Elsewhere: A Novel

Written by Alexis Schaitkin

Narrated by Ell Potter

"The audiobook narrated by Ell Potter is riveting." -- Buzzfeed on Elsewhere

Richly emotive and darkly captivating, with elements of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and the imaginative depth of Margaret Atwood, Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin conjures a community in which girls become wives, wives become mothers and some of them, quite simply, disappear.

Vera grows up in a small town, removed and isolated, pressed up against the mountains, cloud-covered and damp year-round. This town, fiercely protective, brutal and unforgiving in its adherence to tradition, faces a singular affliction: some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning.

Vera, a young girl when her own mother went, is on the cusp of adulthood herself. As her peers begin to marry and become mothers, they speculate about who might be the first to go, each wondering about her own fate. Reveling in their gossip, they witness each other in motherhood, waiting for signs: this one devotes herself to her child too much, this one not enough—that must surely draw the affliction’s gaze. When motherhood comes for Vera, she is faced with the question: will she be able to stay and mother her beloved child, or will she disappear?

Provocative and hypnotic, Alexis Schaitkin’s Elsewhere is at once a spellbinding revelation and a rumination on the mysterious task of motherhood and all the ways in which a woman can lose herself to it; the self-monitoring and judgment, the doubts and unknowns, and the legacy she leaves behind.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jun 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781250852786

Alexis Schaitkin

Alexis Schaitkin’s short stories and essays have appeared in many literary journals and newspapers. Her fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories and The Best American Nonrequired Reading. She received her MFA in fiction from the University of Virginia, where she was a Henry Hoyns Fellow. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son. Saint X is her debut novel.

Reviews for Elsewhere

[Angel White · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Elsewhere is a great example of what I love in a dystopian. I love that this one is seen from a woman's perspective, and all the emotions that go along with being a woman, and a mother.

I get why some say this has vibes of the short story The Lottery. It definitely gave me those type of feels. I remember reading that short story in high school and absolutely loved it, so I'm not surprised I enjoyed this one so much.

I haven't read this author before, and I am surprised by that. I think this one would make a great buddy read, or book club pick, as there is so much to unravel within this short story.

Speaking of short, while this may not be very long, it's definitely not a fast read. I often found myself pausing to think about what Vera was going through and feeling. There is so much about what she went through, especially with motherhood, that just resonated with me.