''Generation Loss'' is a 2007 novel by American writer
Elizabeth Hand
Elizabeth Hand (born March 29, 1957) is an American writer.
Life and career
Hand grew up in Yonkers and Pound Ridge, New York. She studied drama and anthropology at the Catholic University of America. Since 1988, Hand has lived in coastal Main ...
.
Reception
''Generation Loss'' was generally well received by critics, including a starred review from ''
Booklist
''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...
''
and ''
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
''.
''Booklist''
's David Pitt called the protagonist "utterly compelling" and noted that the novel is "brilliantly written and completely original."
Describing the novel, ''Publishers Weekly'' wrote about how Hand "explores the narrow boundary between artistic genius and madness in this gritty, profoundly unsettling literary thriller."
In addition to other praise, they noted that "the novel's final chapters
..are a terror tour-de-force that testify to the power of great fiction to disturb and provoke."
''The Washington Post''
's Lloyd Rose stated that the novel's "portrayal of gritty suffering is as strong as its fantastical elements".
A few reviewers commented on the writing style and genre conventions. Pitt highlighted how the novel "veers off in a new and exciting direction
rom science fiction drawing on but going well beyond the crime genre."
Graham Joyce, writing for ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', noted, "''Generation Loss'' is a crossover novel, difficult to classify, uncomfortable, spiky. Hand is one of those writers who has challenged the restrictions of genre writing. Here, she both fights with and against the conventions of the thriller genre to get at an evil deeper than its mere perpetrator.
..So although Generation Loss moves like a thriller, it detonates with greater resound. It's a dark and beautiful novel that should not be read by anyone under the age of 30."
Awards
''Generation Loss'' won the inaugural
Shirley Jackson Award
The Shirley Jackson Awards are literary awards named after Shirley Jackson in recognition of her legacy in writing. These awards for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror and dark fantasy are presented at Rea ...
.
It was also shortlisted for the
Believer Book Award
Believer Book Award was an American literary award presented yearly by '' The Believer'' magazine between 2005 and 2021. The award was given to those novels and story collections, nonfiction books or essay collections, poetry collections, and, be ...
.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Bostonist reviews the book
2007 American novels
Works by Elizabeth Hand
Small Beer Press books