Emily Hunt Kivel’s debut novel Dwelling is a strange amalgam of social realism, absurdist situations wrapped in a fairy tale sensibility. Taking its cues from the current housing crisis that seems to be impacting young people all over the world, Dwelling then pivots to something stranger and ultimately pretty wholesome.
One day Evie finds herself, along with every other renter in New York, kicked out of her apartment. She reaches out to the only relative she knows of – a second cousin who lives in a small town in Texas. That cousin is a realtor and after reluctantly taking Evie in, determines to find her a house. That house turns out to be a giant boot and just living there gives Evie a whole new view of the world.
Once readers learn of the boot house it is not hard to see the fairy tale connections that Hunt Kivel is making. And there are plenty of other fairy tales involving shoes and shoemakers that eventually come into play. But while this segue into the surreal is fun, it feels like it undermines the premise of the novel which began as a take down of the current housing crisis. In fact, beside a sub plot in which Evie is trying to get back the furniture that she has in storage in the basement of her old building, not much is made of this issue except as the event that sets Evie on her journey of self-discovery.
Dwelling is full of quirky characters and situations, buildings that only appear at certain times of the day, magical items (and their artisans) and it works as a fairly breezy modern fairy tale. But its opening promises much more than this and while it is enjoyable, Dwelling feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.
Dwelling by Emily Hunt Kivel
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