I’ve been excited to read Someone You Can Build a Nest In since I knew John Wiswell was writing a book. I’m absolutely charmed by his writing, some of my favorite shorts of his being “D.I.Y.”, “For Lack of a Bed”, and, of course, “House on Haunted Hill.” So being delighted by Someone You Can Build a Nest In came as zero surprise to me.
Wiswell’s an absolute master of mixing kind, gentle humor with heavier topics, and this book was no exception. Shesheshen’s observations on the human condition struck me as wise and hilarious in equal measures. Usually I’m a hard sell on written humor, but this fabulous monster and her love had me laughing on more occasions than I could count. Shesheshen’s nature, both internal and external, were excellently done as well, easy to follow while rarely if ever falling into familiar tropes I often find in non-human points-of-view.
Throughout Nest, Shesheshen and Homily work their way through their individual traumas with a consistent eye to love and consent—inasmuch as they could, given the necessary deceptions between them. One of the strengths of both Nest and Wiswell’s work in general, for me, is that no one’s trauma is magically “fixed.” Rather, they are given a safe place to begin healing, if they are able and if they choose. This is a book that holds space for warmth and care in the face of harsh realities, and does so without falling into saccharine fantasy. I’ll likely be giving this one a re-read, and if Shesheshen or Homily ever come up in new work from Wiswell, I’ll be ready to read it on day one!
Information about Someone You Can Build a Nest In:
Author: John Wiswell
Publisher: DAW
Release date: April 2nd, 2024
Print length: 363 pages
ISBN: 978-0756419745
