Read All About It: River of Teeth

This book. This book, man. Oh man. It was...hippos. All the hippos, everywhere, and some great representation, writing, and overall awesomeness from a great author. This is Sarah Gailey's debut novella, but she writes frequently for Tor.com, and has been published in Uncanny Magazine and The Boston Globe, so you know she's the real deal.

She's also awesome on Twitter. Seriously. You won't regret it.

I pre-ordered River of Teeth a while back, and imagine my surprise when it showed up a whole twelve hours EARLY, on May 22nd instead of May 23rd. I cancelled my previous evening plans and settled in to enjoy this bloodthirsty and adventurous novella to my heart's content.

Image Source: goodreads.com

River of Teeth is an alternative history novella that takes place in the 1890's and asks the question--what if the United States Congress had decided to pass a Hippo Act in 1857, and brought hippopotamuses to Louisiana to farm for meat and fix a meat-shortage? What if we dammed the Mississippi and let them stay in Louisiana? What if it all went terribly, horribly wrong? And runs wild and laughing hysterically from there.

Involving a motley crew brought together by a British former hippo-breeder Winslow Houndstooth, this novella stops your heart and includes a pregnant assassin, a non-binary explosives expert, and a strong lady thief who's not your average pick pocket. There's only one white guy (spoiler alert: he doesn't last long), and the rest of the crew is diverse, strong, and wonderfully representative of gender, sexuality, trade, and wits.

Watch this crew depart on their "operation" as they attempt to finish a job given to Houndstooth by the US government and clear out the Harriet (the marshlands that resulted from the damming of the Mississippi) of feral hippos, while trying not to lose their lives or their own hippos in the process. They face danger from all sides, but they might just find family and love along the way, while teaching us that you should never underestimate a hippo.

I couldn't believe how much I cared about hippos at the end of this novel, but I'm prepared to accept it. Gailey sets you up for the ride of your life on the back of a hippo, and leaves you with an epic case of "give me the sequel I need it now" disease. The sequel, Taste of Marrow, has already been announced, and you can bet I'm gonna read it as soon as it comes out to find out what happens to this strange crew next.

Buy it. Read it. Love it. Just don't get too close to those hippos, and watch out for danger above the water too.