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The Pecan Children

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

"With creeping claustrophobia and a filter of the surreal over lushly detailed lives, The Pecan Children captures both the magic and despair of trying to hold onto home when the world is determined to take it away from you."Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mister Magic

As impossible fires bloom through their slowly decaying Southern town, two sisters must reckon with the ghosts of a land that refuses to be forgotten.

In a small southern pecan town, the annual harvest is a time of both celebration and heartbreak. Even as families are forced to sell their orchards and move away, Lil Clearwater, keeper of a secret covenant with her land, swears she never will. When her twin Sasha returns to the dwindling town in hopes of reconnecting with the girl her heart never forgot, the sisters struggle to bridge their differences and share the immense burden of protecting their home from hungry forces intent on uprooting everything they love.

But there is rot hiding deep beneath the surface. Ghostly fires light up the night, and troubling local folklore is revealed to be all too true. Confronted with the phantoms of their pasts and the devastating threat to their future, the sisters come to the stark realization that in the kudzu-choked South, nothing is ever as it appears.

For fans of The Midnight Library and Demon Copperhead comes a breathtaking story of magical realism about two sisters, deeply tied to their small Southern town, fighting to break free of the darkness swallowing the land—and its endless cycle of pecan harvests—whole.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      April 15, 2024
      This sultry Southern gothic from Connor, the pseudonym of Robyn Barrow and Alexandra Cronin (who previously collaborated on Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves), delivers heat and chills in equal measure. Lil Clearwater labors endlessly on the pecan orchard left to her by her mother. Her equilibrium is shattered when Jason, the high school sweetheart who left her behind to go to law school, returns to their depressed hometown. Meanwhile Sasha, Lil’s “lesbian-outsider twin sister,” reluctantly returns from New York City and finds Autumn, her unrequited childhood crush, back as well. As Lil, Jason, Sasha, and Autumn weave a tangled web of desire and distrust, supernatural forces stalk the community: feral children run through the woods, house fires flare up and extinguish themselves, and a shadowy, monstrous presence stalks the edges of town. With lyrical prose and a rich seam of folklore, Connor artfully braids satisfying mystery and romance subplots, creating an abiding sense of unease. This story of crumbling grandeur and family secrets will leave readers hungry for more. Agent: Kate Burke, Blake Friedmann Literary.

    • Booklist

      May 1, 2024
      Siblings Lil and Sasha Clearwater embark on a perilous journey to save their family's land amid the kudzu-choked pecan orchards of Arkansas, where children might fall from trees and a hungry monster stalks the shadows. Through trials and revelations, they discover hidden family truths that reshape their perceptions of kinship and resilience in the face of adversity. Connor's second novel (after Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves, 2023) is a captivating blend of horror, southern charm, and unapologetic queer representation that redefines the boundaries of family and love. The southern setting serves as a character in itself, with its sprawling landscapes, rich history, and haunting atmosphere adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. From the whispering pecan trees to the humid nights filled with secrets, every detail immerses readers in allure and mystique. Connor offers a fresh and compelling take on both horror and family dynamics, leaving readers spellbound until the very last page. It's a masterful exploration of the intersection between darkness and light, tradition and progress, making it a must-read for fans of literary horror and inclusive storytelling.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      June 7, 2024

      Connor (Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves), a pen name for writing duo Robyn Barrow and Alexandra Cronin, pens a story with gothic folklore overtones and magical realism. Lil Clearwater is strongly bonded to the pecan farm where she grew up in small-town Arkansas. The pecan harvest season should be a great time of year. However, it is also heartbreaking for her because her family is all gone and many local farmers are selling their land. Lil is unwilling to cave in and sell the family farm, but the arrival of her twin sister Sasha stirs things up. Lil stayed on the farm while Sasha ran away to explore her life. Lil doesn't want to deal with this reunion at harvest time, but the sisters must work together to fight the forces that would take their land. In this story about coming to terms with the past and trying to make a future, Connor mixes fantastical with thriller elements that will have readers wanting to know what happens next. VERDICT This novel is a good match for book clubs (with questions included at the book's end) and a must for thrill seekers and fans of Southern gothic stories.--BreAnn Weeks

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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