Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling

Title: Turnskin
Author: Nicole Kimberling
Publisher: Blind Eye Books
Length:: Novel/250 pages
Buy the book: Publisher / ebook

Blurb:

Raised in a remote farming community, Tom Fletcher knows little of his Shifter heritage and less about the dangerous lives that other Shifters lead in the city of Riverside. For Tom the big city is a daydream of opening nights and bright theatre lights. But when Tom meets Cloud Coldmoon-the infamous and handsome heir to a criminal syndicate-everything changes. Suddenly suspected of murder, Tom must flee to the only city where his kind are common. Filled with shapeshifters, con men and mobsters and ruled by the vengeful Coldmoon Family, Riverside is as perilous as it is alluring. Tom seeks refuge in the Turnskin Theatre, where his shape-changing skills can be put to good use on, and off, the stage. Here he has a chance to fulfill his dreams of stardom and romance, but only if he can stay one step ahead of the police and criminals alike- otherwise the next shape he takes could be his last.

Review:

I’m a fan of Blind Eye Books publisher and have slowly been making my way through the small backlist (6 books, not too long but I’m spreading them out). This time I picked up Nicole Kimberling’s Turnskin and settled in for a completely unique and entertaining story. This is not one I’d read again but I enjoyed it while reading and think it’ll appeal to a lot of readers. It’s well written with a lot of clever, subtle comparisons between modern society and the world created within the story. It’s clearly meant to quietly mock and show the flaws in societal thinking, which it does, but the story also lacks a punch to make it memorable enough to re-read. However I highly recommend you read it at least once if you’re looking for a good book with a unique twist.

The story follows Tom Fletcher, a talented playwright from a small farm town and the only shifter. Tom begins a relationship with a local cop only to realize that the cop is also a shifter and impersonating the cop. When the real cop is found dead and Tom’s lover fleeing from the town, Tom takes the opportunity to leave as well and head to the big city. Once there, Tom becomes embroiled in the complicated theatre life of his cousins while pursuing the man he can’t forget.

The world building is well done but plays off very familiar modern setting, just twisting it slightly to add in the pseudo acceptance of shifters. The story incorporates a very antiquated feel in separating shifters from skins (your everyday non-shifter person like you or me). This has many parallels to past segregations and is treated very similarly in many interactions. Often times I found the story both underplaying its potential and over reaching since the subtle commentary and setting never really achieves anything. It’s undoubtedly well crafted, yet there is no sweeping societal change or pivotal dramatic moment that rights the wrongs of the society. There is so much potential here that it feels wasted in many scenes since very little is done with the potential other than to exist.

The flip side is that the story feels reaching in some ways. It tries to show so many different aspects, but again not going anywhere, that sometimes I felt the story wandered and my attention briefly with it. Part of this is that the shifter transformation, while incredibly clever and unique, is used so often it soon loses the impact. These shifters can impersonate anyone, any gender, any color, look, or being so the story becomes slightly less about them and more about the fun things they can do. This keeps you from really knowing and understanding the characters intimately since they all spend a lot of time impersonating other people and living as other people.

This is perhaps one aspect that works to the credit of the story even if it sacrifices an emotional connection to the characters. Here the concept of identity, gender, and societal restrictions is played out in numerous ways. The shifters have no such barriers and can alter their bodies at will. There is even a mention of a character that early on changes from their “alpha” or true female form to a male form and makes the poignant comment that the male form is now their true and only form. It allows you to imagine a world where your appearance, gender, and even identity are decided by the person and no one else. This is yet another comment on society but it’s a well crafted inclusion and makes a few subtle points at the same time. None of these comparisons feel preachy or overly blunt, merely quietly worked into the story to let the reader think.

The main romance between Cloud and Tom is understated, as is the book itself and doesn’t feel too overwhelming. Their relationship is a bit of a mystery and the final resolution feels awkward and well, weird. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the book because I did, it’s just that the action meanders on from interesting scene to interesting scene without a driving force that keeps you guessing and wondering. The unique aspect of the shifter transformation as well as the solid world building deliver a great story that is appealing and fun to read. It’s not exactly funny, or well I didn’t really laugh, but the time reading is well spent and worthwhile.