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As a person who reads a truly ridiculous amount of books, it’s not often that I come across a book that really blows me away. And yet, out of the hundred and fifty books that I read in 2023, this was the best one, and I’m convinced that it would make a fantastic start to your 2024.
Cackle by Rachel Harrison follows a young woman as she moves to a new town and learns to navigate her life with the help of her new friend Sophie whom the whole town seems to be afraid of. Strange things seem to always happen around Sophie, and her strange lonely lifestyle in her massive house makes Annie question who Sophie really is. Sophie is everything Annie has ever secretly dreamed of being, and Sophie is more than happy to show Annie how to live a different kind of life, one that is never caught up with what everyone else is thinking.
This book is both heartbreaking and heartwarming and it speaks to every woman that's ever wondered whether she really needs to live within the bounds of the societal plan for her life. It invokes all of the heartbreak and utter joy that is womanhood itself, and I desperately wish I could read it again for the first time. Whether you’re looking for a wintry read, or something to remind you that spring is coming, this is the perfect book for you.
You can find it here.
Madeline Mertz is FTM's editorial intern and is a Truman State University student with literary journal experience.