Bibliographic Information:
Title: This Ravenous Fate
Author: Hayley Dennings
ISBN: 9781728297866
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire, Naperville, Illinois
Copyright Date: 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, LGBTQIA+
Format: Print Book/eBook
Awards/Honors: None as of this blog post
Reading Level/Interest Level: Ages 14+
Plot Summary:
18 year old Elise Saint is finally returning home from Paris to Harlem, New York, after studying at a conservatory for piano the last five years. As much as Elise missed her family and the beauty that is Harlem in the Jazz Age of Prohibition, she knows returning to Harlem is a major risk to her safety and life. Five years ago tragedy struck, and her best friend Layla was transformed into a reaper - a vampire. Layla blames Elise and the Saint family for what happened to her and wants revenge, which she expects to be sweeter than Saint blood. Yet, when reapers mysteriously start to become feral Elise and Layla have to become partners in solving the mystery of what is happening. They will have to forgive each other, confront their feelings, and survive the debauchery surrounding them.
Author Background:
Hayley Dennings is a San Francisco Bay Area native, with This Ravenous Fate being her first published novel. Having attended Loyola Marymount University and graduating with a BA in both French and English, this is her first major project since graduating in 2022. She already has a sequel planned for This Ravenous Fate, but still works as an editorial and marketing associate at Fable to help with the bills (About, 2024).
Critical Evaluation:
Although it was a cute story, and the slow burn romance between Elise and Layla was interesting, the overall plot and mystery certainly got confusing at certain points of the story. It felt like there wasn’t one clear path for the journey of the book, almost like while Dennings was writing she kept changing her mind on what she wanted her outcome to be but never went back to change some of the clues that led to the ending. The world building itself was nice, and I loved the historical time period that the story took place in. Yet, the reaper idea seemed slightly underdeveloped, to the point where even after finishing the book I feel like I still do not fully understand reapers, how they came to be, and why they are so endemic to the US but not other countries.
I think my favorite part of the book and how it is presented in the summary and jacket cover is that it isn’t fully marketed as a lesbian love story - meaning it was a pleasant surprise, and also is not relying on that fact as a plot point to the story. It simply happened to be part of the romance subplot, making it seem even more charming. While I did not have any major emotional reactions to the book, I was anxious to know when Layla and Elise would finally forgive each other and express their love to one another. It only took until the third part of the book, but still it was a good read overall!
Creative Use for a Library Program:
Since the novel takes place in 1926 and has major themes about the kind of dancing that was popular at the time, so for the library program in relation to This Ravenous Fate we’re all going to learn how to do popular dances from the Jazz Age! The Charleston, Black Bottom, and the Fox Trot will all be included while we listen to some music from the actual Jazz Age.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer:
It’s 1926 and Elise Saint has returned home to Harlem, New York, even though it is putting her at risk from the threat of her ex-best friend, Layla. Five years ago Layla was killed and turned into a reaper and fully blames Elise and the Saint family. When things begin to change for the reapers of Harlem, Elise is tasked to investigate the issue by her father to prove herself as heir. She recruits the help of Layla, and together they have to get over their past to hopefully create a new future.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
Unfortunately this book could be challenged due to the fact that this is a sapphic love story, and recently there has been more push back against LGBTQIA+ stories told in the news, and this novel could be one of them. As for the defense of This Ravenous Fate, “Article I of the Library Bill of Rights states that "Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation." The Association affirms that books and other materials coming from presses that specialize in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender subject matter; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender authors or other creators; and materials regardless of format or services dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender life are protected by the Library Bill of Rights” (Access). Therefore, the novel is protected by the Library Bill of Rights by the American Library Association.
Ma Rainey was known as the Mother of Blues and was hugely popular in the 1920's!
Reason for Inclusion:
When originally looking for novels to include in this project, This Ravenous Fate was one of the most recent releases and caught my attention due to my own personal biases with books. It was exactly the kind of book I usually enjoy, so I wanted to include it. Otherwise, it explores many different genres and adds more diversity to the current collection.
References:
(2024, March 24). About — Hayley Dennings. Hayley Dennings. https://hayleydennings.com/about-1
(n.d.). Access to Library Resources and Services Regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sexual Orientation: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/accesslgbt
Commentaires