There were various points during this book that I would have a hard time understanding what was going on. It felt that while there was based in reality, there were parts of it that were based in fantasy. Even then, I did find the story to be enjoyable and it held my attention.

I finished this read a couple of days ago and I’m still…hurt.

This book leaves you emotionally raw and wondering just what in the hell we do to our girls in this country. As the mother of a daughter, it hit especially hard. I would to anything to keep her feeling safe and cherished.

But the girls and women in this book are anything but safe and cherished. They are disposable and horrifically abused, yet still keep a little bit of hope and dreams alive. It’s those hopes and dreams that hurt the most.

While there’s beauty in this book, it’s honestly all the ‘Savage Side’ of life.

Not a feel good book, but a book where you’ll definitely FEEL.

5 Stars.

• ARC via Publisher

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! This is one of the darkest, most heartbreaking books I’ve ever read. Tiffany McDaniel has such a unique way with words… they pull no punches and forces you to face the violence women suffer at the hands of society and how the status quo ignores or turns the blindside on the most marginalized and vulnerable communities. It’s easier to blame the victim, to find excuses for the absences, the hurt, the death than acknowledge how the very structure of the system leads to the cycles of abuse.

McDaniel forces to watch the pain and confront it dead in with a language that tattoos itself into your heart and soul and I am so thankful that this writer exists and putting out there these magnificent pieces of literature. A portrait of pain, but ultimately a legend of how the memory lives and survives in the depths of the river that connects us all… I loved this book.

On the Savage Side
by Tiffany McDaniel
Pub Date: February 14, 2023
Knopf
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this gift of a book and ARC. I love the writing of McDaniel and when I get a chance to read her, I put everything else down and get to it.
Six women—mothers, daughters, sisters—gone missing. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims, from the internationally best-selling author of Betty.
Arc and Daffy are followed through life and death, addiction and prostitution, through loss and more loss. I am still processing my thoughts on this one, but it is very powerful and haunting.
You need to read this book for yourself!!
5 stars

Lyrical, poetic, raw, heartbreaking, beautiful. Real talk about addiction and the lives addicts live. Making these women real. Daughters, sisters, aunts, and mothers. Living lives I cannot imagine. Writing so beautiful it can only be a Tiffany McDaniel novel. I correspond and zoom with Tiffany once in a while, she is a truly beautiful soul. I will always lay down what I am reading when I receive an ARC from her, and I am never, ever disappointed.

Tiffany McDaniel’s is one of the most underrated authors. This was a contender for best book I read in 2022. I can’t wait for everyone else to experience it.

Twins born into addiction destined for a similar life. A beautiful story of the connection between sisters.

I find this novel difficult to review in fear of sharing too much – there are obviously differing opinions of what is considered “spoiler” material in the literary community. I don’t want to ruin this gem of a novel for future readers.

The author was born in the Midwest and uses her familiarity with the area - its rustic beauty, fickle climate, people, history and folklore to root the story in a small, rural, economically-depressed town buoyed by menial work at the local paper mill, government assistance, or the local drug trade. There are few options for those who choose to call this place home. Arcade (Arc) Doggs, half to a twin sister, Daffodil (Daffy), serves as the adult narrator who recaps her life via memories. In a ‘stacking of the dominos’ fashion, she starts with her childhood with reveals of the adults who failed her, the friends she lost, and the key events and decisions that shapes her destiny.

In some aspects, this story reminded me of a classic Greek tragedy where the heroines are dispensable pawns in a game played by callous gods. Born into a family of addicts, the girls suffer loss and setbacks early in life and are forced into self-reliance much too soon. Neglect, abandonment, verbal and mental abuse, physical and sexual violence become norms for them when their mother and her sister resort to prostitution for money only to disappear into drug-induced dazes for days whereby the girls fend for themselves as best they can. The girls are mere children who can only draw inspiration from books and their grandmother’s stories. They lean on their imaginations well into adulthood to craft stories inspired by warrior women; stories filled with hope, happiness, and bravery as coping mechanisms to survive their ordeals.

While it is easy to surmise that Arc and Daffy are products of their environments; that are other supporting female characters from different walks of life (college students, mothers/wives, etc) who suffer the same fates and have life-long battles with addictions created from everyday occurrences (ex: prescribed pain relief from a late term miscarriage). There is a murder mystery component involving women found in a nearby river which is inspired by true events. Arc and her friends discover the remains of a few and become sleuths and demand justice for these women that society seemingly ignores. To find the killer, they examine the men in their lives and all their violent or perverse proclivities to find clues which at times places them in great danger.

The author writes some beautifully metaphoric passages and blends in random anecdotes and factoids to emphasize patterns and themes. This is a story that shouldn’t be rushed - some passages are difficult to read (there is a lot of violence to children and women), some characters are weird and creepy, some are just evil and perverse, some are just lost. However, this book is informative, timely, and extremely crafty in its tackling today’s headlines: the rampant opioid epidemic in the Midwest; society’s failures (including law enforcement’s) to protect and locate missing girls and women (especially those who are of color, labeled as sex workers, impoverished, uneducated, are in marginalized groups, and those battling addictions).

Well Done!

*Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and Tiffany McDaniel for my eARC for an honest review. Publication date 2/14/23*

This book is based on a true crime that happened in Ohio. We follow the lives of twin sisters Arcade (Arc) and Daffodil (Daffy) from the time they are 6 years old into their twenties, and the story is told through the eyes of Arc. The twins do not have a good life. With their parents into hard drugs and their father overdoses Arc and Daffy live with their drug addict mom and aunt. Bodies keep turning up in the river and they all have the same thing in common, they are users. Arc, Daffy, and their friends try to find who the killer is but bodies keep turning up. Who will be next?

This book was a very sad and depressing read but also beautifully written. McDaniel did a great job of making you want to reach out and give all the girls a big hug and to root them all on. Check the trigger warnings for this one because there are many!!

CW: childhood sexual abuse.
“The first sin was believing we would never die. The second sin was believing we were alive in the first place.”

In the hands of any other author, this story of Chillicothe daughters Arc and Daffy, twins with mismatched eyes whose childhoods are defined by their father’s death and their mother and aunt’s heroin use and prostitution only to turn to drugs and sex work themselves might have seemed twee and overwritten. But there is something about Tiffany McDaniel; she gives you strung out women who dab blood on their belts because they’re holding back extra to put in the cracks and call shooting up wearing crowns, grandmothers who tell you that the town you live in is a woman lying on her side, “convincing herself she is on the right side of the cross and staying still enough to believe it,” mothers who say that they’re going to feed you to the needle monster or name you Grassy because you moved inside her like a field of grass, and the swelling, flowery prose is just the gift she gives you while she’s breaking your heart.

What things can the heat of fire not destroy? A logical answer; a rational one informed by science and the laws of the universe would be something like brick, concrete, mortar, or metal. A reasonable answer could even be : matter, of course! In the poetic, lyrical mind of author Tiffany McDaniel, however, the answer is this: the strength of a woman.

If you read Betty or The Summer that Melted Everything then you’re already familiar with the way McDaniel uses language to breathe life into her characters, rendering them fully formed and vibrant in their own colors. On the Savage Side is no exception.

The plot of the novel is rooted in the true, still mostly unsolved, case of the Chillicothe Six, a tragic occurrence of six women going missing in Chillicothe, OH between 2014-2015, and in knowing that you think you can brace yourself for the myriad of complex emotions you’re sure to tangle with as you read through – but you can’t. Trust me when I say you will still not be prepared. In the hands of another author, this fictional retelling could go awry, it could feel exploitive or misdirected, but not in the empathetic hands of McDaniel. Instead, this book is a beautiful, powerful, heartfelt tribute to these women who were dismissed when they and their families most deserved to be seen, simply because of the circumstances of their lives.

This heartwrenching story is told from the point of view of Arcade Doggs, the one-minute younger identical twin sister of Daffodil, both when they are just small children and when they are young women barely scraping by. In the darkness of their reality, Arc and Daffodil manage to keep a sense of wonder and imagination in their heart of hearts, undoubtedly influenced by familial folklore and a deep connection to the land where they live. I won’t delve into the plot, as publication day for this gem is still ahead of us, but I will say the women in this book – their way of thinking and seeing the world around them will stick with me for a very, very long time.

The storytelling, the darkness, and the mystery are all beautifully woven together; it left me feeling raw and without the right words to describe what I’d just read for days after – I am still not convinced I’ve found the right words, but I had to try. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you, Tiffany, for reaching out to me with an early copy. I hope this book, and the real women of Chillicothe, get the attention and recognition they deserve.

First, Thank you to the amazing Publisher for this phenomenal approved eARC!
I knew going into this book written by McDaniel's, it was going to be an unputdownable one, but what I didn't know was just how deep, real and raw this book was going to be.
And I honestly believe she couldn't have done any better if she damn well tried!

Just WoW! Tiffany does it again but does it better!

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel is a beautifully written story inspired by sad true events of the Chillicothe Six.

I really don't think I can give this book justice.
What I do know is I freaking demolished it.
The storyline itself swept me straight up and didn't put me down until the last page. A true page turner.
It's so well written, with sharply observed characters and the kind of fast-paced, twisty plot that keeps you turning the pages.
The characters were well defined and realistic.
Oozes with atmospheric tones, vivid descriptions and pure, haunting emotions.
This is a brilliant thriller. In fact, it's one of the best I've read!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

On the Savage Side is definitely not for the faint of heart, as the story of sisters Arc and Daffy is very traumatic. I really loved McDaniel's writing, as it treats traumatic moments with grace and great writing. It treats the sisters respectfully. It was a very sad but well done book.

" A new Tiffany McDaniel novel?! I need it immediately!" Is what I thought to myself as I happily settled in to read On the Savage Side.
I forgot that Tiffany McDaniel writes books that grab hold of you in every way; your mind, your heart, and your soul are all at risk of being broken when you read her books and On the Savage Side is a masterpiece.

You can't help but to root for Arc & Daffy, the two sisters in this novel! It's painful to have hope for the sisters because even though it seems they might be cursed to an existence full of trauma they are so bright and imaginative.

This fucking book brought me to tears too many times to count!
I'm a regular horror reader and yet the villain in this book is one of the scariest I've ever read--combined with the terrifying grip of heroin On the Savage Side is heartbreakingly good. Sometimes I worry about books that are a little too trauma porn like, but On the Savage Side isn't that.

These characters will stay with me and I hope to maintain a bit of their wonder in this cruel world.

In conclusion GO READ THIS BOOK AND BE READY TO BAWL YOUR EYES OUT!

A raw, unsparing, and beautifully told story inspired by tragic true events. On the Savage Side is the new upcoming novel by Tiffany McDaniel, who is the author of BookTok favorite Betty. This book is inspired by the real-life story of the Chillicothe Six. Between 2014-2015, six women from Chillicothe, OH disappeared under mysterious circumstances; four of the six women have since been found deceased and the cases remain largely unsolved.

On the Savage Side follows the story of two twin sisters, Arc and Daffy. Growing up in rural Ohio, the sisters rely on each other to navigate a troubled family environment and the brutality of the world around them. Told from Arc’s perspective, the story alternates timelines between childhood and the present day where one-by-one local women are found drowned in the river. As we learn more about Arc and Daffy’s rocky journey through adolescence, we also start to uncover clues about the murders plaguing the town.

I loved Betty when I read it and I think I loved this even more. I really admire the way McDaniel is able to paint really vivid settings that immediately transport the reader directly into the story. A lot can be said about the way the author writes about nature because it’s almost magical, but in particular I found it such an interesting contrast between the often bleak subject matter that she writes about and the almost lush way that she describes the nature around which the story takes place. Through a combination of myth making and metaphor, the author is able to conjure images that are both highly fantastical yet feel deeply real.

You’ll know this if you’ve read Betty, but the way that McDaniel writes from the perspective of children is really unique and endlessly fascinating. Her children are both filled with innocence and wonder, but also have a striking way of seeing through to the truth and heart of their surroundings. In this book, the characters spend more of their time as teenagers and adults, but throughout it all, the writing feels luxurious; even as the story propels itself forward, particularly in the latter half of the book, the writing forces you to read slowly just to savor the beautiful language.

I would definitely recommend that folks check the content warnings because the book deals with some pretty heavy topics, but if this review has piqued your interest, or if you enjoyed reading Betty, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

this was incredibly dark and stunning. the writing hit me hard, as did the characters and what they went through. not for the faint of heart, and there were moments that felt weaker to me than others (the twist, the mother's diary), but overall this was striking and powerful. can't wait to read the author's other book.

Tiffany McDaniel can WRITE 😳😳😳

this book took me on a rollercoaster. there were times where i was ready to give it a 3 star, a 4, a DNF. but i was wrong wrong wrong. it’s nothing less than a 5✨

absolutely soul crushing. it’s the way she strings words together that bring about the strongest version of emotions to ever exist

McDaniel brings life to the Chillicothe Six through this novel. she tells us of their humanity, of the ways our society never created space for them to have a chance. this book is weird and beautiful and profound all at once. it’s a musing on addiction, disposable women, power hungry men. read ittt

This book was devastatingly beautiful and horrifically sad at the same time. The writing was exquisite, the characters were brilliant and tortured. Difficult subject.

Inspired by a true crime story and reflecting the savagery of Ohio’s heroin epidemic, McDaniel writes a poetic and wrenching novel of generational trauma, addiction, and sisterly love. 

Arcade and Daffodil are twins born one minute apart. Their unbreakable bond is forged by their parents’ betrayal and their grandmother’s stories. They build princess castles and crowns as flimsy protections from the neglect, violence and predators their mother and aunt invite into their home. 

The two sisters chase glimpses of joy and peace, while working the streets of their sad hometown, where young women are used and discarded. Then a local woman is discovered drowned in the river. Soon, more bodies are found. As their friends disappear, Arc and Daffy are forced to reckon with their past while a killer prowls their streets. Arc’s efforts to keep herself and her sister safe become increasingly desperate and the savage side engulfs her world.

McDaniel flays your heart open. Arc and Daffy’s love and despair is raw and rhapsodic. Their strengths are angelic and pure and their weaknesses are brutal. This is a family drama, a gender study, a murder mystery and a condemnation of society’s refusal to address rural addiction. I cried many times. It is not for the faint-hearted. But it is gorgeously written with gut-punch pacing and memorable, flawed yet compelling and beautiful female characters.

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel
Release Date: February 2023
Knopf Publishing Group
General genre: Literary, Domestic Drama, Crime
Subgenre/Themes: Small town, generational addiction, drugs (heroin), twins, sexual abuse, sex workers, rehab, missing women and girls, corruption, victims, trauma
Writing Style: Immersive, past & present POV, literary

What you need to know: Twin sisters are being raised by their mother and aunt in poverty and violence. A coming-of-age tale, the reader comes to intimately share in Arcade (Arc) and Daff's struggle to survive their circumstances, the nurturing people in their lives come and go in a constant ebb and flow of instability. In their teen years, they make friends they can relate to, but one by one, something happens to these young women. This novel was inspired by the true crime story of six women who went missing or were found dead in Chillicothe, Ohio.

My reading experience: This book will haunt me for the rest of my life. I truly believe that Tiffany McDaniel set out to write the most beautiful, memorable characters so that they will live in our reader's hearts forever- memorializing the tragic, real-life women who were murdered; their cases never solved. I will always remember the way this book made me feel. The lyrical prose describes the magical, vibrant, nature of young girls and women with their whole lives ahead of them. The way they are full of life and memories, dreams and aspirations, imaginations and wonder set against the backdrop of harsh reality. A nightmare. Drugs, sex work, violence, poverty, literally the most vulnerable prey in a playground for predators. Even the authorities don't care where they are, who they are with, or what will happen to them.
I felt sick to my stomach knowing what was coming and Tiffany McDaniel does not hold back or spare your sensitivities. This book ran my emotions through a full spectrum, chief among those feelings was anger. The same anger when I listen to true crime podcasts where law enforcement treats missing sex workers as throwaway people or teen girls as runaways. They blame the parents, the neighborhood, the drugs...anyone but the people actually out there victimizing, abusing, and murdering.
A truly harrowing story. I've never read anything like it and I will never forget it.

My final recommendation: This is for fans of Tiffany McDaniel's prior release, Betty. Coming-of-age stories where children must overcome impossible odds due to their life circumstances. If you want to bear witness to women who are abandoned, go missing, are victims of abuse, and there's just no justice, nobody to care or lift a finger to advocate for them. A powerful, harrowing read that stirs up strong emotions in your core.

Comps: Bastard Out of Carolina, Betty,

This is easily going to be one of the best books of 2023. This review contains possible mild spoilers.

This has got to be one of the most deeply moving and profound novels I’ve ever read. The development of Arc and Daffy throughout their childhood, adolescence, and adult years is gripping, and heart wrenching. To me, this is an example of how a book is both character-driven, and plot-driven. It was well laid out, and easy to follow.

I was so angry about the lifestyle they had to endure, and that the adults in their lives continually failed them. The only adult they had was their grandmother, then she was taken too soon. It’s sadly very realistic how these cycles of neglect are allowed to continue. Women have to fight extra hard for survival, even at an early age, and have to take care of one another. Arc and Daffy did not have this. Yet, these girls had one another through everything. They gave one another strength during the darkest times, and they still tried to see the best in their situation. The dark side of things was “the savage side”, where they coped with the evil in their lives.

The description of the drug addiction and consequences faced later in life is extremely realistic. While based in Ohio, this could really be true for any small rural area.

The women’s struggles to survive is frightening. Every man Arc and Daffy encounter seems to be a predator and they all gave me an “ick factor”. The judgement and lack of caring when women started to turn up dead is also sadly realistic. When a man is murdered, he usually doesn’t suffer the character attack like a woman does. This was captured perfectly in the novel.

I felt so many different emotions while reading this book, and this is one that will stay with me for a very long time. I was sobbing in the end and felt so much for Arc and Daffy. I feel as my words really do not give this the justice it deserves, just read it and you will understand.

Thank you to Tiffany McDaniel, Netgalley, and to the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.