The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe

by Kij Johnson

170 pages
Publisher: Tor Books

This novella is a brilliant feminist retelling of H.P. Lovecraft's The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath. The title character, a professor at a women's college, sets off on a journey to find one of her students, who has run off with a dream-traveler. Accompanied by a cat, she encounters many perils along the way from humans, creatures, ghouls, and her own mind as she returns to an emotional landscape she thought she had long left behind. Kij Johnson keeps the best of Lovecraft—an epic quest, horrific beasts, and vividly imagined scenery—without the xenophobia and toxic masculinity. She centers the experience of the Dreamlands' permanent residents, especially women and animals, and offers a brief cameo by a lonely Randolph Carter. A really sweet read with a great twist at the end, accessible and enjoyable even if you've never delved into Lovecraft.