Counternarratives

Reviews / Votes

'We have become accustomed in recent years to the revisionary spirit of much postcolonial fiction, but the ambition, erudition and epic sweep of John Keene's remarkable new collection of stories, travelling from the beginnings of modernity to modernism, place it in a class of its own.'

- Kate Webb, TLS 'Counternarratives is that rare book of short fiction with an epic intuition of time, accomplishing in a handful of inspired, intimate portraits what many sagas only manage in reams.'

- Julian Lucas, New York Times 'Keene's collection of short and longer historical fictions are formally varied, mould-breaking, and deeply political. He's a radical artist working in the most conservative genres, and any search for innovation in this year's US fiction should start here.'

- Christian Lorentzen, Vulture 'Exquisite, and unlike anything I've ever read.'

- Eula Biss, author of On Immunity 'Genius - brilliant, polished and of considerable depth.'

- Ishmael Reed, author of Mumbo Jumbo 'Counternarratives is an extraordinary work of literature. John Keene is a dense, intricate, and magnificent writer.'

- Christine Smallwood, Harper's 'In Counternarratives, John Keene undertakes a kind of literary counterarchaeology, a series of fictions that challenge our notion of what constitutes "real" or "accurate" history. His writing is at turns playful and erudite, lyric and coldly diagnostic, but always completely absorbing. Counternarratives could easily be compared to Borges or Bolano, Calvino or Kis.'

- Jess Row, author of Your Face in Mine 'Encompassing hundreds of fictional and historical characters over several centuries, and utilizing a mesmerizing array of styles - including slave narrative, historical document, stream of consciousness, fever dream, diary, field manual, concrete poetry - the book amasses a vision of epic capacity. In magic-like language, explores the experiences of rebel slaves and slave women, Langston Hughes and Huck Finn.'

- Blake Butler, VICE