Miss Subways by David Duchovny | Rating: ★★★★★

As a note, a finished copy of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

David Duchovny is back with his new, and completely enthralling, novel Miss Subways. After two fantastic releases under his belt ("Holy Cow", "Bucky F*cking Dent") Duchovny has more than proven his chops as an author. I've said it once, and I'll say it again: David Duchovny knows how to tell a story. And Miss Subways is, perhaps, his best, and most ambitious, work to date.

Armed with a whimsical twist, and Duchovny's hypnotic prose, Miss Subways takes a spin on mythology and the ever-present theme of love and impossible choices. Based partly around The Only Jealousy of Emer by W.B. Yeats and this particular form of mythology, Miss Subways weaves itself into its own tale and then within the reader. It refuses to let go until you have reached the end of the road.

Intelligent, at times cheeky, and heartfelt, Miss Subways will undoubtedly be compared to Neil Gaiman's beloved novel American Gods.

While there is--of course--a similarity in structure, darkly laced humor and the use of mythology (and the nod to Gods or mythical creatures walking among us) between Miss Subways and American Gods, the parallels don't extend past the mundane. Both tell a deeply engrossing, thought-provoking story but ultimately that is where the similarities end.

What is most striking about Miss Subways is how genuine, and yet fantastical, the novel feels as it unfolds. Duchovny crafts a cast of compelling, full of life, characters with many flaws. Just the way we like 'em.

Some of these characters are ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, others are anything but. He takes the familiar--the story is set in New York City, the dialogue and narration are sprinkled with pop culture references--and gives it a new edge. If you were to ask me to describe Miss Subways in one word (as opposed to my typical ramblings) I'd pick sharp.

My second choice would be electric.

Once again, Duchovny's characters take on a life of their own. Emer is the heroine readers will love to meet on paper; delightfully real and at a crossroad of impossibilities. Her relationship with Con, and the timelines they are destined to meet within, is equal parts heartbreaking and deliberately loving. Miss Subways tackles the complexities of life and then some; managing to somehow stay grounded in all its twists and turns of the supernatural.

Further, the side characters are just as wonderful to meet. (We all have an Izzy, right?) Readers will find themselves in a balance of humorous interactions casually placed in all of Miss Subways chaos. Because in the midst of all its tension, the book itself is damn funny.

At its core, Miss Subways is a witty glimpse into what one might call fate. The story is reinvented in ways that keep readers on their toes. And, of course, leave them aching for a satisfying conclusion they aren't certain will come.

Miss Subways is can't-miss-literature and will take you on a wildly imaginative ride. Duchovny is on fire! Once again, he has penned one of my favourite books of the year.