They Will Be Coming for Us
In the eerie thriller They Will Be Coming for Us, a new mother combats paranormal forces.
In Kim Catanzarite’s thriller They Will Be Coming for Us, an ancient secret forces a new mother to go to extremes in order to protect her child.
Svetlana and Helena were adopted from a Russian orphanage, but were then left on their own in Kirksberg, Pennsylvania—an odd town that celebrates the anniversary of a UFO crash each year. When Helena vanishes after work, Svetlana investigates her disappearance. In the course of searching for her sister, she encounters Andrew, an astronomer from a prominent local family that is obsessed with space. Before long, the two marry; soon after that, they announce that they are expecting their first child. When Andrew’s family begins circling Svetlana, though, it is revealed that they harbor secrets, and that they have aspirations for Svetlana’s baby.
The book takes great pains to introduce and build up the mystery around Andrew’s family—secretive scientists and astronomers known as the Jovians. Early on, they seem eccentric but harmless, with the exception of Uncle Jimmy, who seems to know too much about Svetlana and her personal history. Svetlana often turns to poetry for solace, and lyrics and excerpts from poems factor into the sedate portions of the story, including Svetlana’s pregnancy. Her literary interests, though, end up being turned against her.
Svetlana’s romance with Andrew is heartfelt; the couple’s exchanges are marked by tension, warmth, and some miscommunication, and her time without him is painful. Recurring jokes arise between them as Svetlana adapts to her new life. Svetlana’s exchanges with her in-laws are less open; the Jovians are given to obfuscation, and their words are ambiguous when it comes to the truth.
Ample space is devoted to character development, especially to Svetlana’s development. At first a naïve young woman with a penchant for garbling American phrases, she feels lost as she transitions into adulthood. By the end of the story, she’s endured losses, the birth of her first child, and a shocking revelation—all of which shape her into a headstrong, determined mother. Still, the novel ends with her in a dangerous position. In the book’s harrowing climax, she learns the truth about her family, and it has global ramifications.
In the eerie thriller They Will Be Coming for Us, a new mother combats paranormal forces.
Reviewed by
John M. Murray
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