Hi all! Coming to you today with my post on the Mayhem blog tour, ran by Wednesday Books, featuring my review, a moodboard, and a letter from the author. The Book and its AuthorIt's 1987 and unfortunately it's not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy's constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem's own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren't like everyone else. But when May's stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost. From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough. Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely around the world. ReviewThank you to Wednesday Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review. This novel astonished me from the start. From the twisted relationship between Mayhem and her family, to the winding magic that grips the whole book, everything about it was a fun read. Mayhem plays with reality and un-reality at the same time, teetering on the edge of confusion but balancing fabulism in exactly the right way. The strongest thing about the book for me was Mayhem herself. We learn about her almost symbiotic relationship with her mother, and the abuse they’ve suffered by her step-father, Lyle, at the same time as Mayhem discovers who she really wants to be on the coast of California. I liked narration from her point of view because she was both new to the world and moved about it with ease, making the pacing feel super smooth. As far as worldbuilding goes… magic abounds in Santa Maria, and of course the Brayburns are at the center of it all. For fear of spoilers, I won’t share exactly what’s involved, but if you’ve seen The Lost Boys you can probably guess (minus the vampires). This was used as a tool to help Mayhem become close to the rest of her family, and I quite liked her relationship with her aunt Elle, Roxy’s sister. There’s also a smidge of romance, as each of the Brayburn women have one true love. I liked Mayhem’s relationship, but I do think the book would have been fine without it. A couple of other readers have noted direct similarities to The Lost Boys, a movie I haven’t seen but know enough about. I personally don’t have a super one-sided opinion on this, as the book is supposed to be a feminist retelling of sorts focused on matriarchal family lines and the power of women. I forgive any transgressions, but you’ll have to read and form your own opinion. Overall, an enjoyable reading experience! I finished the book in only a couple of days, as I was desperately invested in Mayhem’s journey and exploring Santa Maria. 4/5 stars. MoodboardLetter from EstelleDear Reader,
Like Mayhem, I experienced a period of time when my life was extremely unstable. I can still remember what it was like to be shaken so hard I thought my head would come off, to watch the room vibrate, to feel unsafe in my own home, to never know what was coming around the next corner. I wanted to run. I always wanted to run. I ran to friends, but also movies and books, and although girls were more passively portrayed in movies like The Lost Boys back then, that feeling of teenagers prowling the night, taking out bad people, being unbeatable . . . that got me through it. I guess that’s what I tried to do here. I wanted girls who feel powerless to be able to imagine themselves invincible. And yes, I used a rape as the seed for that fierce lineage, not without thought. For me, there is nothing worse, and I like to think great power can rise up as a result of a devastating trespass. Please know I took none of this lightly. Writing this now, my heart is beating hard and my throat is dry. This is the first time I not only really looked at my own past, the pain of loss, the pain of the loss of trust that comes when someone puts hands on you without permission, the pain of people dying, the shock of suicide, and put all of it to paper in a way that made me feel victorious, strong, and warrior-like. It is also terrifying. I know I’m not the only one who had a scary childhood, and I know I’m not the only one who clings to stories as salve to smooth over burnt skin. I am so sick of girls and women being hurt. This was my way of taking my own vengeance and trying to access forgiveness. Thank you for reading and for those of you who can relate, I see you and you are not alone. Estelle Laure
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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