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River of Teeth #1-2
American Hippo
In 2017 Sarah Gailey made their debut with River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow, two action-packed novellas that introduced readers to an alternate America in which hippos rule the colossal swamp that was once the Mississippi River. Now readers have the chance to own both novellas in American Hippo, a single, beautiful volume.
Years ago, in an America that never was, the United States government introduced herds of hippos to the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This plan failed to take into account some key facts about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.
By the 1890s, the vast bayou that was once America's greatest waterway belongs to feral hippos, and Winslow Houndstooth has been contracted to take it back. To do so, he will gather a crew of the damnedest cons, outlaws, and assassins to ever ride a hippo. American Hippo is the story of their fortunes, their failures, and his revenge.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Years ago, in an America that never was, the United States government introduced herds of hippos to the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This plan failed to take into account some key facts about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.
By the 1890s, the vast bayou that was once America's greatest waterway belongs to feral hippos, and Winslow Houndstooth has been contracted to take it back. To do so, he will gather a crew of the damnedest cons, outlaws, and assassins to ever ride a hippo. American Hippo is the story of their fortunes, their failures, and his revenge.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
301 pages, ebook
First published May 22, 2018
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March 1, 2019
Two short hippo cowboy novellas. There were hippo cowboys. It was awesome.
May 27, 2018
I kept hearing about the first novella in this collection, River of Teeth, last year but just finally got to it in this grouping.
The backbone of these two novellas and two short stories ("Winslow's Problem" and "Nine and a Half") is an idea that never happened, but almost happened in the United States - hippopotamus ranching. It was originally proposed to Congress as a solution for meat production and to also cut down on the water hyacinth that was clogging waterways. It sounds crazy, but that's the alternate history world setting the scene for American Hippo. Instead of riding in on horses, the villains (who are kind of the heros) and the law enforcement ride in on... a water hippo. Yep. Instead of barns there are lakes, and different types of hippos have been bred for different purposes (speed, meat, etc.)
So the alternative history setting is unique and fun in itself, but Gailey really shines in her interesting characters. One character named Hero is genderqueer, but that's not the main point, they play an important role in the murdering sprees because of their poisoning knowledge. One character is obese (at one point worries about not fitting in a chair) but is also a skilled assassin and thief. One character is pregnant in one novella and a mother in another, but doesn't necessarily want to stop killing; it's her passion.
My only quibble is that two characters have names that start with the letter A and I kept mixing them up, so I do wish that had been a bit different.
But overall I laughed a lot, sometimes because of humor, but more often because it's so ridiculous and silly (it reads like a hippo western) that it just made me very happy. It's a pleasure to read, and an escape of sorts.
Thanks to the publisher who provided access to this title through Edelweiss. It came out May 22, 2018.
The backbone of these two novellas and two short stories ("Winslow's Problem" and "Nine and a Half") is an idea that never happened, but almost happened in the United States - hippopotamus ranching. It was originally proposed to Congress as a solution for meat production and to also cut down on the water hyacinth that was clogging waterways. It sounds crazy, but that's the alternate history world setting the scene for American Hippo. Instead of riding in on horses, the villains (who are kind of the heros) and the law enforcement ride in on... a water hippo. Yep. Instead of barns there are lakes, and different types of hippos have been bred for different purposes (speed, meat, etc.)
So the alternative history setting is unique and fun in itself, but Gailey really shines in her interesting characters. One character named Hero is genderqueer, but that's not the main point, they play an important role in the murdering sprees because of their poisoning knowledge. One character is obese (at one point worries about not fitting in a chair) but is also a skilled assassin and thief. One character is pregnant in one novella and a mother in another, but doesn't necessarily want to stop killing; it's her passion.
My only quibble is that two characters have names that start with the letter A and I kept mixing them up, so I do wish that had been a bit different.
But overall I laughed a lot, sometimes because of humor, but more often because it's so ridiculous and silly (it reads like a hippo western) that it just made me very happy. It's a pleasure to read, and an escape of sorts.
Thanks to the publisher who provided access to this title through Edelweiss. It came out May 22, 2018.
November 7, 2018
American Hippo combines together the two novellas in the River of Teeth series, River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow.
River of Teeth started with the very implausible concept of hippos roaming the Louisiana marshland. Despite the apparent impossibility of this image, the basis for this notion came direct from reality and was once a proposed strategy to dually provide a protein source for those living in the vicinity as well as the hippos themselves aiding in clearing the weeds that lined the waterways. From this notion Gailey created a version of historical USA that was rife with hippo farms and lucrative entertainment complexes that lined the bayou.
I immediately fell in love with this alternative reality and this was only heightened by the body positive female with a pet albino hippo named Ruby, the genderqueer individual who is accepted for exactly who they are by all the other characters, and the general gun-toting, badassery that filled every single page.
The Western setting was one I had not previously encountered and I loved how I got to explore this section of the world, as the characters traversed across the terrain there. This action-dominated story-line did not leave me much room to pause, whilst reading it, which was my only small source of contention, but I loved this diverse cast and the dually hilarious and violent romp across the bayou, that they embark upon, nonetheless.
River of Teeth started with the very implausible concept of hippos roaming the Louisiana marshland. Despite the apparent impossibility of this image, the basis for this notion came direct from reality and was once a proposed strategy to dually provide a protein source for those living in the vicinity as well as the hippos themselves aiding in clearing the weeds that lined the waterways. From this notion Gailey created a version of historical USA that was rife with hippo farms and lucrative entertainment complexes that lined the bayou.
I immediately fell in love with this alternative reality and this was only heightened by the body positive female with a pet albino hippo named Ruby, the genderqueer individual who is accepted for exactly who they are by all the other characters, and the general gun-toting, badassery that filled every single page.
The Western setting was one I had not previously encountered and I loved how I got to explore this section of the world, as the characters traversed across the terrain there. This action-dominated story-line did not leave me much room to pause, whilst reading it, which was my only small source of contention, but I loved this diverse cast and the dually hilarious and violent romp across the bayou, that they embark upon, nonetheless.
Want to read
August 13, 2019ok, excuse me but how (hoooow) could anybody possibly resist something with a hippo on the cover? Damn right, not at all.
December 8, 2018
This book (consisting of two novellas and some short stories, all set in the same world) had an incredibly cool premise that I thought it failed to deliver on. Did you know the American government once seriously proposed the idea of importing hippos from Africa to the Louisiana river basin and farming them on ranches? I certainly didn't, but this book is set in a world where that happened and the protagonists are 19th-century hippo riders and ranchers. Kind of like a cowboy story, but in the swamps and with hippos! Awesome!
The problem is that the hippos are there, but the book really isn't interested in exploring the setting. Instead it's mostly about the characters and their interactions, and to me the characters were... not that interesting. There were so many of them that there really wasn't enough time to get to know them, and I didn't care about the romance storyline. There's also a problem in this book with ... hm, I don't want to say "forced diversity," because there are so many obnoxious people who use that as a byline for "any diversity beyond the absolute minimum," but this book felt like it was trying to be Diverse in a really weird way. For example, there's a nonbinary character but everyone just treats them exactly like one would in the modern day - it's the 19th century but all these people just magically know to use they/them pronouns for this person despite them never explaining it? What?? I don't think there's anything wrong at all with writing a book in a fantasy world where diversity is not a big deal, LGBTQ people are fully accepted, etc. - BUT it makes no sense to do that in a book that is supposedly alternate history fiction. It was really distracting and immersion-breaking to me.
I do think this would be enjoyable for anyone who is more interested in "Western adventure romp!" and less of a stickler for "but this alternate history doesn't make sense based on what is supposed to have happened!" It's reasonably fun. Just be warned about the strange handling of diversity and also that there are Less Hippos Than Expected.
The problem is that the hippos are there, but the book really isn't interested in exploring the setting. Instead it's mostly about the characters and their interactions, and to me the characters were... not that interesting. There were so many of them that there really wasn't enough time to get to know them, and I didn't care about the romance storyline. There's also a problem in this book with ... hm, I don't want to say "forced diversity," because there are so many obnoxious people who use that as a byline for "any diversity beyond the absolute minimum," but this book felt like it was trying to be Diverse in a really weird way. For example, there's a nonbinary character but everyone just treats them exactly like one would in the modern day - it's the 19th century but all these people just magically know to use they/them pronouns for this person despite them never explaining it? What?? I don't think there's anything wrong at all with writing a book in a fantasy world where diversity is not a big deal, LGBTQ people are fully accepted, etc. - BUT it makes no sense to do that in a book that is supposedly alternate history fiction. It was really distracting and immersion-breaking to me.
I do think this would be enjoyable for anyone who is more interested in "Western adventure romp!" and less of a stickler for "but this alternate history doesn't make sense based on what is supposed to have happened!" It's reasonably fun. Just be warned about the strange handling of diversity and also that there are Less Hippos Than Expected.
June 1, 2018
4 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
You know how some books constantly tell you how awful a character is, and said character constantly broods about how awful they are, but then the character never actually does anything awful?
American Hippo is not that book.
Within the first chapter, our protagonist, Winslow, slit a man's nostrils and put a knife through his eye without hesitation when the man insulted his hippo and then tried to attack him. So it was kind of self-defense, but you don't learn how to toss a knife in the air so that it lands perfectly in someone's eye without practice, and you don't do it all without hesitation unless you've done it before. Just sayin'.
And all the other main characters? They were just as bad, if not worse. These characters, they were thieves, con artists, killers. They knew what their priorities were, they knew what kind of people they were, and they were unapologetic about it. And that was what made me enjoy reading about them, even if I didn't quite like all of them as people or didn't agree with some of their actions. I was shown the bad that was in them, I was shown the good, and I was allowed to make my own opinions or to simply read this story about them without worrying about good or bad. But the author did manage to make me really like and care about some of them anyway. In fact, I really want to read more about Winslow and Hero and am bummed that there won't be more books about them!
Another great thing was how much diversity/inclusivity this book had. The main characters had different ethnicities, body types, sexual orientations, and genders. There weren't a lot of labels used, and I don't want to make assumptions, but I do know some had dark skin, one sometimes spoke in Spanish, one was fat, one used they/them pronouns, one was was genderfluid, the main character was either bi or pansexual, and multiple characters fit into more than one marginalized group. It also seemed to be a very accepting world they lived in (or maybe just a very accepting circle of friends).
The overall stories (plural since this book was a combo of two connected novellas and some shorts) were enjoyable too. The book was not as sci-fi/fantasy as what I normal read---no paranormal creatures or space adventures, just an alternate history---but the Old West setting (which I love) and the hippos still transported me to another world and made the story fantastical in its own way.
This book even had some romance! There was still plenty of hippos and explosions and fights, and there was nothing sexually explicit, but there was a definite romance threaded throughout. I liked it though. My only complaint about it is that it seemed sudden. I'm not sure how much time Winslow and Hero spent together, but we didn't get to see any of that time, so their feelings seemed really strong really fast. But they were cute together.
I also enjoyed the writing. Something about it just pulled me in. I was a little confused by the POV though. Sometimes it seemed like 3rd person limited, but then it would switch without warning like it was omniscient. Not that big of an issue though since it didn't happen that often.
Overall, I was easily drawn into this book, I loved the diverse and morally grey characters, and I really enjoyed reading about this hippo-filled Old West!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes alternate history, the Old West, morally grey characters, diversity, and hippos.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
Diversity, outlaws, and a hippo-filled Old West! Full review soon.
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
You know how some books constantly tell you how awful a character is, and said character constantly broods about how awful they are, but then the character never actually does anything awful?
American Hippo is not that book.
Within the first chapter, our protagonist, Winslow, slit a man's nostrils and put a knife through his eye without hesitation when the man insulted his hippo and then tried to attack him. So it was kind of self-defense, but you don't learn how to toss a knife in the air so that it lands perfectly in someone's eye without practice, and you don't do it all without hesitation unless you've done it before. Just sayin'.
And all the other main characters? They were just as bad, if not worse. These characters, they were thieves, con artists, killers. They knew what their priorities were, they knew what kind of people they were, and they were unapologetic about it. And that was what made me enjoy reading about them, even if I didn't quite like all of them as people or didn't agree with some of their actions. I was shown the bad that was in them, I was shown the good, and I was allowed to make my own opinions or to simply read this story about them without worrying about good or bad. But the author did manage to make me really like and care about some of them anyway. In fact, I really want to read more about Winslow and Hero and am bummed that there won't be more books about them!
Another great thing was how much diversity/inclusivity this book had. The main characters had different ethnicities, body types, sexual orientations, and genders. There weren't a lot of labels used, and I don't want to make assumptions, but I do know some had dark skin, one sometimes spoke in Spanish, one was fat, one used they/them pronouns, one was was genderfluid, the main character was either bi or pansexual, and multiple characters fit into more than one marginalized group. It also seemed to be a very accepting world they lived in (or maybe just a very accepting circle of friends).
The overall stories (plural since this book was a combo of two connected novellas and some shorts) were enjoyable too. The book was not as sci-fi/fantasy as what I normal read---no paranormal creatures or space adventures, just an alternate history---but the Old West setting (which I love) and the hippos still transported me to another world and made the story fantastical in its own way.
This book even had some romance! There was still plenty of hippos and explosions and fights, and there was nothing sexually explicit, but there was a definite romance threaded throughout. I liked it though. My only complaint about it is that it seemed sudden. I'm not sure how much time Winslow and Hero spent together, but we didn't get to see any of that time, so their feelings seemed really strong really fast. But they were cute together.
I also enjoyed the writing. Something about it just pulled me in. I was a little confused by the POV though. Sometimes it seemed like 3rd person limited, but then it would switch without warning like it was omniscient. Not that big of an issue though since it didn't happen that often.
Overall, I was easily drawn into this book, I loved the diverse and morally grey characters, and I really enjoyed reading about this hippo-filled Old West!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes alternate history, the Old West, morally grey characters, diversity, and hippos.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
Diversity, outlaws, and a hippo-filled Old West! Full review soon.
January 5, 2024
A collection of the two novellas, "River of Teeth" and "Taste of Marrow", and two short stories, both taking place prior to the events of the main story. "Worth Her Weight in Gold" is available freely on the Tor.com website. "Nine and Half," featuring Winslow and Archie, is new to me here.
January 25, 2020
American Hippo is a bindup of the two novellas (River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow) plus two new short stories set in the same world, and I loved all of it! This is a rolicking adventure with a cast of characters as oddball as they are diverse, and it was a whole lot of fun.
Apparently, at some point in (actual) American history, there was a proposal to solve a meat crisis by introducing hippos to the Louisiana marshes and raise them for meat. Now, this was a terrible idea for a lot of reasons and the bill was not passed by Congress, but in these stories Sarah Gailey reimagines American history if that bill DID in fact pass. And so, we get cowboys riding domesticated hippos and a wild group of people hired to herd feral hippos down the Mississippi River. It's both violent and hilarious, with a dose of romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Included in this cast of characters are:
- A pansexual man of color seeking revenge on the man who burned down his hippo farm
- An enby demolitions expert who tries to poison someone with sweet tea
- A fat and dapper woman con artist with some gender fluidity, because no one ever suspects the fat one
- A bisexual Latinx killer who is a badass and simultaneously pregnant
Highly recommend this one!
Apparently, at some point in (actual) American history, there was a proposal to solve a meat crisis by introducing hippos to the Louisiana marshes and raise them for meat. Now, this was a terrible idea for a lot of reasons and the bill was not passed by Congress, but in these stories Sarah Gailey reimagines American history if that bill DID in fact pass. And so, we get cowboys riding domesticated hippos and a wild group of people hired to herd feral hippos down the Mississippi River. It's both violent and hilarious, with a dose of romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Included in this cast of characters are:
- A pansexual man of color seeking revenge on the man who burned down his hippo farm
- An enby demolitions expert who tries to poison someone with sweet tea
- A fat and dapper woman con artist with some gender fluidity, because no one ever suspects the fat one
- A bisexual Latinx killer who is a badass and simultaneously pregnant
Highly recommend this one!
May 29, 2018
I received this copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
River of Teeth
Imagine 1800s America, where instead of horses, cowboys and outlaws rode hippos. Oh yes, sweet gentle fiends, hippopotami. The most dangerous creature in Africa is intentionally brought to the United States as an alternative meat source during a meat shortage. But Americans always take things one step further, and now they’re also used as mounts. Of course, someone always has to fuck something up and there manages to be a massive hippo escape from a ranch. Now there are feral hippos that rule the rivers and marshes. Blood thirty, angry hippos.
In this novella we are introduced to a host of outlaws, hired for a high paid, high danger job. To rid a dam of the feral hippos. Doing so will release the dangerous feral hippos into the South, spreading their death and destruction even further. Jobs never go as planned, someone always wants the death dealing hippos to stay right where they are.
Taste of Marrow
The surviving characters from the first novella continue their adventures in this one. Adelia has given birth after kidnapping Hero. Houndstooth is obsessively searching for Hero, not quite convinced that they’re even alive. Archie is waiting for her handsome U.S. Marshal to show up after not hearing from him at their arranged rendezvous spot.
Adelia’s newborn is stolen during a surprise attack while her and Hero are traveling. She’s being forced to meet with a mysterious person who arranged her child’s kidnapping, to see what they intend for her and the child. Probably not the smartest idea for the mystery person, Adelia is an infamous assassin. Hero is helping her despite the fact that she stabbed them, and they’re a poison and explosives expert. Archie is a notorious pick pocket and scam artist, and Houndstooth is your general bad ass and they’re hot on Adelia and Hero’s trail.
There are a couple short stories at the end that cover Archie meeting her U.S. Marshal for the first time and how Houndstooth’s hippo Ruby got her gold-plated tusks.
I loved everything about these novellas. The characters, the world-building, the plot lines. You name it, it kicked all the ass. Most importantly, major kudos to the author for including a non-binary person. It was a perspective to get used to but only because we are a gender obsessed world. It was further proof that content of character is far more important that one’s gender.
River of Teeth
Imagine 1800s America, where instead of horses, cowboys and outlaws rode hippos. Oh yes, sweet gentle fiends, hippopotami. The most dangerous creature in Africa is intentionally brought to the United States as an alternative meat source during a meat shortage. But Americans always take things one step further, and now they’re also used as mounts. Of course, someone always has to fuck something up and there manages to be a massive hippo escape from a ranch. Now there are feral hippos that rule the rivers and marshes. Blood thirty, angry hippos.
In this novella we are introduced to a host of outlaws, hired for a high paid, high danger job. To rid a dam of the feral hippos. Doing so will release the dangerous feral hippos into the South, spreading their death and destruction even further. Jobs never go as planned, someone always wants the death dealing hippos to stay right where they are.
Taste of Marrow
The surviving characters from the first novella continue their adventures in this one. Adelia has given birth after kidnapping Hero. Houndstooth is obsessively searching for Hero, not quite convinced that they’re even alive. Archie is waiting for her handsome U.S. Marshal to show up after not hearing from him at their arranged rendezvous spot.
Adelia’s newborn is stolen during a surprise attack while her and Hero are traveling. She’s being forced to meet with a mysterious person who arranged her child’s kidnapping, to see what they intend for her and the child. Probably not the smartest idea for the mystery person, Adelia is an infamous assassin. Hero is helping her despite the fact that she stabbed them, and they’re a poison and explosives expert. Archie is a notorious pick pocket and scam artist, and Houndstooth is your general bad ass and they’re hot on Adelia and Hero’s trail.
There are a couple short stories at the end that cover Archie meeting her U.S. Marshal for the first time and how Houndstooth’s hippo Ruby got her gold-plated tusks.
I loved everything about these novellas. The characters, the world-building, the plot lines. You name it, it kicked all the ass. Most importantly, major kudos to the author for including a non-binary person. It was a perspective to get used to but only because we are a gender obsessed world. It was further proof that content of character is far more important that one’s gender.
June 29, 2019
Rampaging feral hippos in the old West & on the Mississippi.
Romance.
How can you resist?
Newborn hipster Fiona at the Cincinnati Zoo, what a cutie
Whoakay, I finally got around to reading the alt-history American Hippo duo and it's a hoot. We get
💠A smart, fast-moving, engrossing plot involving a team of hippo-wranglin', cowboy-hat-wearin' outlaw heroes who regularly swap dead-accurate ironic wisecracks. And who are justifiably proud of their clever hippo steeds.
Adult Fiona recognizes and greets her visiting original caregiver. I am NOT crying, I have allergies.
💠A straightforwardly bi leading man who ain't afraid to talk about his feelings, dammit.
💠A deep, introverted character who's so gender-fluid they are referred to as "they." By everyone. Because gender-fluidity is that thoroughly accepted and assimilated in the U.S.
💠Deft satire on government schemes gone spectacularly awry. It's like the best of the old Wild, Wild West series, only with hippo-love, equality, and gender awareness replacing all that smug violence against women. Timely, no?
Wild Wild West, the origin of steampunk?
Romance.
How can you resist?
Newborn hipster Fiona at the Cincinnati Zoo, what a cutie
Whoakay, I finally got around to reading the alt-history American Hippo duo and it's a hoot. We get
💠A smart, fast-moving, engrossing plot involving a team of hippo-wranglin', cowboy-hat-wearin' outlaw heroes who regularly swap dead-accurate ironic wisecracks. And who are justifiably proud of their clever hippo steeds.
Adult Fiona recognizes and greets her visiting original caregiver. I am NOT crying, I have allergies.
💠A straightforwardly bi leading man who ain't afraid to talk about his feelings, dammit.
💠A deep, introverted character who's so gender-fluid they are referred to as "they." By everyone. Because gender-fluidity is that thoroughly accepted and assimilated in the U.S.
💠Deft satire on government schemes gone spectacularly awry. It's like the best of the old Wild, Wild West series, only with hippo-love, equality, and gender awareness replacing all that smug violence against women. Timely, no?
Wild Wild West, the origin of steampunk?
June 18, 2019
7.5/10, round up to 4/5 stars.
American Hippo is a collection of two novellas and two vignettes telling tales of a...hippo cowboy, Houndstooth and his crew/acquaintances/colleagues. It's more a disparate bunch of people who tenuously know each other through rumour, and yes sometimes old relationships. The first novella starts us out with Houndstooth rounding up his crew for a caper, nay, operation, in which they divest the swamp land of Mississippi of their hippo problem. Which immediately goes tits up. It's a short plot, but it mainly hinges around the characters telling us their stories, and why they've come to this point. Whether that be revenge, money, or simple loneliness.
The second novella is a continuation of the first, with our characters trying to reunite with each other again. Emotions are heightened, no one really likes each other at times, but at the end of the day, they've got each others backs. Again, the plot takes more of a backseat when it comes to the story, as we're left with the character interactions to drag us in and propel us forward.
I find it harder to review novellas than novels, I guess purely as I'm not as used to read them. Firstly, entirely different scale. You don't have the time to world build and plot, you jump in head first and see where it goes. But since we're set in fictional historical america, there's still some familiarity there to ground us in the story. So I don't need it as much as I would otherwise. Character development? Well, again, they're short stories, there's not a huge amount of wiggle room for the characters to change much. We do see grieving and loss in the second, which I thought was well done though. Possibly there's an issue with pacing as everything happens so quick, but maybe I can too put that down to the format? Alas, I do not know.
As a last note, hippos are really cute. Like, super cute! You really connect to them in the stories, ya know?
American Hippo is a collection of two novellas and two vignettes telling tales of a...hippo cowboy, Houndstooth and his crew/acquaintances/colleagues. It's more a disparate bunch of people who tenuously know each other through rumour, and yes sometimes old relationships. The first novella starts us out with Houndstooth rounding up his crew for a caper, nay, operation, in which they divest the swamp land of Mississippi of their hippo problem. Which immediately goes tits up. It's a short plot, but it mainly hinges around the characters telling us their stories, and why they've come to this point. Whether that be revenge, money, or simple loneliness.
The second novella is a continuation of the first, with our characters trying to reunite with each other again. Emotions are heightened, no one really likes each other at times, but at the end of the day, they've got each others backs. Again, the plot takes more of a backseat when it comes to the story, as we're left with the character interactions to drag us in and propel us forward.
I find it harder to review novellas than novels, I guess purely as I'm not as used to read them. Firstly, entirely different scale. You don't have the time to world build and plot, you jump in head first and see where it goes. But since we're set in fictional historical america, there's still some familiarity there to ground us in the story. So I don't need it as much as I would otherwise. Character development? Well, again, they're short stories, there's not a huge amount of wiggle room for the characters to change much. We do see grieving and loss in the second, which I thought was well done though. Possibly there's an issue with pacing as everything happens so quick, but maybe I can too put that down to the format? Alas, I do not know.
As a last note, hippos are really cute. Like, super cute! You really connect to them in the stories, ya know?
June 10, 2018
Within two pages, two adult gentlemen were discretely hooking up; within 20 we'd met a non-binary character who, over the course of the book (originally two novellas) isn't once misgendered. Oh, and there are also hippos EVERYWHERE. I mean, how could it get anything less that five stars?
February 11, 2021
Came for the hippos. Stayed for the queers. Quit after the first novella because of the violence. Nevertheless, a very fun time.
July 26, 2018
A weird, but enjoyable book. It has quirky characters including a French lady, a guy who is the best hippo breeder in the West, a Hispanic assassin, and a gender neutral explosives expert. It is all set in an alternate timeline where an (actually) proposed hippo importation idea happened in order to ease the meat shortage in the US. An entertaining read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
December 22, 2021
Is there anything better than gay cowboys? Because I can’t think of anything
December 31, 2020
I was a fair way into this before I realized this is the same author as Magic for Liars which I wasn't really taken with. I like this better, though like most reviewers that is more about the crazy it-almost-happened setting.
This really happened: in 1910 the US was suffering a meat shortage. The traditional cowboy-era style of range grazing cattle had overgrazed the entire US. A huge new wave of immigration was hitting the US. One crazy Congressman put forth the idea: the US Congress should pony up $25,000 to import African hippopotamus and raise them for meat. The bayou areas of the Mississippi River around Louisiana would be turned into vast hippo ranches. (It isn't clear whether they actually understood how vicious and dangerous wild hippos are.)
It never happened but Gailey takes the broad idea and runs with it. She pushes back the timeline, though. She imagines it happens in 1857 instead. Her stories -- American Hippo has two novellas and two short stories -- take place in an alternate 1890s where cowboys have been replaced with "hoppers" who wrangle hippos.
And that's sort of it in a sense: A western but with hippos instead of horses. Actually, the hippos do double-duty. The tame hippos are the trusted steeds of our protagonists while feral hippos are the elemental danger worse than crocodiles. One great scene early on involves a riverboat gambler caught cheating at cards...who is thrown overboard to eaten alive by feral hippos. It absurd and horrifying.
Since this is an America That Never Was, Gailey has no problem rewriting America's problematic past on gender, racial, and sexual relations. Houndstooth is bisexual and appears willing to sleep with anyone he's know for at least 5 minutes. Hero is a non-binary person who is only ever referred to as "they" and not a single gender-specific description is ever used about. Adelia the most skilled assassin in America and doesn't let being pregnant (or, in later stories, nursing an infant) get in the way. Regina Archambault is a corpulent thief that everyone lusts after despite said corpulence. (We're not talking about "curvy", she has difficulty fitting into chairs at several points.) Gran Carter is the black US Marshal who has no problem working alone in the American South.
Timely coincidence: N.K. Jemisin just wrote something online about "So fascinating, how certain folks suddenly care about "historical accuracy" in fiction when the Black people show up." (And in the case of American Hippo, sexual and gender diversity.) Yet those same people never complain about "historical accuracy" when, say, Friends shows us a New York City that is almost 100% white, under-30, and straight. "What these folks aaaaaktually want is inaccuracy, of a very specific type. The same inaccuracy they've been fed their whole lives."
But this potent concoction never grabbed me. The plot of the first novella is okay but nothing tremendous. Entertaining, a bit over-long, but not really any more memorable than the average short story in, say, Weird Tales. The second novella is worse.
I think the reason it didn't gel for me is the characters. The only one with much vibrancy is Regina Archambault, who is a secondary character (and treated extremely poorly by her alleged best friend for the entirety of the second novella). Hero, Houndstooth, and Adelia all fall flat. Houndstooth is the flattest of the bunch and he's the "main character" of both novellas. And a lot of both stories revolve around Houndstooth and Hero's relationship which didn't feel especially real to me. I mean, they met, what? A week ago? And suddenly we're supposed to take Houndstooth seriously when he says
Unfortunately, an imaginative setting alone isn't enough to carry 300+ pages of writing.
This really happened: in 1910 the US was suffering a meat shortage. The traditional cowboy-era style of range grazing cattle had overgrazed the entire US. A huge new wave of immigration was hitting the US. One crazy Congressman put forth the idea: the US Congress should pony up $25,000 to import African hippopotamus and raise them for meat. The bayou areas of the Mississippi River around Louisiana would be turned into vast hippo ranches. (It isn't clear whether they actually understood how vicious and dangerous wild hippos are.)
It never happened but Gailey takes the broad idea and runs with it. She pushes back the timeline, though. She imagines it happens in 1857 instead. Her stories -- American Hippo has two novellas and two short stories -- take place in an alternate 1890s where cowboys have been replaced with "hoppers" who wrangle hippos.
And that's sort of it in a sense: A western but with hippos instead of horses. Actually, the hippos do double-duty. The tame hippos are the trusted steeds of our protagonists while feral hippos are the elemental danger worse than crocodiles. One great scene early on involves a riverboat gambler caught cheating at cards...who is thrown overboard to eaten alive by feral hippos. It absurd and horrifying.
Since this is an America That Never Was, Gailey has no problem rewriting America's problematic past on gender, racial, and sexual relations. Houndstooth is bisexual and appears willing to sleep with anyone he's know for at least 5 minutes. Hero is a non-binary person who is only ever referred to as "they" and not a single gender-specific description is ever used about. Adelia the most skilled assassin in America and doesn't let being pregnant (or, in later stories, nursing an infant) get in the way. Regina Archambault is a corpulent thief that everyone lusts after despite said corpulence. (We're not talking about "curvy", she has difficulty fitting into chairs at several points.) Gran Carter is the black US Marshal who has no problem working alone in the American South.
Timely coincidence: N.K. Jemisin just wrote something online about "So fascinating, how certain folks suddenly care about "historical accuracy" in fiction when the Black people show up." (And in the case of American Hippo, sexual and gender diversity.) Yet those same people never complain about "historical accuracy" when, say, Friends shows us a New York City that is almost 100% white, under-30, and straight. "What these folks aaaaaktually want is inaccuracy, of a very specific type. The same inaccuracy they've been fed their whole lives."
But this potent concoction never grabbed me. The plot of the first novella is okay but nothing tremendous. Entertaining, a bit over-long, but not really any more memorable than the average short story in, say, Weird Tales. The second novella is worse.
I think the reason it didn't gel for me is the characters. The only one with much vibrancy is Regina Archambault, who is a secondary character (and treated extremely poorly by her alleged best friend for the entirety of the second novella). Hero, Houndstooth, and Adelia all fall flat. Houndstooth is the flattest of the bunch and he's the "main character" of both novellas. And a lot of both stories revolve around Houndstooth and Hero's relationship which didn't feel especially real to me. I mean, they met, what? A week ago? And suddenly we're supposed to take Houndstooth seriously when he says
“Don’t you dare—” He nudged his cheek with a rolled-up sleeve, his eyes fierce and glassy. “Don’t you say that. They’re not dead. I would know.”
Unfortunately, an imaginative setting alone isn't enough to carry 300+ pages of writing.
July 7, 2019
Reread of River of Teeth and first time reading the other stories.
Feral hippos, hippo wranglers, and a grand caper... Ehm.. Operation.
Totally awesome!
Feral hippos, hippo wranglers, and a grand caper... Ehm.. Operation.
Totally awesome!
February 13, 2023
another uni read and oh my gosh this was such a surprise slay i loved it! it’s cowboys that ride hippos and you may question that but it works amazingly! the first book (river of teeth) was so good, such good tension and build up and i loved all the characters, i would’ve rated it 5 stars if it was on its own! the second one (taste of marrow) was a good addition but didn’t feel like it had as strong of an arc so i was a bit lost but i did still really like it so slay !
January 23, 2024
Interesting concept, lots of action and meh
January 18, 2022
Ah, absolutely wonderful! Great characters with distinctive personalities that come alive even in the shorter format of a novella. Violent in places, then funny in others.
The hippos! An imaginative, original idea. Cute, but also feral.
Bonus points because I liked how comfortably queer it was :)
Yee-haw, I had a great time reading this.
The hippos! An imaginative, original idea. Cute, but also feral.
Bonus points because I liked how comfortably queer it was :)
Yee-haw, I had a great time reading this.
September 23, 2024
Read this in under 12 hours, what a treat for my brain. Hippo cowboys are such a fun prospect (and just as queer as real cowboys) and the mild history lesson was enjoyable!
December 28, 2021
Fact: in the early 20th Century, the US Congress seriously debated importing a bunch of river hippos to colonize stock ranches on the Mississippi River.
Ms Galey takes as a contrafactual assumption that it did happen, somewhat earlier -- that, in fact, James Buchanan signed the Hippo Act as one of his last deeds as President. Some twenty years later...
Winslow Remington Houndstooth, a British immigrant, is a hopper -- that is, a hippo-rider -- and a bit of an outlaw. A lot of an outlaw, actually; in fact, a bit of a genius as outlaws go. In what is basically a caper story, Houndstooth takes a contract with the Federal government to clear the feral hippos out of "the Harriet," a large artifical swamp near Louisiana on the Mississippi. The Harriet was created by a large gate at the south end and a dam at the north end. Houndstooth's plan is ... well, that would be telling.
He gathers a crew for the operation ("not a caper! it's legal!"):
Regina "Archie" Archimbault, a world-class swindler, pickpocket, and mistress of disguise.
Calhoun "Cal" Hotchkiss, the fastest gun in the South. Basically, muscle, but also knows people who can provide necessary parts.
Adelia Reyes, a highly skilled (and very pregnant) assassin.
Hero Shackleby, a munitions expert whose pronoun is "them", thank you very much.
Their main opposition -- other than the feral hippos, who have developed something of a taste for human flesh -- is Mr. Travers, who runs a very highly profitable (and very strictly self-regulated - habitual cheaters are fed to the ferals) set of gambling riverboats in the Harriet.
Of course, nothing goes as planned, and Houndstooth has to make adjustments to the plan as he goes along. And, finally, there is a traitor in their midst.
Don't you hate it when that happens?
This caper, umm, operation, is the subjet of "River of Teeth", the novella that takes up the first 40% or so of the book. The second chunk is taken up by a second novella, "Taste of Marrow", which follows the survivors through the aftermath of the operation. And, at the end, there are two short stories which explain certain details already in place at the beginning of "River of Teeth".
This is not a novel, nor is it a fix-up, nor yet what Le Guin termed a "story cycle"; it is a collection of related stories telling a delightful story, grisly in places, hilarious in others, and enjoyable throughout. I predict for Ms Galey a bright future as a writer of Weird Shit.
Ms Galey takes as a contrafactual assumption that it did happen, somewhat earlier -- that, in fact, James Buchanan signed the Hippo Act as one of his last deeds as President. Some twenty years later...
Winslow Remington Houndstooth, a British immigrant, is a hopper -- that is, a hippo-rider -- and a bit of an outlaw. A lot of an outlaw, actually; in fact, a bit of a genius as outlaws go. In what is basically a caper story, Houndstooth takes a contract with the Federal government to clear the feral hippos out of "the Harriet," a large artifical swamp near Louisiana on the Mississippi. The Harriet was created by a large gate at the south end and a dam at the north end. Houndstooth's plan is ... well, that would be telling.
He gathers a crew for the operation ("not a caper! it's legal!"):
Regina "Archie" Archimbault, a world-class swindler, pickpocket, and mistress of disguise.
Calhoun "Cal" Hotchkiss, the fastest gun in the South. Basically, muscle, but also knows people who can provide necessary parts.
Adelia Reyes, a highly skilled (and very pregnant) assassin.
Hero Shackleby, a munitions expert whose pronoun is "them", thank you very much.
Their main opposition -- other than the feral hippos, who have developed something of a taste for human flesh -- is Mr. Travers, who runs a very highly profitable (and very strictly self-regulated - habitual cheaters are fed to the ferals) set of gambling riverboats in the Harriet.
Of course, nothing goes as planned, and Houndstooth has to make adjustments to the plan as he goes along. And, finally, there is a traitor in their midst.
Don't you hate it when that happens?
This caper, umm, operation, is the subjet of "River of Teeth", the novella that takes up the first 40% or so of the book. The second chunk is taken up by a second novella, "Taste of Marrow", which follows the survivors through the aftermath of the operation. And, at the end, there are two short stories which explain certain details already in place at the beginning of "River of Teeth".
This is not a novel, nor is it a fix-up, nor yet what Le Guin termed a "story cycle"; it is a collection of related stories telling a delightful story, grisly in places, hilarious in others, and enjoyable throughout. I predict for Ms Galey a bright future as a writer of Weird Shit.
May 24, 2018
seems readers get a hootenanny of a good time from these hippo tales or they'd rather they weren't ever written... i am a huge fan of them, and i am not entirely sure why... they're just lots of fun i guess.. yes, there are weak points to the 2 novellas for some, and i won't argue them, but the idea is so fascinating what's to complain about... the writing is fresh and romp-y and smartassed and cheeky and rollicking... there surely needs to be more hippo going on, more how-hippos-got-here historical bits, but in the meantime just get on for a fabulous ride... the two short stories here are perfect examples of the western-themed hippo world Gailey is developing... hopefully it keeps growing and expanding... HIPPOS!!!
May 17, 2018
Quite an odd story. Even though it's the first book, I felt like I was plopped in the middle and there were confusing things about the characters and the situation. I plowed through because I was interested in the world and the ideas, but ultimately wasn't very satisfied.
May 31, 2018
River of Teeth: 3.75
Taste of Marrow: 3.75
Worth Her Weight in Gold : 3.00
Nine and a half: 3.25
Taste of Marrow: 3.75
Worth Her Weight in Gold : 3.00
Nine and a half: 3.25
December 5, 2020
American Hippo is a fun and bloody duology of heists and rescues while riding hippos in an alternate version of the 19th century USA. I love the full story as collected in this book. Anyone who has already read River of Teeth could read the short stories at any point since they’re prequels, but they would lack context without having read the first novella so they’re well-placed at the end of the book. The two novellas really are two halves of a whole and I’d recommend this to anyone interested in “what if the USA actually went through with that hippo-ranching plan but did it a few decades earlier” and who loves a deadly heist story.
River of Teeth is a heist steeped in danger and death. It’s a very fun story to read, but it establishes very early on that it’s set in a dangerous place and the characters are embarking on doing a dangerous thing (or several). It makes the stakes feel very real early on. I love the MCs, they don’t totally get along but they’re pulled together by money, grief, revenge, and other personal goals in the way that a great group heist thrives on. I like the ending but I’m glad there’s more with these characters because I want to read about them doing more things! I love Hero and Houndstooth, they’re well-developed as separate characters and their relationship feels so genuine and fun to read. The sparse descriptions keep it from slowing down the main plot while still establishing and reinforcing this budding romance in the middle of the heist/revenge plans. - CW for
Taste of Marrow gracefully handles the transformation of a betrayer from the first book into a protagonist in the second. The way Hero and Houndstooth’s relationship was handled in River of Teeth meant that the dynamic in ToM is completely believable despite their relatively brief acquaintance before this point. If RoT is characterized by grief and revenge, ToM adds sorrow and rage to the mix, as the heist which pulled them together is over and they’re dealing with the aftermath. While the characters are in suspense, I’m grateful that as a reader I wasn’t in the dark about whether or not certain characters were alive. That meant a lot of the suspense and anguish was over whether they’d find out the answers, and what they’d do about it, not what the answers were. Please don’t mistake this for a lack of tension or uncertainty, there’s plenty of that, with long stretches where I was on the edge of my seat, but there’s particular feeling of being lied to as a reader, and this story avoids that. The scenes between Hero and Adelia, especially when Hero finally talks about why they retired... goddamn I love that scene. This is a quieter story than the first one (at least until the finale), and as much as I loved the heists from before, I love the quiet moments between characters who might not like each other personally but are committed to being their own kind of decent. - CW for
Worth Her Weight in Gold is a brief and fun bit of backstory for a detail anyone who’s read River of Teeth will already know about Ruby. - CW for
Nine and A Half is full of quips and brandished guns, recounting the nine times Archie has saved Houndstooth’s life while living through time number nine-and-a-half. - CW for
River of Teeth is a heist steeped in danger and death. It’s a very fun story to read, but it establishes very early on that it’s set in a dangerous place and the characters are embarking on doing a dangerous thing (or several). It makes the stakes feel very real early on. I love the MCs, they don’t totally get along but they’re pulled together by money, grief, revenge, and other personal goals in the way that a great group heist thrives on. I like the ending but I’m glad there’s more with these characters because I want to read about them doing more things! I love Hero and Houndstooth, they’re well-developed as separate characters and their relationship feels so genuine and fun to read. The sparse descriptions keep it from slowing down the main plot while still establishing and reinforcing this budding romance in the middle of the heist/revenge plans. - CW for
Taste of Marrow gracefully handles the transformation of a betrayer from the first book into a protagonist in the second. The way Hero and Houndstooth’s relationship was handled in River of Teeth meant that the dynamic in ToM is completely believable despite their relatively brief acquaintance before this point. If RoT is characterized by grief and revenge, ToM adds sorrow and rage to the mix, as the heist which pulled them together is over and they’re dealing with the aftermath. While the characters are in suspense, I’m grateful that as a reader I wasn’t in the dark about whether or not certain characters were alive. That meant a lot of the suspense and anguish was over whether they’d find out the answers, and what they’d do about it, not what the answers were. Please don’t mistake this for a lack of tension or uncertainty, there’s plenty of that, with long stretches where I was on the edge of my seat, but there’s particular feeling of being lied to as a reader, and this story avoids that. The scenes between Hero and Adelia, especially when Hero finally talks about why they retired... goddamn I love that scene. This is a quieter story than the first one (at least until the finale), and as much as I loved the heists from before, I love the quiet moments between characters who might not like each other personally but are committed to being their own kind of decent. - CW for
Worth Her Weight in Gold is a brief and fun bit of backstory for a detail anyone who’s read River of Teeth will already know about Ruby. - CW for
Nine and A Half is full of quips and brandished guns, recounting the nine times Archie has saved Houndstooth’s life while living through time number nine-and-a-half. - CW for
January 5, 2024
Only reviewing
Nine and a Half
This short-story is a pretty amazing addition to the River of Teeth universe. Same as Worth Her Weight in Gold this is a prequel short-story, this one featuring Houndstooth, Archie and Gran Carter/Marshal, giving us some more details about the nine and a half times Archie saved Winslow's life. It was a very fun read, featuring a robbery, so showing a bit darker side of what these hoppers do than River of Teeth did. If you liked the rest of the series, this is a must-read, otherwise just a fun little read.
This short-story is a pretty amazing addition to the River of Teeth universe. Same as Worth Her Weight in Gold this is a prequel short-story, this one featuring Houndstooth, Archie and Gran Carter/Marshal, giving us some more details about the nine and a half times Archie saved Winslow's life. It was a very fun read, featuring a robbery, so showing a bit darker side of what these hoppers do than River of Teeth did. If you liked the rest of the series, this is a must-read, otherwise just a fun little read.
June 30, 2019
A lightweight travel read about a gang of fearless hippo-riding heroes wrapped up in hijinks involving land, money, casinos, and babies in an alternate timeline of the American South where most of Louisiana is given over to swamps and feral hippos. The historical fact behind the stories—that the US once almost started a sideline in importing hippos as meat animals in the 19th century—is almost as great as the stories themselves. Lots of queer and POC characters, and the first time I’ve read a book with a major character who uses “they” pronouns. Fun, inventive, and a good stepping stone to Magic For Liars, which is getting lots of great attention now.
February 6, 2021
I just cannot with this. A western that takes place in an alternate America with hippos in the Mississippi? And a main character who is the hippo-equivalent of a cowboy? And a caper featuring a crew of diverse, bad ass weirdos with nefarious skills and deadly secrets?
I needed very little convincing.
And, from the moment I began reading, I also started telling everyone I know about this. It's just too unique and wild a concept not to share. (So far, I've successfully convinced three people to start it.)
I'm so glad I read this. Every scene, every chapter is stranger and more hilarious and more compelling than the last. I loved every single character immediately. (Especially the hippos!)
I don't think you need any more convincing. Just go read it.
4.5 stars
I needed very little convincing.
And, from the moment I began reading, I also started telling everyone I know about this. It's just too unique and wild a concept not to share. (So far, I've successfully convinced three people to start it.)
I'm so glad I read this. Every scene, every chapter is stranger and more hilarious and more compelling than the last. I loved every single character immediately. (Especially the hippos!)
I don't think you need any more convincing. Just go read it.
4.5 stars
February 23, 2021
Well this is a delightful, bloody, romp! I'm shocked that this isn't more popular. It's made up of two novellas and two (very) short stories so it's a very quick read. Novellas can feel underdeveloped, but these absolutely don't. Gailey is brilliant at capturing character in just a page so that you feel that you know the cast instantly and the world is in the vein of a western, just...with hippos (who are themselves tremendous characters). If that wasn't enough, the action is non-stop with twists and turns and there are two excellent romances.
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