Review
"Henehan weaves a delicious plot of self-discovery as if in a dreamlike state. Each new development reveals a change in Finley’s own existence and resets the very world of the novel itself." BUST
"There is a noirish tinge to the plot, which involves a secretive investigation; the heroine, Finley, is certainly hardboiled, the characters she encounters mysterious in their motivationsbut the tone is closer to Lewis Carroll than Raymond Chandler. (Alice in Wonderland-like touches include a Quadrille, a rum-raisin cake, and satirical absurdities including send ups of communes and performance art.) The meandering narrative is subordinate to sprightly wordplay and stylistic elegance, but contextual meaning isn’t sacrificed. . . . Funny, fanciful, and kinetic, this work earns its place in any collection of experimental fiction." Foreword
"In playfully measured prose, Henehan’s poignant farce evokes Beckett and her world is as funny and inventive as that of George Saunders, but her bold voice and tenderness make for something entirely original, entertaining, and well worth the read." Booklist
"An impressionistic tale propelled by Henehan's gorgeously arch prose and a constant stream of droll humor. There's no doubt that Henehan is a talent."Publishers Weekly
"A very intriguing novel filled with insistent rhythms and syntactical playfulness. Henehan's precision and obvious delight with language make the voice of this novel wonderful company. One is reminded of certain European writers like Beckett or Bernhard, but Henehan has also made somethingfunny, ominousof her own."Sam Lipsyte
"Orion You Came and You Took All My Marbles is not just smashingly titled, it is also beautifully, madly, electrically alive. Beware of its puppets. Watch out for Murphy. Keep track of The Lamb. Consider Uppal. Question Finley. Here is worthy work for the fingers, the heart, the eyes, the mind."Laird Hunt, author of Ray of the Star and The Impossibly
"Kira Henehan has reached into the wheezing carcass of the traditional detective story and relieved it of all its bones and logic. The result is a novel unlike anything I’ve read before: hilarious, severe, baffling, and sometimes so far over my head that I can only see a distant glow."Ben Marcus, author of Notable American Women
From the Inside Flap
Welcome to the off-kilter world of Finley, an investigator of indiscernible origins and prowess. Her assignment: the mysterious Professor Uppal and his puppets. The objective: impossible to say. But Finley is unassailable. She forges ahead with occasional assistance and hindrance from her colleagues Murphy, The Lamb, and Binelli, as well as the professor's beautiful daughter and her sinister artiste boyfriend. In her meticulous and completely unbiased report, Finley tracks the investigation's slow spiral back upon itself, as the clues she uncovers reveal questions that lead directly back to her own forgotten past. Captivating and whimsical, idiosyncratic and deeply funny, Orion You Came and You Took All My Marbles finds inspiration in hard-boiled noir and the tortured quest of an existential inquiry. This novel marks the debut of a powerful, original voice.
Kira Henehan was born in New York and grew up in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Her work has been published in Fence, jubilat, Chelsea, Conjunctions, and Denver Quarterly, among others. The recipient of a Pushcart Prize, Henehan lives in New York City.
From the Back Cover
Welcome to the off-kilter world of Finley, an investigator of indiscernible origins and prowess. Her assignment: the mysterious Professor Uppal and his puppets. The objective: impossible to say. But Finley is unassailable. She forges ahead with occasional assistance and hindrance from her colleagues Murphy, The Lamb, and Binelli, as well as the professor’s beautiful daughter and her sinister artiste boyfriend. In her meticulous and completely unbiased report, Finley tracks the investigation’s slow spiral back upon itself, as the clues she uncovers reveal questions that lead directly back to her own forgotten past.
Captivating and whimsical, idiosyncratic and deeply funny, Orion You Came and You Took All My Marbles finds inspiration in hard-boiled noir and the tortured quest of an existential inquiry. This novel marks the debut of a powerful, original voice.
Kira Henehan was born in New York and grew up in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Her work has been published in Fence, jubilat, Chelsea, Conjunctions, and Denver Quarterly, among others. The recipient of a Pushcart Prize, Henehan lives in New York City.
