Sunday Jenks

By: Nellie Hill
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
ISBN: 979-8-89132-345-2
Reviewed by: Tripti Kandari
Review Date: March 3, 2025

Sunday Jenks by Nellie Hill hinges on Sara Dencott, a hopeful and idealistic artist treading a fine line between creative aspirations and practical life.

The story of Sara ignites with her new career in San Francisco at a wig-dyeing company. From New York to San Francisco, her journey takes a turn when she ventures into a shadowy workplace run by a shifty, charismatic businessman, Al Jackson. Initially cautious, flexible hours and good pay compel her to accept the job. The journey accelerates, sweeping Sara in an emotional tide—where deception follows her, the path to self-awareness unfolds, and relationships take her on a whirlwind of experiences. Ignoring the preliminary signs and ominous and foreboding cues, Sara jumps into her new role at the company, but at what cost?

The story stops at a threshold where Al and Sara's professional relationship turns into a personal affair. But what else Sara finds herself in is the circle of manipulation and opportunism, not only in business, but also in her personal life. What's more, Sara and Al's journey from one city to another—Nevada Desert, Las Vegas, and Atlanta—serves as an eye-opener for Sara. Sneak previews of Al's dubious business, reckless decisions, new identities, and unstable lifestyle drowns Sara ever into the dark reality of toxic relationships.

Fleeting pleasures, moral ambiguity, and a mix of love, control, and emotional dependency embody Sara's complicated relationship. Emotional dependency and vulnerability lurk, positioning any moment to ensnare the young artist in their web. In Sara's search for identity and independence, will she understand Al's garb of a charming personality working its manipulation on her, twisting emotions and influencing every core of her life?

The narrative is deeply psychological and introspective. The realistic presentation of character psychology and emotions makes one feel Sara's dilemmas. The descriptions are poetic and symbolic—be it the emptiness of the desert, the snowstorm, and the cabin as symbols of isolation and entrapment or metaphors of desire and control—holding deeper meanings. There is a gradual build-up of the narrative, which leads to a wandering yet impactful exploration of the character's arc.

A psychological realism, the ideas of complex relationships and self-discovery characterize Sunday Jenks, catering to readers seeking an insightful and inspiring tale of a woman's journey toward self-worth and emotional survival.

Quill says: Sunday Jenks by Nellie Hill unfolds a gripping and psychologically layered narrative of love, betrayal, and moral compromises blanketed in thrill, drama, and emotional tension.

For more information about Sunday Jenks, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/sunday-jenks-by-nellie-hill.