Out There
If you enjoyed this review, please consider purchasing this book from my Amazon Associates link (applies to Kindle purchases as well): https://amzn.to/3kJCr1R. The commissions I receive from your purchase help pay for the costs of running this website. Thanks for your support!
Shout out to Book People for once again coming in clutch with the mystery box. Every so often, I give them money and they give me three books of their choosing. In the past, it has given me gems like Will my Cat Eat My Eyeballs? and The Revisioners. It’s also given me some duds like The Holographic Universe and We Ride Upon Sticks, and somewhere in between, like The Nix.
Okay, enough self-promotion. This is all to say that I would not have bought this book independently and I’m thankful that Book People did it for me, because it was excellent. It’s a collection of short stories, and each one has a ~Black Mirror~ vibe. Think a combination of Vonnegut’s science fiction with Roald Dahl’s dark, horrible twists.
Each story is an interesting mix of real and surreal. The real aspect makes it slightly relatable, heightening the horror behind the surreal aspect. For example, “The Bone Ward” follows the fate of a woman suffering from a rare disease whereby her bones completely dissolve at night. The story opens with a chill: “By night our bones dissolve into our blood like sugar in tea.” While this disease obviously doesn’t exist, the psychological struggles that the woman goes through are vivid and accessible. It’s a story that has stuck with me since I read it.
Kate Folk is clearly a talented writer, intentional in her word choice while making it look easy. Many of her stories complexly double as both metaphorical and literal (ex: “The House’s Beating Heart” describes a house with literal organs that the tenants have to maintain while urging readers to consider that the way we take care of our things reflects who we are as people). She’s weaving lots of webs. Simply put, I like how her brain works.
It was also cool to read something that stayed so consistent. While the stories were distinct, she maintained the same tone. She included an innovative surprise at the end, making the collection feel like a cohesive unit.
Overall, I only have positive things to say about this book and its thought-provoking edge. It’s bizarre, uncomfortable, and incredibly creative. While I definitely recommend this book, I wasn’t obsessed with every single story. Some are standouts and some are just okay. None are bad, though! So, I give it 4 out of 5 flames.
