This is the book ride podcast. I'm Jeff O'Neill, joined today by Rebecca Shinski.

And Vanessa Diaz, we're getting the Powell's crew back together to talk about, I guess,

the book of the year, question mark, Vanessa and Rebecca. So far. before we get into our reactions we've all read

the book we're going to do this way we're going to discuss you know what the book is our impressions

of it will give you a spoiler warning because then we do want to get into specifics there

Sharifah was going to join us she isn't feeling well I think that's just a cover because

she needs to start on her Magnolia C that's just a cover because she needs to

start on her Magnolia Cripke costume for Halloween and she has to start right now. And she has to

tie in a podcast, Vanessa. I think you might be on to something. Sharifa was so bummed.

Terrible timing for the flu household with little kids. She did tell me this was her favorite novel of the

year to date. So we'll just have to have the aura of Sharifah with us today. It is extraordinarily

Sharifakor. I'm not surprised and we can get into some of the reasons there. If you like

boiled the person of Sharifa into a book, I think it would come out as Catapagosus. Rebecca, why don't you give us as best as you, like, boiled the person of Sharifah into a book, I think it would come out as Catapuses.

Yeah.

Rebecca, why don't you give us as best as you can an overview of, like, up till release day?

What is the story of Kwong, Catabasis?

Why are we doing this pod today?

Apart from whether our reaction to the book.

Well, R.F. Kwong, one of the hottest young writers, I think,

in American fiction. She came out of the gate hot with the Poppy Wars. It did better, I think,

than anyone expected. Babel award winner, award nominee, great literary science fiction. And then

Yellowface, where she was exploring a white woman taking

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