Kirkus Reviews
“A gutsy, grungy collection centering troubled souls. More than a collection of stories, Tobias’ debut is a selection of gritty, emotional character studies … Brimming with pure Americana, not unlike the movies Wild at Heart or Thelma and Louise, Tobias’ stories pull no punches. Readers are given descriptions of characters’ troubled mental states, which, like their bodies, ache and ooze … A strong collection.”
Morgan Talty, author of Fire Exit and Night of the Living Rez
“Close your eyes and imagine a story collection where every story is a diamond. MONARCH is just that. Each story took me and never let go, even after the story had long ended. Written with such grace and elegance, this collection pulses with so much life, so much compassion, even when things seem to be bleak. After you finish this collection, after you read it for a second and third time, you’ll find yourself asking what I asked: "Where is Emily Jon Tobias’s next book?”
Kimberly King-Parsons, author of We Were the Universe and Black Light
“Full of empathy and rendered in searing, visceral prose, MONARCH shines brightly. In eleven vivid, affecting stories, Tobias turns her careful attention toward the strugglers and strivers among us—the result is heartfelt and immersive.”
Chelsea Bieker, author of MADWOMAN
“A haunting, lyrical debut. These stories are unforgettable and wrenching, vital and wise. I’ll be returning to this book again and again. Tobias is an unmistakable talent.”
Junot Díaz, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and author of This is How You Lose Her
“Superb, original and thoroughly alive with heartbreak and wonder. Tobias is electrifying.”
