UNDER THE SKIN BY MICHEL FABER

This great novel blurs the lines between science-fiction, horror and literary fiction. There are three fantastic things about this book.

One, Isserley is an alien curb-crawler hunting well-muscled men. A vulnerable woman with enormous boobs isn’t your average serial killer. One I cared about. Weird, but true! Two, Faber doesn’t describe the planet she hailed from, the scientific low-down or the mechanics of the ship. That’s not my thing. Instead, his beautiful prose draws us into the character’s journey and transformation. Three, he’s a master at creating credible and interesting minor characters in a few pages. In summary, it’s full of satire and delightful surprises that upturn tropes. It’s entertaining, and there are thought-provoking themes around factory farming, identity and sexism. It’s a slow burn, and the ending left me slightly disappointed at first, but with time to think about it, it’s a perfect ending (no spoilers). Links: Under the Skin Michel Faber Speculative Fiction