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Daughters of Chaos
Award-winning author Jen Fawkes's DAUGHTERS OF CHAOS is an epic novel about Civil War-era Nashville’s “public women,” an age-old secret society, and the earth-shaking power of the female.
In 1862, after a tragedy at home, 22-year-old Sylvie Swift parts ways with her twin brother to trace the origins of an enigmatic playscript that’s landed on their doorstep. This text leads her to Nashville, the Union Army’s western headquarters, bustling with soldiers, saboteurs, powerful men––and powerful women.
Sylvie works on a translation of the playscript by day, but at night, under the direction of the Army’s Secret Service Chief, she acts as a Union spy. Both endeavors acquaint her with a sisterhood whose members--including Hannah, a fiery revolutionary to whom Sylvie is increasingly drawn--possess uncanny, and potentially monstrous, powers. Sylvie soon becomes entangled in the Cult of Chaos, a mystical feminist society steadfast in its ancient mission to confront and eradicate the violence of men.
Inspired by both Aristophanes’ LYSISTRATA and the true story of Nashville’s attempt to exile its prostitutes during the Civil War, DAUGHTERS OF CHAOS weaves together "found" texts, fabulism, and queer themes to question familiar notions of history and family, warfare and power.
In 1862, after a tragedy at home, 22-year-old Sylvie Swift parts ways with her twin brother to trace the origins of an enigmatic playscript that’s landed on their doorstep. This text leads her to Nashville, the Union Army’s western headquarters, bustling with soldiers, saboteurs, powerful men––and powerful women.
Sylvie works on a translation of the playscript by day, but at night, under the direction of the Army’s Secret Service Chief, she acts as a Union spy. Both endeavors acquaint her with a sisterhood whose members--including Hannah, a fiery revolutionary to whom Sylvie is increasingly drawn--possess uncanny, and potentially monstrous, powers. Sylvie soon becomes entangled in the Cult of Chaos, a mystical feminist society steadfast in its ancient mission to confront and eradicate the violence of men.
Inspired by both Aristophanes’ LYSISTRATA and the true story of Nashville’s attempt to exile its prostitutes during the Civil War, DAUGHTERS OF CHAOS weaves together "found" texts, fabulism, and queer themes to question familiar notions of history and family, warfare and power.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published July 9, 2024
About the author
Jen Fawkes
4 books72 followersJen Fawkes is the author of MANNEQUIN AND WIFE (LSU Press), a 2020 Shirley Jackson Award Nominee, winner of the 2023 Phillip H. McMath Post-Publication Book Award, and Foreword INDIES gold medalist. Her collection TALES THE DEVIL TOLD ME (Press 53) was a Foreword INDIES silver medalist, one of Largehearted Boy’s Favorite Collections of 2021, and a finalist for the 2022 World Fantasy Award for Single-Author Story Collection.
Locus has called Jen’s work “witty and dark, extravagant and savage,” and according to Library Journal, she is “a writer to watch.” Her short fiction has won numerous awards, including the 2021 Porter Fund Literary Prize, and has appeared in One Story, Lit Hub, The Iowa Review, Crazyhorse, Best Small Fictions, and many others. A two-time finalist for the Calvino Prize for fabulist fiction, Jen lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her debut novel, DAUGHTERS OF CHAOS, is coming in July 2024 from Abrams Books.
Locus has called Jen’s work “witty and dark, extravagant and savage,” and according to Library Journal, she is “a writer to watch.” Her short fiction has won numerous awards, including the 2021 Porter Fund Literary Prize, and has appeared in One Story, Lit Hub, The Iowa Review, Crazyhorse, Best Small Fictions, and many others. A two-time finalist for the Calvino Prize for fabulist fiction, Jen lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her debut novel, DAUGHTERS OF CHAOS, is coming in July 2024 from Abrams Books.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 28, 2024
My only real downside on this one is long stretches of script recitation that I tend to find hard to follow in audio (I'm not sure why, it's not THAT different listening to it vs prose). Otherwise a very unique read.
Read
June 12, 2024(No rating because I am currently working on this title)
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
September 19, 2024Imagine having to write a defensive article “In Praise of Tumultuous, Unruly Storytelling” because your novel is that much of a mess.
DNF @ 54%
DNF @ 54%
July 30, 2024
7/28/2024 2.5 stars grudgingly rounded up because I don't think it's harmful, exactly, which is what 2 stars usually means from me. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
7/30/2024 Oh dear. This book starts out so promisingly, as a woman on her deathbed makes her lover swear to speak with the daughters the latter gave up for adoption. A grief-stricken Sylvie Swift has no idea how to approach the two girls she gave up as babies, so decides to write them a series of letters instead, chronicling her own history and the events that led her to flee Kentucky for Tennessee before settling down with her lover in California.
Sylvie's own mother died shortly after giving birth to her and her twin brother Silas. Their older sister Marina helps raise them, as their father Horatio has never been the most practical man. After the twins turn fourteen, Marina abruptly leaves for Nashville. Horatio is devastated, refusing to speak of her. Following his death, the twins grow more distant from one another. With the Civil War breaking out, Silas decides to enlist with the Confederacy while Sylvie chooses to follow Marina to Nashville from their Kentucky home.
Nashville has recently been captured by the United States government. The few clues Sylvie has as to where Marina might be now lead her to a high end brothel called the Land Of Sirens. The denizens take her in, encouraging her work in translating Apocrypha, the alleged final work of Aristophanes, from French to English. As she begins to learn more about her own roots, she's recruited by a United States colonel to infiltrate the charitable Ladies' Aid Society, which he suspects of sabotaging Union forces to provide for the Confederacy. But the more time she spends with the charity, and especially with the beautiful Hannah Holcombe, the more she becomes entangled in the machinations of the Cult of Chaos, an ancient society of women who believe that overthrowing the violent rule of men is the only way to save the world.
Okay, look, I'm a proud feminist, but I am not, crucially, a gender essentialist. Even before I became better educated about gender fluidity and trans rights, I was never the kind of person who believed that if women ruled the world, it would become some sort of utopia. Newsflash: women are human beings just as susceptible to anger and shame and fear and prejudice and poor judgment and self-justification as any man or nonbinary person. Social conditioning has made it easier to silo traits among genders, but it's deeply silly to think that turning the tables of injustice so that one kind of people are on top is anything more than a) a power fantasy that also happens to be b) a continuance of injustice. The point of feminism is to make the world a better place for everyone. If you're actually fighting for a better world, you should strive to be inclusive of those who have similar goals and values, no matter their background. People should always be judged by the content of their character, by what they deliberately do, not by how they look or the circumstances into which they were born.
Which, ofc, leads to my biggest beef with this novel: the absolutely wild choice to frame the Civil War as just men fighting for power. Yes, the United States government should have done a better job of providing for the newly emancipated, but the implication that no cause besides undermining patriarchy is worth warfare is a slap in the face not only to Black Americans but to anyone who's ever fought back against injustice. It's the kind of bullshit bootlicker thinking that seeks to appease tyrants and dictators, as if the people fighting for human rights are just as guilty as those violently oppressing them. And for a book rife with sex workers, the weird "well, she was only pretending to be a whore" attitude throughout feels very disdainful and classist.
Problematic social issues aside, this book felt like a series of set pieces looking for a plot. There's so much cool stuff here that's never explained, which irritates me as a fervent reader of speculative fiction. What's the deal with the bloody package? How do the Sirens manage to enthrall all those men, or was that just a hallucination on Sylvie's part? Throwing all these elements together isn't clever without a throughline of logic, even if that logic relies on a magic system. You can't just shoehorn inexplicable events into your historical novel and be all "well, it's a fantasy novel." That's literally not how it works. All successful fantasy novels have rules, it's not just whatever the author feels like shoehorning in because they're too lazy to think up a logical explanation.
"Oh but Doreen," I'm sure someone is thinking, "the point of the book is Chaos! Therefore--" Look, stfu. First off, the idea that women are inherently chaotic while men are inherently orderly is deeply insulting (see: my loathing of gender essentialism above.) Secondly, Chaos as a concept is fine as a plot device -- the Leviathans are cool! -- but a story without cohesion isn't art, it's just uninteresting rambling. People in general are interesting, but their day to day lives are filled with mundanity that doesn't necessarily need to be shared with a wider audience for profit: threshing off the chaff makes it worth sharing with other people, especially if the story is trying to make a point. I know that this can seem hard to believe in a world obsessed with social media trivialities, but editing really does matter, whether self-imposed or otherwise. Order is what shapes a mass of potential into something with actual utility.
Also, as a book nerd, I was deeply offended at the slight to classicists throughout, as the author conveniently forgets that the Greeks, whose entire cosmology she bases this book on, had two gods of war, male and female, Ares and Athena respectively. Ares was, ironically, the embodiment of the chaos and brutality of war, whereas Athena was the embodiment of military order and strategy. This is, ofc, a much smaller complaint than the others but wow, it's just the cherry on this disaster sundae otherwise.
I'm also annoyed because I really wanted this book to succeed, especially after the neat thoughts in the first few chapters about the act of translation. I spent two days on this when I could have been enjoying one of the dozens of other books on my TBR-mountain. I am genuinely resentful.
Daughters Of Chaos by Jen Fawkes was published July 9 2024 by Overlook Press and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
7/30/2024 Oh dear. This book starts out so promisingly, as a woman on her deathbed makes her lover swear to speak with the daughters the latter gave up for adoption. A grief-stricken Sylvie Swift has no idea how to approach the two girls she gave up as babies, so decides to write them a series of letters instead, chronicling her own history and the events that led her to flee Kentucky for Tennessee before settling down with her lover in California.
Sylvie's own mother died shortly after giving birth to her and her twin brother Silas. Their older sister Marina helps raise them, as their father Horatio has never been the most practical man. After the twins turn fourteen, Marina abruptly leaves for Nashville. Horatio is devastated, refusing to speak of her. Following his death, the twins grow more distant from one another. With the Civil War breaking out, Silas decides to enlist with the Confederacy while Sylvie chooses to follow Marina to Nashville from their Kentucky home.
Nashville has recently been captured by the United States government. The few clues Sylvie has as to where Marina might be now lead her to a high end brothel called the Land Of Sirens. The denizens take her in, encouraging her work in translating Apocrypha, the alleged final work of Aristophanes, from French to English. As she begins to learn more about her own roots, she's recruited by a United States colonel to infiltrate the charitable Ladies' Aid Society, which he suspects of sabotaging Union forces to provide for the Confederacy. But the more time she spends with the charity, and especially with the beautiful Hannah Holcombe, the more she becomes entangled in the machinations of the Cult of Chaos, an ancient society of women who believe that overthrowing the violent rule of men is the only way to save the world.
Okay, look, I'm a proud feminist, but I am not, crucially, a gender essentialist. Even before I became better educated about gender fluidity and trans rights, I was never the kind of person who believed that if women ruled the world, it would become some sort of utopia. Newsflash: women are human beings just as susceptible to anger and shame and fear and prejudice and poor judgment and self-justification as any man or nonbinary person. Social conditioning has made it easier to silo traits among genders, but it's deeply silly to think that turning the tables of injustice so that one kind of people are on top is anything more than a) a power fantasy that also happens to be b) a continuance of injustice. The point of feminism is to make the world a better place for everyone. If you're actually fighting for a better world, you should strive to be inclusive of those who have similar goals and values, no matter their background. People should always be judged by the content of their character, by what they deliberately do, not by how they look or the circumstances into which they were born.
Which, ofc, leads to my biggest beef with this novel: the absolutely wild choice to frame the Civil War as just men fighting for power. Yes, the United States government should have done a better job of providing for the newly emancipated, but the implication that no cause besides undermining patriarchy is worth warfare is a slap in the face not only to Black Americans but to anyone who's ever fought back against injustice. It's the kind of bullshit bootlicker thinking that seeks to appease tyrants and dictators, as if the people fighting for human rights are just as guilty as those violently oppressing them. And for a book rife with sex workers, the weird "well, she was only pretending to be a whore" attitude throughout feels very disdainful and classist.
Problematic social issues aside, this book felt like a series of set pieces looking for a plot. There's so much cool stuff here that's never explained, which irritates me as a fervent reader of speculative fiction. What's the deal with the bloody package? How do the Sirens manage to enthrall all those men, or was that just a hallucination on Sylvie's part? Throwing all these elements together isn't clever without a throughline of logic, even if that logic relies on a magic system. You can't just shoehorn inexplicable events into your historical novel and be all "well, it's a fantasy novel." That's literally not how it works. All successful fantasy novels have rules, it's not just whatever the author feels like shoehorning in because they're too lazy to think up a logical explanation.
"Oh but Doreen," I'm sure someone is thinking, "the point of the book is Chaos! Therefore--" Look, stfu. First off, the idea that women are inherently chaotic while men are inherently orderly is deeply insulting (see: my loathing of gender essentialism above.) Secondly, Chaos as a concept is fine as a plot device -- the Leviathans are cool! -- but a story without cohesion isn't art, it's just uninteresting rambling. People in general are interesting, but their day to day lives are filled with mundanity that doesn't necessarily need to be shared with a wider audience for profit: threshing off the chaff makes it worth sharing with other people, especially if the story is trying to make a point. I know that this can seem hard to believe in a world obsessed with social media trivialities, but editing really does matter, whether self-imposed or otherwise. Order is what shapes a mass of potential into something with actual utility.
Also, as a book nerd, I was deeply offended at the slight to classicists throughout, as the author conveniently forgets that the Greeks, whose entire cosmology she bases this book on, had two gods of war, male and female, Ares and Athena respectively. Ares was, ironically, the embodiment of the chaos and brutality of war, whereas Athena was the embodiment of military order and strategy. This is, ofc, a much smaller complaint than the others but wow, it's just the cherry on this disaster sundae otherwise.
I'm also annoyed because I really wanted this book to succeed, especially after the neat thoughts in the first few chapters about the act of translation. I spent two days on this when I could have been enjoying one of the dozens of other books on my TBR-mountain. I am genuinely resentful.
Daughters Of Chaos by Jen Fawkes was published July 9 2024 by Overlook Press and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
May 16, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Speculative and historical fiction meet in this story following a little-known piece of American history from the Civil War era. Wonderfully written through the lenses of narrative, letters, newspaper clippings, and Greek translation, the novel tells the story of Sylvie Swift, a woman born into a long lineage of strong female characters, with a link to the distant past. The mix of real historical events with Greek myth and monsters of old made for an engaging, fresh new twist on historical fiction.
Reading this felt somehow both grounding and dreamlike. Amazing focus on women’s rights throughout the ages tied with an individual woman’s journey towards inner peace and familial mysteries solved.
I can’t believe this is a debut novel! Very much looking forward to whatever Fawkes pens next.
Speculative and historical fiction meet in this story following a little-known piece of American history from the Civil War era. Wonderfully written through the lenses of narrative, letters, newspaper clippings, and Greek translation, the novel tells the story of Sylvie Swift, a woman born into a long lineage of strong female characters, with a link to the distant past. The mix of real historical events with Greek myth and monsters of old made for an engaging, fresh new twist on historical fiction.
Reading this felt somehow both grounding and dreamlike. Amazing focus on women’s rights throughout the ages tied with an individual woman’s journey towards inner peace and familial mysteries solved.
I can’t believe this is a debut novel! Very much looking forward to whatever Fawkes pens next.
December 28, 2023
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This text was... not my favorite. Chaotic is a good word to describe it. Flimsy and unbelievable plot that made little sense, unlikable characters, and it felt rushed.
May 24, 2024
2/5 Stars
TL;DR - A super interesting premise, and that’s about it. Boring, mostly-nonsensical, with a tissue paper-thin plot and little resolution or explanation. I wanted to like it, but it really let me down in the end.
Big thanks to Abrams, The Overlook Press, and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!
***Trigger Warnings for: death of a partner due to illness, mentions of suicidal ideation, mentioned death due to childbirth, death of a parent, mentions of domestic violence, an alcoholic parent, racism, pyromania and arson that includes mentioned deaths by fire, mentions of eugenicist rhetoric and white nationalism, minor self harm, mentioned self-harm with a blade, mentioned child sex trafficking, mentioned statutory rape, mentioned traumatic abortions, mild gore, mentioned stillborn birth, mentioned incest, implied drowning, death of a sibling, and attempted suicide.***
‘Daughters of Chaos’ by Jen Fawkes is a historical fantasy (please note I’m using ‘fantasy’ very lightly) that takes place in the American South during the Civil War. It follows the story of Sylvie Swift, from the tragic circumstances of her birth, through her childhood and adolescence, and then through her tumultuous and war-torn early 20s in Nashville, Tennessee. Recounted in a memoir-manifesto penned 15 years after the main events of the book, interspersed with newspaper clippings, encyclopedia excerpts, and Sylvie’s own translation of a lost Greek comedy, we watch as she navigates womanhood and comes into her power. (Allegedly, she doesn’t really do much.)
So, this was aggressively mid at best, and I don’t have a lot to say about it.
The prose is average, but super heavy-handed, both in its discussions on sexism, misogyny, and gender (more on that below), as well as in the parallels drawn between Sylvie and the important women who came before her. The latter is so heavy that it practically gives most of the plot away before the book really even gets going, which was not a fun time. There is very little plot, no real character development or character arcs, and the climax is pretty much non-existent. (Tension? Never met her!) It’s just a bunch of coincidences and non-explanations, and very, very little substance. There’s also a lot of phrases and descriptions repeated over and over, which I never enjoy.
(From my notes: Sylvie says ‘my stars’ 10000x GIRL SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!)
The magical realism/fantasy is very light, and not explained at all by the end of the book. There was so much potential, and none of it is harnessed, and yes, I am salty about it. A lot of cool ideas that go exactly nowhere, and are given criminally little page-time for how the blurb promised me “fabulism”.
The main character is bisexual, which I very much appreciate, but even that is underutilized - and definitely not enough to justify the blurb saying this book explores “queer themes”. (This book also does employ the trope, sadly.) There is a non-speaking minor character, which I also appreciated, but they’re so minor I can’t even count that as a plus.
And then, related to the heavy-handed issue I mentioned above, there’s this pervasive vibe of gender essentialism that I did not enjoy. It’s hard to put into words, but this book just harps on and on about “all women are superior in these ways and that makes them good, all men are inferior in these ways and that makes them bad”, over and over, ad nauseum. It overgeneralizes the alleged differences between genders as a way to “lift up” women, when all it really accomplishes is to espouse the same divisive rhetoric weaponized against women, but with a shoddy coat of misandrist paint slapped over the top. I’m the brand of feminist who doesn’t need to tear down and alienate men to pursue equity and equality, so this really did not speak to me. For such a fascinating premise that’s inherently rife with feminist possibilities, this was an absolute let-down. I was looking for a feminist feast, what I got was a very shallow bowl of gender-essentialist soup. Minus one star for that alone, no thank you.
Final Thoughts:
This really should have been a hit for me, but overall, it’s shallow and underwritten, and I should have DNF’d, but hey, here we are. I will not be purchasing a physical copy.
TL;DR - A super interesting premise, and that’s about it. Boring, mostly-nonsensical, with a tissue paper-thin plot and little resolution or explanation. I wanted to like it, but it really let me down in the end.
Big thanks to Abrams, The Overlook Press, and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!
***Trigger Warnings for: death of a partner due to illness, mentions of suicidal ideation, mentioned death due to childbirth, death of a parent, mentions of domestic violence, an alcoholic parent, racism, pyromania and arson that includes mentioned deaths by fire, mentions of eugenicist rhetoric and white nationalism, minor self harm, mentioned self-harm with a blade, mentioned child sex trafficking, mentioned statutory rape, mentioned traumatic abortions, mild gore, mentioned stillborn birth, mentioned incest, implied drowning, death of a sibling, and attempted suicide.***
‘Daughters of Chaos’ by Jen Fawkes is a historical fantasy (please note I’m using ‘fantasy’ very lightly) that takes place in the American South during the Civil War. It follows the story of Sylvie Swift, from the tragic circumstances of her birth, through her childhood and adolescence, and then through her tumultuous and war-torn early 20s in Nashville, Tennessee. Recounted in a memoir-manifesto penned 15 years after the main events of the book, interspersed with newspaper clippings, encyclopedia excerpts, and Sylvie’s own translation of a lost Greek comedy, we watch as she navigates womanhood and comes into her power. (Allegedly, she doesn’t really do much.)
So, this was aggressively mid at best, and I don’t have a lot to say about it.
The prose is average, but super heavy-handed, both in its discussions on sexism, misogyny, and gender (more on that below), as well as in the parallels drawn between Sylvie and the important women who came before her. The latter is so heavy that it practically gives most of the plot away before the book really even gets going, which was not a fun time. There is very little plot, no real character development or character arcs, and the climax is pretty much non-existent. (Tension? Never met her!) It’s just a bunch of coincidences and non-explanations, and very, very little substance. There’s also a lot of phrases and descriptions repeated over and over, which I never enjoy.
(From my notes: Sylvie says ‘my stars’ 10000x GIRL SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!)
The magical realism/fantasy is very light, and not explained at all by the end of the book. There was so much potential, and none of it is harnessed, and yes, I am salty about it. A lot of cool ideas that go exactly nowhere, and are given criminally little page-time for how the blurb promised me “fabulism”.
The main character is bisexual, which I very much appreciate, but even that is underutilized - and definitely not enough to justify the blurb saying this book explores “queer themes”. (This book also does employ the trope, sadly.) There is a non-speaking minor character, which I also appreciated, but they’re so minor I can’t even count that as a plus.
And then, related to the heavy-handed issue I mentioned above, there’s this pervasive vibe of gender essentialism that I did not enjoy. It’s hard to put into words, but this book just harps on and on about “all women are superior in these ways and that makes them good, all men are inferior in these ways and that makes them bad”, over and over, ad nauseum. It overgeneralizes the alleged differences between genders as a way to “lift up” women, when all it really accomplishes is to espouse the same divisive rhetoric weaponized against women, but with a shoddy coat of misandrist paint slapped over the top. I’m the brand of feminist who doesn’t need to tear down and alienate men to pursue equity and equality, so this really did not speak to me. For such a fascinating premise that’s inherently rife with feminist possibilities, this was an absolute let-down. I was looking for a feminist feast, what I got was a very shallow bowl of gender-essentialist soup. Minus one star for that alone, no thank you.
Final Thoughts:
This really should have been a hit for me, but overall, it’s shallow and underwritten, and I should have DNF’d, but hey, here we are. I will not be purchasing a physical copy.
July 2, 2024
I don’t know if anyone else has had this experience, but do you ever find ‘answers’ or insight into personal struggles while you’re reading fiction – from novels that appear to have nothing at all to do with your situation?
Because, let me tell you – a story set during the Civil War in a Tennessee brothel, heaped with Greek mythology and magic and many-headed monsters – doesn’t sound at all like my personal plight against a foreign mining company, except for the ‘monster’ part (yes, this is something that has permeated my life and will continue throughout my lifetime.)
And yet… This book was just what I needed. It is filled with kick-ass, warrior women. It’s a book about the human race’s history of pillage and war and its constancy of being on the edge of disaster, but also mankind’s desire to tame and control the world. From the book: “Man has been trying to order, organize, and categorize the universe for centuries; let us see what happens when we embrace disorder, when we make peace with disorientation, when we dwell – at least in part – in Chaos.”
It’s also the story of a woman during the Civil War, orphaned at first by a mother, then a lost father – who comes to realize just how much power she has. The novel includes the translation of an ancient play that links women - and their strength - from time immemorial; it’s about a secret society of these women and how they band together to effect change. It parallels and includes Greek mythology (which I honestly wondered if I’d enjoy).
But, oh DID I! There were so many drink-worthy lines of prose and so many quotable passages that I cannot include them all. The first two, however, I felt related to my own life, as I take on a board position with a local group fighting for our beloved San Pedro watershed against foreign mining interests:
"No one knows the future,” said Evangeline, “or even the past. We have only the present, and we must strive to discover what lessons this moment can teach us.”
“Once you’ve made up your mind to take control of your own shape – your own story – you’ll know exactly what to do.”
Then there are the other pearls of wisdom scattered throughout:
“Can’t you see, he said, “that strength and power aren’t the same thing? Power requires other people. Strength, one has when one is alone.”
Others will see us as they see us, Apollo. Trying to control one’s image is a waste of time and energy.
Change is inevitable; patience must be cultivated, but it enables one to adapt, to adjust- to survive.
"Woman is the universe. We are the cosmos. We are the landscape. We’re the forest, the bear, the mountain, the beehive, the sea. And it is our ability to change, to adapt, to wear a series of faces that gives us our strength, that enables us - in spite of how we’re fettered by society- not only to survive but to prevail.”
Again, isn’t that what good books do: speak to us? No matter their topic, they connect to their readers. They inspire. A single line reaches out and offers guidance or insight. Beyond that serendipitous way books whisper in our ears, this is just a wildly intelligent novel. It’s superbly written, has fantastic thematic and metaphorical parallels and is written in a way that, if you are not familiar with Greek mythology and are sorely deficient in those stories (like me), you can still follow along without issue.
This is an “I am woman, hear me roar” kind of book. When I finished, I wanted to grab up every woman I know and hug her – because it made me think about the different ways females are freakishly strong: the single mom who does it all, the woman who learns to truly forgive a cheating husband, the one who breaks through the glass ceiling, the one who survives the loss of a child, the one who looks meek but has sustained trauma no human should ever experience, and yet… she goes on.
I feel fortunate to have read two stellar books in a row. I’m excited to read more from this author. Those who enjoy historical fiction, literary fiction, Greek mythology, and lovely writing will find a winner in this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Abrams/The Overlook Press for an advance reader copy.
Because, let me tell you – a story set during the Civil War in a Tennessee brothel, heaped with Greek mythology and magic and many-headed monsters – doesn’t sound at all like my personal plight against a foreign mining company, except for the ‘monster’ part (yes, this is something that has permeated my life and will continue throughout my lifetime.)
And yet… This book was just what I needed. It is filled with kick-ass, warrior women. It’s a book about the human race’s history of pillage and war and its constancy of being on the edge of disaster, but also mankind’s desire to tame and control the world. From the book: “Man has been trying to order, organize, and categorize the universe for centuries; let us see what happens when we embrace disorder, when we make peace with disorientation, when we dwell – at least in part – in Chaos.”
It’s also the story of a woman during the Civil War, orphaned at first by a mother, then a lost father – who comes to realize just how much power she has. The novel includes the translation of an ancient play that links women - and their strength - from time immemorial; it’s about a secret society of these women and how they band together to effect change. It parallels and includes Greek mythology (which I honestly wondered if I’d enjoy).
But, oh DID I! There were so many drink-worthy lines of prose and so many quotable passages that I cannot include them all. The first two, however, I felt related to my own life, as I take on a board position with a local group fighting for our beloved San Pedro watershed against foreign mining interests:
"No one knows the future,” said Evangeline, “or even the past. We have only the present, and we must strive to discover what lessons this moment can teach us.”
“Once you’ve made up your mind to take control of your own shape – your own story – you’ll know exactly what to do.”
Then there are the other pearls of wisdom scattered throughout:
“Can’t you see, he said, “that strength and power aren’t the same thing? Power requires other people. Strength, one has when one is alone.”
Others will see us as they see us, Apollo. Trying to control one’s image is a waste of time and energy.
Change is inevitable; patience must be cultivated, but it enables one to adapt, to adjust- to survive.
"Woman is the universe. We are the cosmos. We are the landscape. We’re the forest, the bear, the mountain, the beehive, the sea. And it is our ability to change, to adapt, to wear a series of faces that gives us our strength, that enables us - in spite of how we’re fettered by society- not only to survive but to prevail.”
Again, isn’t that what good books do: speak to us? No matter their topic, they connect to their readers. They inspire. A single line reaches out and offers guidance or insight. Beyond that serendipitous way books whisper in our ears, this is just a wildly intelligent novel. It’s superbly written, has fantastic thematic and metaphorical parallels and is written in a way that, if you are not familiar with Greek mythology and are sorely deficient in those stories (like me), you can still follow along without issue.
This is an “I am woman, hear me roar” kind of book. When I finished, I wanted to grab up every woman I know and hug her – because it made me think about the different ways females are freakishly strong: the single mom who does it all, the woman who learns to truly forgive a cheating husband, the one who breaks through the glass ceiling, the one who survives the loss of a child, the one who looks meek but has sustained trauma no human should ever experience, and yet… she goes on.
I feel fortunate to have read two stellar books in a row. I’m excited to read more from this author. Those who enjoy historical fiction, literary fiction, Greek mythology, and lovely writing will find a winner in this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Abrams/The Overlook Press for an advance reader copy.
April 5, 2024
DAUGHTERS OF CHAOS by Jen Fawkes gets all the stars. This book is flawlessly written. It’s a combination of Greek mythology and little-known history - Civil War era prostitutes in Tennessee. It comes together via a unique structure: letters to the main character’s daughters plus other documents we don’t usually see in a novel, and it all works well. The structure is an outgrowth of the main character’s passion, translation. Even the letters to the daughters are an act of translation. For me, the delivery of the story was intriguing in and of itself and made perfect sense for this novel. At the end of the book, I was happy to see the author includes a note about her inspiration and how this book came together in this unique way.
This is a wonderful novel with a great feminist message, strong female characters, and unforgettable monsters. I felt like this book was written for me, that I am a daughter of Chaos.
Note: I received an advanced review copy of this novel free of charge via NetGalley.
For a review on this book specific to writing craft: https://www.tonjamatneyreynolds.com/p...
This is a wonderful novel with a great feminist message, strong female characters, and unforgettable monsters. I felt like this book was written for me, that I am a daughter of Chaos.
Note: I received an advanced review copy of this novel free of charge via NetGalley.
For a review on this book specific to writing craft: https://www.tonjamatneyreynolds.com/p...
September 22, 2024
Captivating.
First, just read it. This is an extraordinary interweaving of historical fact and fiction, with just a touch of the fantastical. Jen Fawkes addresses womens' experiences and the feminist perspective in a way that brings us into, and connects us to emotions of strength, power, loss, bereavement, triumph, sexuality, sadness, joy, and longing. She explores the multidimensionality of humans -- how we grow, learn, and change through time, both historical time and an individual's lifetime. It is also a smart and complex book, not something that you want to read in an afternoon, but a story to take time with and savor. It is so captivating that it is tempting to devour all at once, but like an extraordinary meal that delights the senses, I felt compelled and grateful to enjoy every morsel of this brilliant novel. Daughters of Chaos is simply a fabulous read, and we need to all keep our eye on Fawkes, a rising literary star.
Miranda Warburton, Ph.D.
First, just read it. This is an extraordinary interweaving of historical fact and fiction, with just a touch of the fantastical. Jen Fawkes addresses womens' experiences and the feminist perspective in a way that brings us into, and connects us to emotions of strength, power, loss, bereavement, triumph, sexuality, sadness, joy, and longing. She explores the multidimensionality of humans -- how we grow, learn, and change through time, both historical time and an individual's lifetime. It is also a smart and complex book, not something that you want to read in an afternoon, but a story to take time with and savor. It is so captivating that it is tempting to devour all at once, but like an extraordinary meal that delights the senses, I felt compelled and grateful to enjoy every morsel of this brilliant novel. Daughters of Chaos is simply a fabulous read, and we need to all keep our eye on Fawkes, a rising literary star.
Miranda Warburton, Ph.D.
July 18, 2024
I have read books where it's difficult to give a star review, but I think this is the ultimate. It's such a unique book! Jen Fawkes did a lot of research and took a lot of care writing Daughters of Chaos, but...
...yeah. This book has a lot going on. There are so many threads, but few of them get fleshed out to the level they deserve. I really think this is a story that needed a longer book. I liked the parallel between Apocrypha and Sylvie's experience. I wish we learned more about sister Marina.
As a former Nashvillian, I loved the alt-history take on the "public women" and connecting the city to classic Greek theater and ancient Roman mystery cults.
Even if this one didn't hit with me, it's an intriguing debut and I'm interested to read more from Fawkes.
Thank you, Abrams/Overlook Press and Netgalley, for an advance ebook in exchange for a fair review.
...yeah. This book has a lot going on. There are so many threads, but few of them get fleshed out to the level they deserve. I really think this is a story that needed a longer book. I liked the parallel between Apocrypha and Sylvie's experience. I wish we learned more about sister Marina.
As a former Nashvillian, I loved the alt-history take on the "public women" and connecting the city to classic Greek theater and ancient Roman mystery cults.
Even if this one didn't hit with me, it's an intriguing debut and I'm interested to read more from Fawkes.
Thank you, Abrams/Overlook Press and Netgalley, for an advance ebook in exchange for a fair review.
July 2, 2024
I think this book will have an audience, but that audience does not include me. This story is interesting and well-written, but, at the same time, it meanders and lacks any buildup or payoff. It has many interesting ideas, but they often feel uncoordinated and incomplete.
I did enjoy the feminism, sapphic MC, and getting to learn a bit of history
#NetGalley
I did enjoy the feminism, sapphic MC, and getting to learn a bit of history
#NetGalley
July 20, 2024
4.5 stars. This is the best novel I’ve read in quite a while. It’s inspiring and thought-provoking and I highly recommend it, particularly to anyone who gets bogged down in the details of an ordered life.
August 18, 2024
A fantastical visionary story, multilayered and surprising in how disparate-appearing elements come together in this intricately woven novel. The author’s note is very informative about the creation of the story. I love a good author’s note.
I do confess I forgot why I wanted to read this book in the first place—I’m pretty behind in my reviewing. So I started the book but put it down again, confused. Once I re-read the summary, I was all in again.
From Nashville during the Civil War, a secret society of women, a Greek play within a play, and Renaissance Venice, peopled with friends, family, and monsters. Letters from The Hunley, dreams and visions of magical twins, mothers, and daughters….
I’m describing it like a collage, but that’s how I feel about it. From reading other NetGalley reviews, I think you either get it or you don’t. This is an extremely original story, organic, and steeped in women’s history and myth with excellent writing. I also love historical speculative fiction and highly recommend this novel.
thank you netgalley for a copy of this book to review
I do confess I forgot why I wanted to read this book in the first place—I’m pretty behind in my reviewing. So I started the book but put it down again, confused. Once I re-read the summary, I was all in again.
From Nashville during the Civil War, a secret society of women, a Greek play within a play, and Renaissance Venice, peopled with friends, family, and monsters. Letters from The Hunley, dreams and visions of magical twins, mothers, and daughters….
I’m describing it like a collage, but that’s how I feel about it. From reading other NetGalley reviews, I think you either get it or you don’t. This is an extremely original story, organic, and steeped in women’s history and myth with excellent writing. I also love historical speculative fiction and highly recommend this novel.
thank you netgalley for a copy of this book to review
September 2, 2024
Skip it. This book appeared promising, with lots of elements I like, including historical fiction about women’s lives in Civil War era Nashville, references to Greek mythology and radical feminism. However, it was a hot mess and the supernatural stuff was just so nuts it lost me for good.
September 15, 2024
This is the book you should get if you like speculative fiction. Non-formulaic, very daring in terms of structure and expectations of the reader. I'm rounding up a little to give it 5 stars, but definitely worth the read.
August 7, 2024
Can’t get into it.
August 26, 2024
I can’t even review this I’m so mad about how bad it was. My stars!! No, no stars for you.
September 20, 2024
Got a little lost in the story line but enjoyable story regardless
August 15, 2024
A fantastical story about the power and strength of women.
December 11, 2023
Title: The Daughters of Chaos - A Mesmerizing Blend of World-Building and Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.5/5
"The Daughters of Chaos" by Jen Fawkes is a captivating journey into a meticulously crafted world that seamlessly blends elements of historical fiction with a touch of the fantastical. The novel immediately draws readers in with its enchanting cover, promising a narrative as mesmerizing as the imagery it presents.
One of the novel's undeniable strengths lies in its world-building. The author skillfully constructs a vivid and immersive universe, rich in historical detail and sprinkled with elements of fantasy. From the intricacies of societal structures to the nuances of everyday life, the world of "The Daughters of Chaos" feels both authentic and otherworldly. Readers with a penchant for well-developed settings will find themselves easily transported to this imaginative realm.
The novel's unique take on historical fiction adds an intriguing layer to the storytelling. The blending of real historical events with fantastical elements provides a fresh and innovative perspective on the genre. It's evident that the author has done their research, seamlessly incorporating historical accuracy into a narrative that also explores the boundaries of imagination.
The cover of the book serves as a visual invitation, and its beauty plays a significant role in attracting readers. The artistic design not only sets the tone for the novel but also serves as a testament to the care taken in presenting this tale. The allure of the cover is undoubtedly one of the factors that make the book stand out on the shelf.
However, as much as the novel excels in its world-building and innovative approach to historical fiction, it falls short in providing a clear and cohesive plot. By the end of the journey, readers may find themselves grappling with the elusive nature of the narrative. The novel occasionally reads like a historical fiction fever dream, where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, leaving readers searching for a more defined structure.
The lack of a discernible plot point and a conclusive ending might leave some readers yearning for a more satisfying resolution. While the dreamlike quality of the storytelling can be enchanting, it also poses a challenge in terms of providing a clear direction for the narrative. A more structured plot could have provided a more fulfilling reading experience, allowing readers to fully grasp the purpose and resolution of the story.
In conclusion, "The Daughters of Chaos" is a commendable work that successfully marries world-building and historical fiction with an artistic flair. It is a journey worth taking for those who appreciate immersive settings and innovative storytelling. However, for readers who seek a more defined plot and conclusive ending, the novel may feel like a beautiful yet elusive dream, leaving them with a sense of unfulfilled curiosity.
Rating: 3.5/5
"The Daughters of Chaos" by Jen Fawkes is a captivating journey into a meticulously crafted world that seamlessly blends elements of historical fiction with a touch of the fantastical. The novel immediately draws readers in with its enchanting cover, promising a narrative as mesmerizing as the imagery it presents.
One of the novel's undeniable strengths lies in its world-building. The author skillfully constructs a vivid and immersive universe, rich in historical detail and sprinkled with elements of fantasy. From the intricacies of societal structures to the nuances of everyday life, the world of "The Daughters of Chaos" feels both authentic and otherworldly. Readers with a penchant for well-developed settings will find themselves easily transported to this imaginative realm.
The novel's unique take on historical fiction adds an intriguing layer to the storytelling. The blending of real historical events with fantastical elements provides a fresh and innovative perspective on the genre. It's evident that the author has done their research, seamlessly incorporating historical accuracy into a narrative that also explores the boundaries of imagination.
The cover of the book serves as a visual invitation, and its beauty plays a significant role in attracting readers. The artistic design not only sets the tone for the novel but also serves as a testament to the care taken in presenting this tale. The allure of the cover is undoubtedly one of the factors that make the book stand out on the shelf.
However, as much as the novel excels in its world-building and innovative approach to historical fiction, it falls short in providing a clear and cohesive plot. By the end of the journey, readers may find themselves grappling with the elusive nature of the narrative. The novel occasionally reads like a historical fiction fever dream, where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, leaving readers searching for a more defined structure.
The lack of a discernible plot point and a conclusive ending might leave some readers yearning for a more satisfying resolution. While the dreamlike quality of the storytelling can be enchanting, it also poses a challenge in terms of providing a clear direction for the narrative. A more structured plot could have provided a more fulfilling reading experience, allowing readers to fully grasp the purpose and resolution of the story.
In conclusion, "The Daughters of Chaos" is a commendable work that successfully marries world-building and historical fiction with an artistic flair. It is a journey worth taking for those who appreciate immersive settings and innovative storytelling. However, for readers who seek a more defined plot and conclusive ending, the novel may feel like a beautiful yet elusive dream, leaving them with a sense of unfulfilled curiosity.
August 1, 2024
I found this novel captivating. Beautiful, smart writing, great female protagonist, and a wonderful mix of real historical events with the fantastical. The feel of it reminded me of Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea at times and sometimes of the ghost scenes in Swamplandia. Dianne Setterfield’s novels (The Thirteenth Tale, Once Upon A River) also came to mind.
July 30, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Her prose and literary style were so fun to read and some of her vocabulary was revelatory for me. I loved the concept and the feminist lens. I love the unique epistolary style with encyclopedia definitions and an Ancient Greek play mixed in. A one of a kind book not quite like anything else I have read thus far.
July 31, 2024
A brilliant book, read it in a day, compelling.
The author mixes feminism, collectivism, fantasy, mythology, and history into a story which challenges your worldview. Requiring you to question that which you think you know, you are pulled along with the story, not just to see where it goes, but to see what is revealed.
Set in the late 19th century in California, the narrative takes place during the US Civil War in Nashville, Tennessee. But it also is timeless moving throughout the temporal world with an ease and grace unmatched. The author shows their immense skill crafting a lost play of Aristophanes, which is captivating providing a parallel story line which also ties the book together. Written in the form of an ancient Greek play, it is pivotal to the story and worthy of being published in its own right.
This book is especially timely in today's day and age. A masterwork of fiction.
The author mixes feminism, collectivism, fantasy, mythology, and history into a story which challenges your worldview. Requiring you to question that which you think you know, you are pulled along with the story, not just to see where it goes, but to see what is revealed.
Set in the late 19th century in California, the narrative takes place during the US Civil War in Nashville, Tennessee. But it also is timeless moving throughout the temporal world with an ease and grace unmatched. The author shows their immense skill crafting a lost play of Aristophanes, which is captivating providing a parallel story line which also ties the book together. Written in the form of an ancient Greek play, it is pivotal to the story and worthy of being published in its own right.
This book is especially timely in today's day and age. A masterwork of fiction.
July 21, 2024
Where to begin?
This novel is an incredible accomplishment. Daring from the standpoint of structure and message, with an irresistible heroine/narrator, Daughters of Chaos is in a class by itself. Filled with history, translation studies, theater, and monster women, it ends on a surprisingly optimistic note. Much appreciated in this election year.
If you're familiar with Jen Fawkes's short fiction you already know that she is an American writer who deserves more attention.
This novel is an incredible accomplishment. Daring from the standpoint of structure and message, with an irresistible heroine/narrator, Daughters of Chaos is in a class by itself. Filled with history, translation studies, theater, and monster women, it ends on a surprisingly optimistic note. Much appreciated in this election year.
If you're familiar with Jen Fawkes's short fiction you already know that she is an American writer who deserves more attention.
Read
June 13, 2024One for the Marija Gimbutas fans (I was shocked that her work was not cited in the acknowledgements). Gimbutas is inextricably linked to the mother goddess theory, which this book aligns really well with. It's light on actual fantasy and heavy on symbolism, starting slowly but eventually getting more exciting. I don't really love mother goddess and alternate history vibes, so this was not the book for me, but I thoroughly appreciated the depth.
PS Jen Fawkes please write a book inspired by archaeological theory I would eat that up.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
PS Jen Fawkes please write a book inspired by archaeological theory I would eat that up.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2023
This novel is many things: a wildly speculative look at a lost piece of American history, a heroine's journey, a meditation on female experience. It is also, in large part, a book about stories--how they sustain us, how the threads they spin are what hold together human experience, belief, and--perhaps most importantly--hope. No one sees the world, or re-imagines it, in quite the way Jen Fawkes does, and her first novel is a bold, astonishing, joyful, and tender work of art.
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