If anyone was to ask me the plot of CJ Leede’s new novel Maeve Fly, I must admit I would struggle to sum it up quickly.
This story is a cavalcade of ideas, with some elements working and others falling by the wayside.
Leede does succeed in crafting one of the most gruesome stories I’ve read in a while. For unflinching body mutilation, you’ve come to the right place.
Interestingly, we start of with a titular character with some degree of a moral compass, given she has become Hollywood’s secret avenger of the oppressed, hunting down wrongdoers and wrecking their lives. Maeve’s day job consists of being a princess at a local family attraction, which only makes her penchant for the darkside all the more intriguing.
She also has a need to always be listening to Halloween music, something a lot of us can appreciate.
With a character like this, there is a grey area that they exist and you can either choose to go along for the ride or turn your back on their motives.
Maeve is actually quite an unlikeable lead, with her aims quite sketchy, just feeling like she wants to watch the world burn.
This makes Maeve Fly at times quite a fun-free read as we get truly lost in her nihilism, but her motive feels quite unclear.
Having said this, its a brisk read and those who came for the rage and gore will not leave disappointed.
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede is available now from Titan Books.
Bloody Flicks 