The Chorus Beneath Our Feet

A Guest Review by Micaela Cárcamo

The Chorus Beneath Our Feet by Melanie Schnell is the new novel published by Radiant Press in October 2025. This novel shares Jess’s story as he returns to his hometown eight years after leaving. He is sent back from the military to accompany the body of his best friend, but what he finds is more concerning than he thought it would be. His sister Mary is lost and in deep trouble. As we embark on the journey with Jess, trying to decode what happened to Mary and where she is now, we discover that what lies beneath is only the tip of the iceberg.

We are drawn into a story that quickly entraps us in its pages, the compelling question that drives the story: What happened to Mary? The deeper we go with Jess, we not only find some deep-rooted traumas, but we also learn that the true magic of the story is in the page. Schnell tells her story with an enchanting and amusing language; her craft is outstanding, showing us that her language is not only her medium but also the story in itself.

Mary has a unique yet compelling way of communicating non-verbally, but in every message she sends, she not only delivers her message but also way more. Her way of using words is what pushes the story forward and spikes our curiosity even further. Although it handles a very complex language, decoding what it’s trying to say makes the whole experience fuller. The story juggles many things at the same time, even many surprises, but in the end, we get all the answers we are intended to know.

“This story will be different, too. Everything is being unearthed now, and how will it all end? They will soon learn — those who uproot the tree — of the secrets she houses deep beneath her.” (Schnell)

Every character in this story is deep and human, making the story feel so real as it unfolds before our eyes. The darkness and power on each page are clearly as intentional as they need to be, and I enjoyed every second of it. While we do jump in time back and forth through Mary’s diary, the fragments intertwine perfectly with one another. Revealing all the right things at the right time. Giving this book a careful read to catch all the small things hidden within is a must.

Schnell evokes with her title a big message encoded throughout the book, which, I think, was my favourite part of the novel, the refreshing craft beautifully catered to represent the message she is trying to send, and in no way of spoiling the book for future readers, all I’ll say is, once you find what’s beneath, it sings to you. After all, the roots hold down the tree.

“There is one person left. You are the essential messenger in this story. This story of what lies beneath.” (Schnell)

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About the Author

Melanie Schnell’s novel, While the Sun is Above Us, was shortlisted for The Fiction Award and Book of the Year award and won the Saskatchewan First Book Award and The City of Regina Award in 2013. The novel has been listed as part of the ELA A30 curriculum in both Public and Catholic schools across Saskatchewan. Melanie has published long and short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Her fiction placed second in the City of Regina Awards in 2010 and 2017. She is currently Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Regina. She lives in Regina, Saskatchewan.

About the Reviewer

Micaela Cárcamo is a Writer and Editor in her 3rd year of Creative Writing and Publishing at Sheridan College. As an editor, she has worked on a memoir and translated for Grafos y Maquinaciones S.A.C. in Peru, and is currently working as Prose Editor for B222 Journal in Canada. As a writer, Micaela focuses on nonfiction, exploring themes of her Peruvian heritage, her upbringing, and her newfound cultural exchanges and experiences as an international student living in Canada.

Book Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Radiant Press

• Publication date ‏ : ‎ Oct. 14 2025

• Language ‏ : ‎ English

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages

• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 199892632X

• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1998926329