Critical Praise
What critics and authors are saying about Unfinished Acts of Wild Creation
Trade Reviews
“An extraordinary novel about the inescapability of family patterns—some of which can be reversed, but all of which leave indelible marks—the story holds Louise and Leon's love for their daughter, and her love for them, at its incandescent center. Devastating and unforgettable, Unfinished Acts of Wild Creation is a celebration of unabashed family love.”
“In Yahm's bawdy and irreverent debut, a Jewish family copes with a congenital illness. The story is heartbreaking, but it teems with life thanks to the family's irrepressible witty banter. This cathartic novel will move readers.”
“With irresistible wit and tender heartbreak, Sarah Yahm's Unfinished Acts of Wild Creation explores a family unraveling over decades, its members grasping for control and meaning when fate offers neither. A memorable, moving debut.”
“This is a big story, told with enormous skill and compassion... Readers will find themselves riveted.”
“A novel of sweeping emotion and dark wit... Sarah Yahm writes with breathtaking honesty about love, loss, and what it means to truly live.”
Author Praise
“One of the funniest, truest novels I've read in years. It's a raw and unflinching portrait of a contemporary Jewish family in free-fall, one that is recognizable but also genuinely new. Buckle up and enjoy this ride.”
“A deeply moving portrait of a family fractured by illness and grief, held together by love and a fierce determination to find meaning. Sarah Yahm writes with uncommon grace about the hardest things in life.”
“Unfinished Acts of Wild Creation is a gorgeous novel about the ties that bind us and the ones that set us free. I was moved to tears and laughter, often on the same page.”
“Sarah Yahm has written a profound meditation on mortality, family, and the strange consolations of love. This book broke my heart and put it back together again.”
“A tour de force of storytelling—funny, heartbreaking, and wise. Sarah Yahm is a writer to watch.”
“With razor-sharp wit and profound compassion, Yahm explores the complexities of family, illness, and the search for meaning. Unforgettable.”