She Came From Beyond!

August 24, 2015
Darling’s promising but uneven debut is, at its best, a zany but edgy domestic farce with an endearingly self-centered, clueless narrator. Easy has made a name for herself playing modern-day versions of ’60s bombshells on a sci-fi parody cable show called It Came From Beyond. She meets Harrison in an online chat room, and before she realizes that he’s married with children, she’s met him IRL (in real life) and is hopelessly smitten. When she becomes pregnant with twins, Easy’s life quickly devolves into its own parody of domestic bliss, as the couple takes in not only Harrison’s two children but also his increasingly unstable ex-wife. Much of the novel’s humor arises not only from Easy’s blithe acceptance of her home wrecker status, her campy career choices, and the culture of sci-fi fandom, but also from her own unconventional upbringing by a gay couple with domestic disturbances of their own. Easy’s carefree non sequiturs and boundless optimism studded with unexpected insights make the novel a breeze to read—until, with a marked and overly sudden change in tone, an unnecessary crisis propels it into new and jarringly dark territory. Nevertheless, in its finer moments, Darling’s debut offers an enjoyable blend of wackiness and wisdom.

August 1, 2015
A sci-fi television personality has an affair that soon spirals out of control in this strange, funny debut. Easy Hardwick plays the "much put-upon eye candy role" on a science-fiction parody show (think Mystery Science Theater 3000). She's a local celebrity in her small Oregon town, and she spends her free time posting on a message board called Cool News. It's there that she meets Harrison, and their online arguing turns into online flirting. Their affair begins in earnest when they meet in person at a convention, but things get more complicated when Harrison admits that he's married. Soon, Easy ends up pregnant with twins, and if that isn't enough, Harrison's soon-to-be-ex-wife shows up and brings with her some drama that Easy couldn't even have imagined. Add in her complicated relationships with her gay fathers, and it's clear that Easy has a bit too much on her plate. While the circumstances around Easy spin wildly out of control, it's her grounded-yet-comical narration that makes the book stand out. Her snarky asides and darkly funny quips will make readers laugh out loud, even in the face of death, divorce, mental illness, and heartbreak. Darling crafts a debut novel that's truly like nothing else. Unexpected comedy and an unusual plot make this a weirdly delightful read.

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September 1, 2015

Sf nerds and wannabes will love this tale of online trivia one-upmanship that develops into flirtation and turns into a loving but extremely problematic relationship. In this coming-of-age (at 30) story, campy sf movies are Easy Hardwick's bread and butter. She works on an Oregon cable access show making fun of movies that feature busty women in skimpy outfits or form-fitting spacesuits, while appealing to the exact same fan base. She is snarky and superficial; so is everyone around her. Real-life encounters tend to become awkward very quickly (hilariously so for the reader). Easy spends so much time online that she hardly notices that she has no deep attachments until she is ousted from her job for being too old to play sexy babe parts. When Harrison turns up, he makes it hard for Easy to avoid complicating her life. VERDICT You don't have to be an sf fan to enjoy Darling's darkly comic debut novel about love and families (and retro TV shows and obscure B movies) with characters who range from quirky to mentally unstable.--Laurie Cavanaugh, Holmes P.L., Halifax, MA

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