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A review by chirson
Conquest by Nina Allan
5.0
Read courtesy of NetGalley, opinions are my own.
Another genre-defying sf-adjacent mystery from Allan. The Good Neighbours would give a reader a good idea what to expect: an investigation that sees the world as we know it thrown off-kilter, but that is as punishing for the character as it is rewarding for the reader. An alienated woman investigator who becomes enamored of a person involved in her case. Case itself this time: a missing man, a conspiracy theory about alien infestation ("the conquest") whose signs are supposed to surround us.
I didn't love the ending, but it didn't detract from everything else, which was wonderful. Creepy, atmospheric, in conversation with the world around us, disorienting. I loved the integrated narratives - the essays, and in particular, the novella. And the story itself was compelling and surprising, with twists that rewarded focus and a simply wonderful voice.
I don't get how or why Allan isn't much more broadly read - she is gripping, accessible and yet never talks down to the reader. Highly recommended.
Another genre-defying sf-adjacent mystery from Allan. The Good Neighbours would give a reader a good idea what to expect: an investigation that sees the world as we know it thrown off-kilter, but that is as punishing for the character as it is rewarding for the reader. An alienated woman investigator who becomes enamored of a person involved in her case. Case itself this time: a missing man, a conspiracy theory about alien infestation ("the conquest") whose signs are supposed to surround us.
I didn't love the ending, but it didn't detract from everything else, which was wonderful. Creepy, atmospheric, in conversation with the world around us, disorienting. I loved the integrated narratives - the essays, and in particular, the novella. And the story itself was compelling and surprising, with twists that rewarded focus and a simply wonderful voice.
I don't get how or why Allan isn't much more broadly read - she is gripping, accessible and yet never talks down to the reader. Highly recommended.