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Brood: A Novel | Jackie Polzin
Brood: A Novel | Jackie Polzin
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Brood: A Novel
by Jackie Polzin
A New York Times Notable Book & Brilliant Meditation on Life and Longing
🐓 LITERARY FICTION & DOMESTIC SURVIVAL
An exquisite, wryly funny, and nakedly honest depiction of one woman's attempt to keep her four chickens alive while navigating the weight of a recent loss.
Extended Synopsis
In her startlingly original debut, Brood, Jackie Polzin introduces a nameless narrator in Minnesota who has narrowed her focus to a singular, heroic task: keeping her small brood of four chickens alive. Set against the backdrop of a single year, she battles the elements—from forty-below winter nights to a sweltering summer tornado—and the literal predators that threaten her small flock. However, the true struggle lies beneath the surface, as the chickens become a focal point for her reflections on a recent miscarriage and the uncertainty of a future she hadn't planned for.
Polzin’s prose is beautifully observational, drawing comparisons to modern classics like Gilead and H Is for Hawk. The narrative unfolds through the narrator's interactions with a circumscribed circle of loved ones: her flinty mother, her best friend navigating the complexities of a growing family, and her husband, whose own grief manifests in ways she struggles to comprehend. Brood is a slender yet powerful novel filled with wisdom and sorrow, rewarding readers with a rich meditation on what it means to care for a life, no matter how small or fragile.
Author Biography
Jackie Polzin is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Brood, her first novel, has been widely acclaimed for its unique voice and insightful exploration of the human condition. Her work has appeared in various literary publications, marking her as one of the most promising and honest new voices in contemporary American literature.
Reader Targeting
- Literary Fiction Aficionados: Readers of Jenny Offill, Elizabeth Strout, and Marilynne Robinson who value nuanced, character-driven narratives.
- Nature & Animal Lovers: Those who appreciate detailed observations of the natural world and the domestic challenges of animal husbandry.
- Explorers of Grief and Loss: Individuals looking for a realistic, unsentimental portrayal of how one lives with and processes personal tragedy.
Accolades & Awards
- New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
- Finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.
- Praised as "Full of nuance and humor and strangeness" by The New York Times.
Product Specifications
| ISBN-13: | 9780593311332 |
| ISBN-10: | 0593311337 |
| LCCN: | 2020018444 |
| Publisher: | Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Publication Date: | 2022-07-26 |
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