Nell Zink

Chronicles Tiffany's experiences as she follows her husband Stephen, whom she has known for three weeks, to Europe, where their marriage disintegrates into one of convenience.

The Wallcreeper

Trever

Miranda July meets Muriel Spark meets, uh, I guess Franzen? Weird as hell and not completely even but Zink has talent and potential.

Leafling

The characters in this book are some weird, confusing assholes. The Wallcreeper is a strange tale about some pretentious weirdos who are married. Well, Tiffany married Stephen really quickly and then they kind of also explore extra-marital affairs, which is sometimes not a big deal but is other times a very big deal. They're kind of both lazily interested in a future together and furthering potential careers, but not to the extent that they aren't just floating around talking about birds one minute then quantum physics in relation to babies the next.

The structure is dreamy and weird. Tiffany and Stephen eventually turn into eco-terrorists. Their relationships get more complicated. But throughout it stays smart, witty, and really well written. Everything Zink writes is so on point. Her descriptions of sex, life, and death are all strange but super accurate. She's definitely talented and this book is definitely crazy. Zink captures how messy and volatile life and relationships can be, but it makes you grateful that you're probably less involved in eco-terrorism than they are.

Read more: 5 Quirky Books to Make You Feel Normal

Interlaken, Berne, 21st century. Several things happen after the car hits the rock. Tiff ceases to be pregnant. Stephen captures, like, the most wonderful bird - fleet, stealthy, and beautiful - a real 'lifer'. And the wallcreeper, the wallcreeper says 'twee'. 'The Wallcreeper' is nothing more than a portrait of marriage, complete with all its requisite highs and lows: drugs, dubstep, small chores, eco-terrorism, birding, breeding and feeding.

Gary Homewood

Singular contemporary novel on modern relationships, bird spotting and eco terrorism, odd without being annoyingly quirky.

The Wallcreeper

Reviews