Leni Zumas crafts narratives centered on women, exploring their dreams and desires. Her work highlights formidable female characters striving to carve out their place in a world often resistant to them. Zumas's stories resonate with tension and emotion, yet are imbued with hope and resilience. Her writing is compelling and thought-provoking.
The collection features a range of short stories that explore a dark, dreamlike America, highlighting characters who are on the edge of survival. Zumas skillfully illuminates their struggles and resilience, inviting readers to delve into the complexities of their lives and the haunting landscapes they inhabit.
Set against the backdrop of profound loss, this debut novel explores the emotional journey of a family grappling with the challenge of preserving a loved one's memory while navigating the complexities of grief. The narrative delves into themes of remembrance and healing, capturing the delicate balance between holding on and moving forward. Through rich character development, the story reveals the intricacies of familial bonds and the transformative power of love and loss.
A National Bestseller and a New York Times Editor's Choice, this novel presents a chilling vision of a future where abortion is illegal, in-vitro fertilization is banned, and the Personhood Amendment grants rights to embryos. Set in a small Oregon fishing town, five diverse women confront new barriers while grappling with timeless questions about motherhood, identity, and freedom. Ro, a single high-school teacher, aspires to become a mother while writing a biography of a 19th-century female polar explorer. Susan, feeling trapped in her crumbling marriage, struggles with her role as a mother of two. Mattie, Ro's talented student and adopted daughter of loving parents, faces an unplanned pregnancy with no support. Gin, a skilled herbalist known as a "mender," becomes the focal point when she is arrested in a modern-day witch hunt, intertwining the fates of these women. This riveting drama unfolds with magnetic energy, blending compelling storytelling with profound ideas. Leni Zumas fearlessly examines the complexities of female experience, evoking themes of resilience, transformation, and hope in challenging times, reminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood and Eileen Myles.