The first story in this collection, the Nebula award-winning 'A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i,' opens in a prison where vampire conquerors imprison humans to feast upon. Key is a human caretaker doing what she can to survive in a world where hope and integrity are seemingly impossible. This theme of resilience in inhumane conditions continues throughout the collection. In the title story 'Reconstruction' - one of two stories original to the collection - Sally uses her grandmother's spells to help protect a Black Civil War regiment while meditating on anger. These ten immersive stories embrace multiple speculative genres and take place in worlds both real and unreal. Much like Lovecraft Country, the stories combine horror and fantastical elements with anti-racist themes. - Margaret Kingsbury, Buzzfeed
Johnson pulls from folklore, myth, and scientific discovery to create rich stories of complicated relationships and love amidst strange, uncanny circumstances. While the worlds are themselves fascinating, the true success of Johnson's stories lies in the careful crafting of their vibrant emotional cores. - Booklist
Johnson breaks down genre boundaries, combining elements of fantasy, mystery, science fiction, and horror, in settings ranging from the historical and familiar to the wildly imaginative. Unified by Johnson's sensuous prose, these stories will delight existing fans and serve as an excellent introduction for those new to Johnson's work.- Publishers Weekly
Praise for Alaya Dawn Johnson's books:
Juju assassins, alternate history, a gritty New York crime story...in a word: Awesome. - N.K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
Great, fresh audacity. - Entertainment Weekly
Like leaping into cold water on a hot day, this original dystopian novel takes the breath away, refreshes, challenges, and leaves the reader shivering but yearning for another plunge. - Booklist, starred review
Compelling. - Publishers Weekly, starred review
An art project, a rebellion and a sacrifice make up this nuanced, original cyberpunk adventure. . . . Luminous. - Kirkus Reviews, starred review
This book will steal your heart! - Marika McCoola, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA
