I fell in love with CJ Leede’s work last year after reading Maeve Fly which quickly became one of my favorite books. But with American Rature she has outdone herself. This book is dark and beautiful, heart wrenching and truly terrifying. 

I rarely get actually scared reading horror but found this truly terrifying and engrossing with building tension and nightmarish imagery that doesn’t let up. At the same time I loved Sophie and seeing her character growth and truly cared about the people she encountered as she searched for her brother. The themes explored of coming of age, religious trauma and extremism, and questioning the beliefs one is raised in were emotional and poignant and while at times quite brutal there is an underlying hopefulness. C.J. Leede is one of my favorite authors and for the second time she has written my favorite book of the year.

If you’re looking for something incredibly unsettling with emotional moments and haunting prose set against an apocalyptic setting this is it. I cannot recommend it enough. 

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.