Adrián Astur Álvarez reviewed Primordial Soup by Christine Leunens
Review of 'Primordial Soup' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Such an unfortunate cover for this excellent novel.
A woman raised by an abusive Lithuanian mother pieces together an idea from misunderstood snatches of conversation and Bible passage read literally that sex is the act of actually consuming one's partner. That's the headline plot summary but the details here are magnificent. Leunens, in full command of her prose, layers themes of the body, identity, religion, sexuality, coming of age, abuse, and education like flavors in a well composed broth. She shows a range of tones from dark to earnest to heady arthouse intellectual to hilarious and none of these feel misplaced or forced.
It's a shame this novel isn't more widely read. It really should be. I blame the cover.