A debut fantasy novel about oppression, community and... a cursing perimenopausal 47-year-old

Blazing Reader,

Kirkus Reviews has a reputation for being notoriously honest and hard-edged when reviewing fiction. So, when I saw that Anabel Youens had received a coveted Kirkus "starred review" for her debut novel, Thread Traveller, I had to buy a copy. 

In addition to the coveted gold star, the novel's synopsis caught my interest: 

"At 47, tech entrepreneur August's life is unravelling. On a desperate family holiday in England, a sip of ancient beer transports her to an alternate reality..."

I love alternative reality stories.

This alternative realm is much like life in 1800 England except for a few key changes, including an oppressive theocracy obsessed with "purification" and an awful lot of giant mushrooms used for everything from building homes to making waterproof boots.

Based on the author's admitted fondness for the works of Douglas Adams, I was expecting plenty of towel jokes. The novel, however, contains little humour. It is rather a serious fantasy about oppression, community and... perimenopause.

The perimenopausal part almost lost me in the opening chapters. The protagonist, for the first 50 pages or so, is a rather unpleasant person to be around. She makes a wasp look Zen. August's incessant irritation could have been balanced with some of that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy humour to make the first couple of chapters more palatable. Instead, it was only the promise that this cursing machine would soon be transported to an alternative reality that kept me turning pages.

Waking up naked in a strange new world has a humbling effect upon the character. From that point on she becomes more enjoyable to spend time with. August befriends a local healer who suffers from a hidden birth defect that would have her burned at the stake if the religious hierarchy ever discovers it. August's struggle to find a way back home to her daughter (she doesn't care much for her husband) becomes interwoven with her efforts to help the local community oppose the oppressive clergy. 

My biggest complaint was that the book wasn't long enough, and hence the story was not deep enough. Indeed, three years of the story are almost entirely omitted. Some of the side characters could easily have had a larger role. August's interaction with the community could have been played out more. There could have been more exploration of the religious organization ruling over them. 

Whatever the story may have lacked in depth of storytelling, it made up for it in quality of writing. Except for a few odd metaphors that smelled of AI editorial suggestions (e.g. "The thick coverings trapped Margaret's feet like shackles.") Youens has a gift for clear and engaging prose.

That said, August's role in the story feels a bit passive, as things mainly happen to her and others in the story. The conclusion, in particular, was a bit disappointing as her predicament seems to be resolved magically without any direct effort. The ending was only saved by the cliffhanger and the promise of what is expected in part two.

All in all, a good story, that probably could have been unforgettable with more chapters, more depth and a more complex plot. 

Of course, I may just not be the right audience for it. The focus on a perimenopausal woman discovering a matriarchal connection to the earth while opposing a patriarchal religion isn't exactly the type of novel I gravitate to. 

The resulting story feels a little like Groundhog Day with a perimenopausal version of Bill Murray being whizzed away into a Doctor Who-style story and dropped into an Outlander-like world in the middle of a Wiccan drum circle. 

As the novel's starred Kirkus Review says, it is "a strong debut with compelling characters." Thread Traveller is short, but with future instalments, the story may not feel so incomplete. Either way, it's a fun escape into a reality not too much unlike our own, where "fungi, family, and fierce women collide."

To purchase a copy of Thread Traveller, head on over to Annabel Youens' website (where you can also sign up for her email newsletter).

John C.A. Manley

John C. A. Manley is the author of Much Ado About Corona, All The Humans Are Sleeping and other works of philosophical fiction that are "so completely engaging that you find yourself alternately laughing, gasping, hanging on for dear life." Get free samples of his stories by becoming a Blazing Pine Cone email subscriber.