Bestiary: The blazing debut novel about queer desire and buried secrets

Three generations of Taiwanese American women are haunted by the myths of their homeland in this blazing debut of one family's queer desires, violent impulses, and buried secrets. The daughter falls for a neighborhood girl named Ben with mysterious stories of her own, and she begins to understand that each woman in her family embodies an old Taiwanese myth.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2022
Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Three generations of Taiwanese American women are plagued by the myths of their homeland in this scorching debut of one family's queer desires, violent impulses, and buried secrets.

One evening, Mother tells Daughter a story about a tiger spirit who inhabited a woman's body. Her name was Hu Gu Po, and she craved to devour children, particularly their toes. Shortly after, Daughter awakens with a tiger tail. And more mysterious events follow: Holes in the backyard spew letters penned by her estranged grandmother; a visiting aunt leaves red on everything she touches; a ghost bird shimmers in an ancient birdcage.

All the while, Daughter is falling for a neighborhood girl named Ben, with mysterious stories of her own. As the two young lovers translate the grandmother's letters, Daughter begins to understand that each woman in her family embodies an old Taiwanese myth, and fears the power of the tiger spirit bristling within her to cause pain. She will have to bring her family's secrets to light in order to derail their destiny.

What gives me fuel are other books - anything stylish and/or dirty. This year, I loved reading K-Ming Chang's Bestiary. Raven Leilani, author of Luster, is also a great read.

Weight: 220g
Dimension: 128 x 198 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529111965