This is a story of how Stepmother tries to rescue a daughter from unspeakable pain. The sentences and the illustrations are fabulous (in all senses of the word). I'm not sure I fully grasp the intent but it is fairly short and I will read it again. ( )

first line: "Look at it this way, love, I tell her: no more slops to empty."

This is a well-written, albeit rather dismal, modern fairy tale populated by archetypal figures -- a sort of amalgamation of every fairy tale you know. Coover's characters are identified by their roles ("Stepmother," "Old Soldier," "Reaper," &c.) rather than personal names. Punishments abound; happily-ever-afters...not so much. While none are truly innocent, many are unjustly condemned. The appeal of this short novel is mostly cerebral, though the characters (mere symbols though they may be) are sympathetic.

I'd also like to read Coover's A Child Again, and possibly Briar Rose, both of which incorporate well-known folk figures and motifs. ( )