 2018. Her novel, IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL, is forthcoming.