Hollow Kingdom is just part of a bigger theme at play here. See, I have watched Contagion, World War Z, I Am Legend, and Shaun of the Dead all in the last two weeks. I’m LEANING IN to this pandemic, people. So when a DM came in asking if I had the perfect shelter-in-place read—light, funny, but uplifting—I immediately knew what to send.
I actually read this a few months ago, upon the strong recommendation of someone in my comments. It’s a good thing I had the reco, because the Amazon summary left me lukewarm. A post-apocalyptic tale told from the perspective of the animals left behind, and narrated by a… crow? Honestly, I almost passed, but one chapter in I was so glad I listened. (Any main character who calls people “turd waffles” and tosses lines like “eagles are majestic as f*ck” is a character worth rooting for.)
Hollow Kingdom is dark and clever. It’s laugh-out-loud funny with sufficiently twisted humor AND surprising sweetness, especially around the crow’s relationship with his loyal but dim-witted sidekick, a hound named Dennis. It’s a nod to what’s happening now in a way that won’t scare the pants further off your body, and 10/10 scientists agree a little irreverence never hurt anyone during a world crisis.
Five star would recommend, if only to re-emphasize that “turd waffle” is a totally underrated insult.
[Image: Me sitting cross-legged on the floor holding a Kindle copy of Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton. I’m not actually going anywhere today, but these posts have an aesthetic to maintain so I got dressed.]
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Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
