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9781616964122

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"Publishers Weekly Spring 2024 Top-10 SF Fantasy and Horror ""This fast-paced novella blends a pitch-perfect noir voice with all the excitement and grit of an action movie, but at its core, it is ultimately a tale of community, identity, and connection."" --Emma Törzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe ""A queer anarchist commune in near-future Kansas City is threatened by corporate espionage in this fun and well-paced neo-noir cyberpunk adventure from Wasserstein (All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From). Theodora ""Dora"" Madsen lives in ""self-imposed exile"" from the commune she once called home, but when her ex-girlfriend, Kay, is found dead of an apparent overdose, Dora, suspicious, is compelled to investigate. Now an outsider to the tight-knit community, her investigations raise echoes of the conflict that led to her departure, and call into question the very principles on which the commune was founded. Can Dora discover the truth without tearing apart the community that sheltered her when she needed it most--and before someone else gets hurt? Wasserstein makes clever use of genre tropes, including clones, snappy noir-style dialogue, and the damaged, insomniac detective archetype. With a complex and enjoyably flawed trans protagonist and a portrayal of queer life that goes deeper than casual representation, this marks Wasserstein as a voice to watch out for in LGBTQ science fiction."" --Publishers Weekly ""The book begins as an effective murder mystery, with Dora--a security specialist and unofficial detective--suspecting Kay was killed by someone in the tightknit commune Dora had been part of years ago. But it turns into much more as her investigation progresses and visions of the past resurface. To find out what happened to Kay, Dora must regain the trust of community members she left behind following a furious disagreement over her proposed security measures, which conflicted with the community's guiding principles of anarchic self-determination. Before Dora can get a handle on anything, a new drug circulates in the community, more people go missing, a feud between major corporations threatens the commune, and she is confronted with a most unexpected assailant--Theo, a clone of her pre-transition self. Classic genre tropes, including an impulsive, damaged detective and noir-style dialogue, are expanded through a trans protagonist and the complex relationship she develops with her pre-transition clone--a most delightful surprise of a character. Dora's rogue independence and search for answers are problematized by Theo's existence and strong will to live. Within a twisted conspiracy thriller is a compelling slice-of-queer-life, uninterested in simple representation. An irresistible afterword will leave readers eager for more from Wasserstein. This book is perfect for anyone interested in community politics, body politics, the craft of writing, or a page-turning thriller."" --Kirkus ""Wasserstein's debut novella does not give easy answers, but instead urges us to remember: the moment we lose sight of love--for our communities and for ourselves--is the moment we risk harming everything we hold dear."" --Naseem Jamnia, author of the Crawford, Locus, and World Fantasy nominated novella The Bruising of Qilwa ""A work of astonishing heart. It bridges isolation and belonging, hate and forgiveness, riveting tension and emotional nuance, to fearlessly explore the chasm between who we are and who we were expected to be."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""This wise novella asks compelling questions about anarchism, community, self-determination, and consent, while allowing its trans and queer characters the full range of their flawed, messy humanity. Just like all of Izzy Wasserstein's work, this story is complex, well-written, heartfelt; I am so glad to have encountered it."" --Natalia Theodoridou, World Fantasy Award winner and Nebula finalist ""Read it, get immersed in the investigation, then find yourself thinking for a long while afterward! From anarchist decision making to the difficulties of self-definition to clone sex, this small book has it all."" --Bogi Takács, editor of Transcendent 2 ""With an anarchist's eye for flipping all the old tropes, Wasserstein makes her propulsive, stylish cyberpunk murder mystery sing on every page."" --Karen Osborne, author of Architects of Memory ""An absorbing near future science fiction novella that explores themes of identity and family with a keen eye for character and a central mystery that unfolds in unexpected ways. Izzy Wasserstein is a gifted writer, and this is a wonderful debut."" --Josh Rountree, author of The Legend of Charlie Fish Praise for Izzy Wasserstein ""I want to listen to Izzy Wasserstein tell stories all day and all night."" --Annalee Newitz, author of The Terraformers ""Across every genre and tone, Izzy Wasserstein imbues her stories with a unique power."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""Izzy Wasserstein's stories wrestle with ideas of home, grief, and apocalyptic violence with a stunning urgency and clarity of vision."" --Nino Cipri, author of Finna and Defekt ""Wasserstein writes brilliantly about loss, revolution, change, and community."" --R. B. Lemberg, author of The Four Profound Weaves"

"Praise for Izzy Wasserstein ""Inventive, fascinating, and deeply moving . . . I want to listen to Izzy Wasserstein tell stories all day and all night."" --Annalee Newitz, author of The Terraformers ""Across every genre and tone, Izzy Wasserstein imbues her stories with a unique power: to reach through the page and into your chest, where they hold your heart as if it's the last of its kind."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""Izzy Wasserstein's stories wrestle with ideas of home, grief, and apocalyptic violence with a stunning urgency and clarity of vision."" --Nino Cipri, author of Finna and Defekt ""Wasserstein's stories offer a finely-honed sense of place, precise and evocative writing, and a beautiful, sometimes chilling, exploration of what it means to be complicated and human."" --Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun ""Wasserstein writes brilliantly about loss, revolution, change, and community. . . . She has a memorable literary voice, and her stories of alienation and survival will haunt and sustain me for years to come."" --R. B. Lemberg, author of The Four Profound Weaves ""An impressive range from epic fantasy to scientific mystery."" --Bogi Takács, author of The Trans Space Octopus Congregation ""The multifaceted portrayals of gender are a consistent strength throughout, rendering trans and nonbinary characters with vitality and nuance."" --Publishers Weekly"

"Publishers Weekly Spring 2024 Top-10 SF Fantasy and Horror [STARRED REVIEW] DEBUT ""A trans woman confronts her past along with the person she might have been in this queer, noir technothriller set in a near-future, dystopian Kansas City. Dora's ex-girlfriend is dead, and her old commune expects her to return and solve the crime. But it's not merely a murder, and it's not a result of any of the standard motives, nor is the perpetrator any of the usual suspects. Instead, Dora finds a scientist operating an illegal cloning facility, trying to create easily programmable, disposable lab rats and super soldiers while also creating additional versions of Dora the way he wants her to be: obedient, worshipful, and unequivocally male. Dora has to literally plumb the depths of her city, her past relationships, and her present psyche in order to eliminate a threat she never imagined. The murder case is the best kind of technothriller, getting deeper into the guts of the tech and the skulls in the corporate skullduggery while putting the reader into the heart and soul of an investigator who can't stop trying to save the day for everybody else. VERDICT Recommended for SF readers who love a good mystery, can't resist a queer romance, and adore seeing a corporate conspiracy unraveled and undone."" --Library Journal ""This fast-paced novella blends a pitch-perfect noir voice with all the excitement and grit of an action movie, but at its core, it is ultimately a tale of community, identity, and connection."" --Emma T�rzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe ""With a complex and enjoyably flawed trans protagonist and a portrayal of queer life that goes deeper than casual representation, this marks Wasserstein as a voice to watch out for in LGBTQ science fiction."" --Publishers Weekly ""Within a twisted conspiracy thriller is a compelling slice-of-queer-life, uninterested in simple representation. An irresistible afterword will leave readers eager for more from Wasserstein. This book is perfect for anyone interested in community politics, body politics, the craft of writing, or a page-turning thriller."" --Kirkus ""Wasserstein's debut novella does not give easy answers, but instead urges us to remember: the moment we lose sight of love--for our communities and for ourselves--is the moment we risk harming everything we hold dear."" --Naseem Jamnia, author of The Bruising of Qilwa ""A work of astonishing heart. It bridges isolation and belonging, hate and forgiveness, riveting tension and emotional nuance, to fearlessly explore the chasm between who we are and who we were expected to be."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""At one level, These Fragile Places, This Fugitive Heart works just fine as an efficient and fast-moving thriller in a gritty urban setting, but just as efficient is the manner in which Wasserstein layers in issues of trans acceptance."" --Locus ""Just like all of Izzy Wasserstein's work, this story is complex, well-written, heartfelt."" --Natalia Theodoridou, World Fantasy Award winner and Nebula finalist ""From anarchist decision making to the difficulties of self-definition to clone sex, this small book has it all."" --Bogi Tak�cs, editor of Transcendent 2 ""With an anarchist's eye for flipping all the old tropes, Wasserstein makes her propulsive, stylish cyberpunk murder mystery sing on every page."" --Karen Osborne, author of Architects of Memory ""Izzy Wasserstein is a gifted writer, and this is a wonderful debut."" --Josh Rountree, author of The Legend of Charlie Fish ""If you like queer dystopian thrillers, don't miss These Fragile Places, This Fugitive Heart."" --Reviews that Burn ""This is a murder mystery, yes; but mostly it is a story about how we can live together and love one another without using force or doing violence to those we love in the name of creating a better world. --Interzone Praise for Izzy Wasserstein ""I want to listen to Izzy Wasserstein tell stories all day and all night."" --Annalee Newitz, author of The Terraformers ""Across every genre and tone, Izzy Wasserstein imbues her stories with a unique power."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""Izzy Wasserstein's stories wrestle with ideas of home, grief, and apocalyptic violence with a stunning urgency and clarity of vision."" --Nino Cipri, author of Finna and Defekt ""Wasserstein writes brilliantly about loss, revolution, change, and community."" --R. B. Lemberg, author of The Four Profound Weaves"

"Publishers Weekly Spring 2024 Top-10 SF Fantasy & Horror ""This fast-paced novella blends a pitch-perfect noir voice with all the excitement and grit of an action movie, but at its core, it is ultimately a tale of community, identity, and connection. Izzy Wasserstein is a true and tender storyteller with a head for twisty plots and a heart for complex love."" --Emma Törzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe ""A queer anarchist commune in near-future Kansas City is threatened by corporate espionage in this fun and well-paced neo-noir cyberpunk adventure from Wasserstein (All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From). Theodora ""Dora"" Madsen lives in ""self-imposed exile"" from the commune she once called home, but when her ex-girlfriend, Kay, is found dead of an apparent overdose, Dora, suspicious, is compelled to investigate. Now an outsider to the tight-knit community, her investigations raise echoes of the conflict that led to her departure, and call into question the very principles on which the commune was founded. Can Dora discover the truth without tearing apart the community that sheltered her when she needed it most--and before someone else gets hurt? Wasserstein makes clever use of genre tropes, including clones, snappy noir-style dialogue, and the damaged, insomniac detective archetype. With a complex and enjoyably flawed trans protagonist and a portrayal of queer life that goes deeper than casual representation, this marks Wasserstein as a voice to watch out for in LGBTQ science fiction."" --Publishers Weekly ""Wasserstein's debut novella does not give easy answers, but instead urges us to remember: the moment we lose sight of love--for our communities and for ourselves--is the moment we risk harming everything we hold dear."" --Naseem Jamnia, author of the Crawford, Locus, and World Fantasy nominated novella The Bruising of Qilwa ""Within a twisted conspiracy thriller is a compelling slice-of-queer-life, uninterested in simple representation. An irresistible afterword will leave readers eager for more from Wasserstein. This book is perfect for anyone interested in community politics, body politics, the craft of writing, or a page-turning thriller."" --Kirkus ""A work of astonishing heart. It bridges isolation and belonging, hate and forgiveness, riveting tension and emotional nuance, to fearlessly explore the chasm between who we are and who we were expected to be."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""This wise novella asks compelling questions about anarchism, community, self-determination, and consent, while allowing its trans and queer characters the full range of their flawed, messy humanity. Just like all of Izzy Wasserstein's work, this story is complex, well-written, heartfelt; I am so glad to have encountered it. --Natalia Theodoridou, World Fantasy Award winner and Nebula finalist ""Read it, get immersed in the investigation, then find yourself thinking for a long while afterward! From anarchist decision making to the difficulties of self-definition to clone sex, this small book has it all."" --Bogi Takács, editor of Transcendent 2 ""With an anarchist's eye for flipping all the old tropes, Wasserstein makes her propulsive, stylish cyberpunk murder mystery sing on every page."" --Karen Osborne, author of Architects of Memory ""An absorbing near future science fiction novella that explores themes of identity and family with a keen eye for character and a central mystery that unfolds in unexpected ways. Izzy Wasserstein is a gifted writer, and this is a wonderful debut."" --Josh Rountree, author of The Legend of Charlie Fish Praise for Izzy Wasserstein ""Inventive, fascinating, and deeply moving . . . I want to listen to Izzy Wasserstein tell stories all day and all night."" --Annalee Newitz, author of The Terraformers ""Across every genre and tone, Izzy Wasserstein imbues her stories with a unique power: to reach through the page and into your chest, where they hold your heart as if it's the last of its kind."" --Elly Bangs, author of Unity ""Izzy Wasserstein's stories wrestle with ideas of home, grief, and apocalyptic violence with a stunning urgency and clarity of vision."" --Nino Cipri, author of Finna and Defekt ""Wasserstein's stories offer a finely-honed sense of place, precise and evocative writing, and a beautiful, sometimes chilling, exploration of what it means to be complicated and human."" --Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun ""Wasserstein writes brilliantly about loss, revolution, change, and community. . . . She has a memorable literary voice, and her stories of alienation and survival will haunt and sustain me for years to come."" --R. B. Lemberg, author of The Four Profound Weaves"

Author Information

Izzy Wasserstein is a queer, transgender woman and the author of dozens of short stories, two poetry collections, and the short story collection All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From. Wasserstein currently teaches writing and literature at a public university. She loves books, comics, horror movies, and slowly running long distances. She wants to hear about your D&D character. Wasserstein shares a home with her spouse Nora E. Derrington and their animal companions. These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart is her debut novella.

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