Reviews

Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C.L. Polk

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libraryfangirl's review

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

madscientistcat's review

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adventurous reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

thebiparadox's review

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dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

In their follow-up to 2020's St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid, C.L. Polk picks up Theresa's story years later, just after her mother's funeral. With her mother gone, Theresa is now Miss l'Abeille, the wise woman of Hurston Hill, keeper of the bees. When an unexpected child is abandoned on her front doorstep, the price of a desperate wish, Miss l'Abeille recognizes her as the next in the line of wise women who have protected and tended the neighborhood for generations. Strange things are happening in Hurston Hill, however. A corporation is slowly starting to force residents and businesses out, and Miss l'Abeille can feel the work of a rival magician at play. She is uncertain that she and her apprentice can fend off what's coming, but she knows she won't go without a fight.

The wise women in this novelette are somehow both a familiar character archetype and an optimistic one. Miss l'Abeille in particular feels like a reincarnation of Granny Weatherwax by way of Mama Day: she's tough, quiet, and thoughtful, but she rules her little territory with care and respect and no little possessiveness. The metaphorical link between beehives and human communities is expanded even more in this novelette through an exploration of gentrification. While Miss l'Abeille seeks to increase the value of a neighborhood by investing in its residents and nourishing their quality of life, the (at first) faceless corporation only seeks to extract value. It was also interesting seeing Miss l'Abeille taking the role of her mother from the first story, teaching and cultivating a younger version of herself. Just as immersive and reflective as the original, Ivy, Angelica, Bay is an excellent new installment in what I hope will become a trilogy of Hurston Hill novelettes.

nycbookhoarder's review

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dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

abookwormspov's review

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dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

i think this is perfection? like wow how much story is in this 50 pages and it doesn't feel rushed at all. the lore and the setting all come together perfectly and the characters are amazing.

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