Crackles with vicious intelligence.–Entertainment Weekly
A harrowing tale. . . . Sends chills down the spine.–The Seattle Times
Fascinating. . . . A horror story that plays with the power of words.–The Plain Dealer
Laden with metaphor. . . . It reads like a dream, complete with all the associative richness that comparison might suggest.–The New York Times Book Review
An exciting page-turner. –The Philadelphia Inquirer
"A rich testament to Marcus' gifts" –Los Angeles Times
"A well-oiled heartbreak machine." –New York
"In the guise of a horror novel (albeit one written by a supremely intelligent literary novelist), Marcus has delivered a subtle meditation on the necessity as well as the drawbacks of human communication . . . in searing, sometimes hallucinatory prose." –Richmond Times-Dispatch
Thrilling, boasting an erudition and an obsessiveness that smacks both of Jorge Luis Borges and of Darren Aronofsky.–The Boston Globe
As I read The Flame Alphabet, late into the night, feverishly turning the pages, I felt myself, increasingly, in the presence of the classic. –Michael Chabon
"Marcus succeeds in creating a parallel universe that mirrors a side of human social life that might be more comfortably concealed." –
The Columbus Dispatch
"An apocalyptic nightmare. Its vision is eerie, droll and heartbreaking, both lavishly written and haunting to behold. . . .[Marcus's] use of language could hardly be more vibrant."–Portland Press Herald "Some of the most thoughtful and moving writing I've ever read about family life." –Michael Jauchen, The Rumpus
"Disturbing and remarkable."–
LA Review of Books
"This novel will cause many mouths to open. Dialogue will ensue. People will have something to say."–
Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A mystery, a compulsive page-turner" –Salon
"The Flame Alphabet has the force of a nightmare, a testament to Marcus's skill." –NPR
Ben Marcus is the rarest kind of writer: a necessary one.–Jonathan Safran Foer
"The Flame Alphabet is less about linguistics than the decay of relationships, the fracturing of familial loyalties, and the everyday heartbreak of human estrangement."–The Millions
Ben Marcus is a genius, one of the most daring, funny, morally engaged and brilliant writers, someone whose work truly makes a difference in the world.–George Saunders
"A brutal, wonderful book, streaked with the sickly brown and gray hues of Philip K. Dick and David Cronenberg."–
The Onion, A.V. Club
"A truly strange, original vision of a post-linguistic world." –Slant Magazine
"Freakishly sad and incredibly good."–
Bookforum
"An authentic meditation on the sacred cruelty of communication that will leave his readers speechless."–
San Francisco Chronicle
"You will not read too many books like this in your life. –
The Financial Times "For all its surreal touches, it packs an emotional wallop." –
Wired
