 | They Bloom At Night Author: Tran, Trang Thanh | |
| Price: $14.99 | ||
Summary:
In Mercy, Louisiana, a town plagued by red algae and vanishing residents, Noon finds a reluctant ally in Covey and the two join forces to hunt a deadly creature in the dark waters as a storm looms.
Reviews:
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2025 *Starred Review* As the climate in Mercy, Louisiana, worsens following an ill-fated hurricane, Nhung “Noon” Lê and her mother are attempting to survive as they mourn the loss of Noon’s brother and father, though her mother believes they may be out there, reborn as something else. They catch shrimp and fish off of the coast, avoid the red algae bloom overtaking waterways and neighborhoods, and make trades with the predatory Jimmy of Jimmy’s Gator Swamp Tour and Emporium, hoping he doesn’t decide to repossess Wild Things, her late father’s boat. But there’s something in the water, stealing people in the night. Jimmy decides to take advantage of the Lês’ precarious position, threatening to withhold supplies and take the boat if they don’t help his daughter, Covey, track down and capture whatever may be harming the locals so that he can add it to his burgeoning tourist trap. Noon soon finds that Covey isn’t a loyalist to her father, and they strike a tenuous alliance to find the creature and Covey’s missing mother. But something isn’t quite right with Noon, and it just might be the key to finding the monster. Though filled with intensely unsettling imagery of twisted creatures and a disaster-stricken landscape, Tran’s sophomore work contrasts the disturbing with the beauty of human connection. While portraying multidimensional characters and relationships that feature realistic familial trauma and recovery, Tran succeeds in creating a moving contemplation on queerness and gender identity, the immigrant experience, and moving beyond survival to fight back against oppressors. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
