The Parliament

by Aimee Pokwatka

Overview

The Birds meets The Princess Bride in this tale of friendship, responsibility, and the primal force of nature.

“Murder owls are extreme,” Jude said. “What’s more extreme than murder owls?”

Madigan Purdy is stuck in her home town library.

When tens of thousands of owls descend on the building, rending and tearing at anyone foolish enough to step outside, Mad is tasked with keeping her students safe, and distracted, while they seek a solution to their dilemma.

Perhaps they’ll find the inspiration they seek in her favorite childhood book, The Silent Queen….

With food and fresh water in low supply, the denizens of the library will have to find a way out, and soon, but the owls don’t seem to be in a hurry to leave…

The Parliament is a story of grief and missed opportunities, but also of courage and hope.

And of extremely sharp beaks.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250820976
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/16/2024
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	257,760
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 5.50(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Aimee Pokwatka grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia. She studied anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and received her MFA in creative writing from Syracuse University. Her debut novel, Self-Portrait with Nothing was published in 2022 to wide acclaim. Her work has been published in Fairy Tale Review, Outlook Springs, Hunger Mountain, and elsewhere. She lives in New York with her family.

Editorial Reviews

10/16/2023

Pokwatka (Self=Portrait with Nothing) delivers a nail-biting fantasy thriller that bounces back and forth between an all-too-familiar scene of children and adults sheltering in place in a public library and their distraction during this time of crisis: a children’s novel called The Silent Queen. It’s not the threat of gun violence that they’re hiding from, however, but an attack of “murder owls,” an enormous swarm known to tear through barriers of clothing and into flesh. Among the trapped is chemist Madigan Purdy, who had been volunteering to teach a children’s science class and is unnervingly reminded of her own childhood experience of a school shooting. Now, as the adult in charge, she must turn her efforts to protecting her students. Excerpts from The Silent Queen, which Megan reads to calm the children, provide a necessary respite from the unrelenting tension. Pokwatka manages both a unique exploration of the effects of trauma, especially on children, and a thoroughly moving portrayal of the power of solidarity in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, combined with a healthy dose of rage at the lack of care and effort on the part of the government to combat gun violence. The result is a suspenseful and gripping argument for change. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 10/01/2023

Pokwatka (Self-Portrait with Nothing) tucks a Maurice Sendak fairy tale into a nature-attacks horror novel when she traps chemist Madigan Purdy in a library with a group of tweens. Purdy developed a host of coping mechanisms to deal with the long-ago death of a friend—from reading survival guides to juggling to emotional unavailability. But even that trauma is unable to prepare her for a flock of tiny, ravenous owls that will deflesh a human in minutes if they step through the library doors. The group's main source of comfort is Purdy's favorite childhood novel, which they read between frantic attempts to establish communication with the rest of town. It's a charming book, but with the stilted feel of classic children's storybooks. This allows the children to thoughtfully, if sometimes angrily, critique it, which keeps the analytical parts of their minds sparking, demonstrating that the fiction shelves are just as vital to their survival as the library's nonfiction resources. VERDICT Must-read fantasy for readers who appreciate the catharsis of horror; perfect for fans of Whalefall by Daniel Kraus and Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison.—Matthew Galloway

Library Journal

Praise for Self-Portrait with Nothing

A New York Times Best Fantasy of 2022!

“A thrillingly inventive, highly original debut that manages to be both a compelling mystery story and a dazzling meditation on existence. Pokwatka’s particular gift is her ability to see a strange concept through to its conclusion.” —Booker Prize winner, George Saunders

“Aimee Pokwatka’s Self-Portrait with Nothing is tantalizing and elusive lacework, delicately balanced between the branches of fantasy, mystery, and realism like a spider’s web.” —The New York Times

“Self-Portrait with Nothing is a thoughtful, beautiful contemplation on identity and how we build ourselves from all the bones we're given, both by the people who love us and by the people who leave us. How is this a first novel? Gorgeously drawn characters in a new and compelling setting, this is a beautiful book that deserves to be read.” —New York Times bestseller, Seanan McGuire

“Pokwatka’s debut is a unique and well-plotted story with many twists and turns. Recommended for science fiction fans, but it will also appeal to a wider audience.” —Library Journal, starred review

“A deeply felt, introspective meditation on motherhood and the nature of the self.” —Publishers Weekly

“Self-Portrait with Nothing heralds a serious talent. It's a story that brims with life, ambition, and joy.” —Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors

“A beautiful debut about the people we aren’t and the paths we don’t pursue… Pokwatka’s voices are tantalizing and elusive. “ —The New York Times

“[Self-Portrait with Nothing] had me feeling less alone in my own multiverse. And then that ending, despite bittersweet aspects, had me feeling so full of joy to be alive and working to figure out my own happiness.” —Matthew Galloway at Anythink Libraries

From the Publisher