# Maeve Fly

By CJ Leede

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/maeve-fly-349d47b5/

Maeve earns her living as a theme-park ice princess and spends her evenings in Los Angeles dive bars, studying misanthropic literary heroes. When her best friend’s brother arrives, she begins taking more dangerous inspiration from American Psycho.

## What makes it funny?

A director expects Maeve to recognize his importance; she replies that she only watches pornography. Her judgments of the other princess performers are just as vicious, complete with imaginary biographies built from their clothes and drinks.

### The comedy at work

Maeve narrates in the same assured voice whether she is deflating Hollywood vanity or contemplating cruelty. Leede makes her social observations sharp enough to amuse while leaving her capacity for violence in view.

### Try this if…

Readers who enjoy an abrasive, unsympathetic narrator and dark jokes amid extreme horror may find a match here.

### Good to know

Expect graphic murder and mutilation, sexual material, and frequent profanity. The humor accompanies the violence throughout.

## What to expect

- Genre: Horror
- Kind of humor: Dark comedy · Satire
- The atmosphere: Irreverent
- Format: Novel
- Length: 304 pages
- Audiobook: 8 hr
- Published: 2023

## A few distinguishing details

- Theme-park princess hierarchies
- Hollywood status put-downs

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [Publisher & opening excerpt](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250857866/maevefly)
- Reading sample: [Read an excerpt](https://reactormag.com/excerpts-maeve-fly-by-cj-leede)
- Review: [Publishers Weekly review](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250857859)
- Library catalog: [Audiobook edition](https://clevnet.overdrive.com/clevnet-MADISON/content/media/9191191)