At the onset of Creatures, the senses are immediately stimulated by the sea, which is the nucleus of Chrissy Van Meter's enthralling debut novel. The visual, stinking rot of a dead whale lodged in the harbor is in close proximity to Evie's house. This decay is symbolic of …more the relationship with her negligent mother, who has been described as the epitome of unmotherliness. And then there is the alcoholic, marijuana dealing father who loves Evie dearly, but the daughter often has to father the father. It's no wonder that Evie struggles with trust in her relationships, particularly that of her husband who spends extended amounts of time at sea as a fisherman. Van Meter marries raw human emotion with that of the ebb and tide of the sea and the mysterious creatures that live beneath it. I highly recommend this poignant book to avid readers and their book clubs. (less)