Publisher's Synopsis
"Darkly fascinating, impeccably observed, and written with razor-sharp prose, Tatiana Ryckman's Ancestry of Objects is a story about total and desperate devotion, and how easily we betray ourselves in order to not feel alone. There is such a tenderness in Ryckman's prose, I never wanted the story to end." --Cristina Rodriguez, Deep Vellum Books
A small but mighty book exploring desire and the ways in which we process grief. Ryckman strips her language to the essentials without doing away with vivid description and figurative language, reflecting upon what the objects that we surround ourselves with reflect about ourselves. An exercise in constraint, the book manages to say more with less, leaving the reader with profound impressions that encourage deeper engagement and thought. An unnamed narrator grapples with a deep sense of loss, attempting to fill the void with a tumultuous affair with a married man, only to realize any chance of respite she has must come from within herself. A rich exploration of a young woman's psyche, left open enough for a reader to find him or herself within its pages."Meghana, Seminary Co-Op
"The Ancestry of Objects is a quiet yet jagged contemplation on what makes or gives life - to a human, to a kitchen table, to a blade of grass, to a memory or feeling - and a call to move, however slowly, however sluggishly, against inertia whenever we're able." -Anna Claire Weber, White Whale Bookstore
"A small but mighty book exploring desire and the ways in which we process grief. Ryckman strips her language to the essentials without doing away with vivid description and figurative language, reflecting upon what the objects that we surround ourselves with reflect about ourselves. An exercise in constraint, the book manages to say more with less, leaving the reader with profound impressions that encourage deeper engagement and thought. An unnamed narrator grapples with a deep sense of loss, attempting to fill the void with a tumultuous affair with a married man, only to realize any chance of respite she has must come from within herself. A rich exploration of a young woman's psyche, left open enough for a reader to find him or herself within its pages." -Meghana,Seminary Co-op
Ryckman is the editor of Austin-based publisher Awst Press, and the author of three other published works (one novella and two chapbooks). This book is very edgy and will appeal to fans of Bluets author Maggie Nelson and author/translator Saskia Vogel, readers who read the viral story "Cat Person" and wanted more.
