Oh, it’s my favorite part of the year! Getting ready for awards season by reviewing everything on the Stoker final ballot and Splatterpunk Award nominations (still pending…). If this is what the Stokers are starting off with, holy Toledo, we are in for some amazing reads.
Let’s get into this week’s offerings.
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SHORT FICTION
“Versus Versus” (LONG DIVISION: STORIES OF SOCIAL DECAY, SOCIETAL COLLAPSE AND BAD MANNERS)
By: Laird Barron
Release: 12/12/24
Page count: 19
KU: No Hoopla: No
Synopsis: Mr. Hunsucker and his … um… unorthodox family are called upon for an audit. But the auditor calls collect, which means serious business. Will they come out unharmed or will they have to pay with their lives?
First line: “It was an ominously cool midsummer’s evening in the heart of the Catskills at the Hunsucker residence.”
Favorite line: “Memory derives from a prehistoric virus… After eons of evolution, the mechanism remains erratic, difficult to quantify, and notoriously fickle.”
Thoughts: What a fun play on an often tired trope. Zany hi-jinx and great characters abound in this short story. Bonus points for the highbrow grammar and cackle causing moments.
Rating: 4/5
“And She Had Been So Reasonable” (Apex Magazine, Issue 147)
By: Rachel Bolton
Release: 11/5/24
Synopsis: A man gives his wife an out for their marriage - simply return the gift he had given her at the beginning of their relationship and the divorce would be granted. But little does she know it may be harder than following through with her wish.
First line: “Pay attention. I’m going to share a story.”
Favorite line: “I can’t get it off.”
Thoughts: This immediately reminded me of “Happy Endings” by Margaret Atwood and that’s a great thing. Both stories force the reader to image they are the main character. But Bolton touches on something so much deeper - is happiness worth possible death?
Rating: 5/5
“To The Wolves” (Weird Magazine #9)
By: Sasha Brown
Release: Fall 2024
Synopsis: Louscha and her son, Steph, are getting a grand tour of her digs - a nursing home. But once she meets Claudia, things are put into perspective and not everyone is happy with the results.
First line: “The ancient man’s face, a crumpled paper ball.”
Favorite line: “After all, as a mother, how much have you sacrificed?”… “Oh, everything! … Everything!”
Thoughts: 1) I hate barf 2) I hate teeth 3) I hate super old people so this short made me super queasy. But it also hits home as a mother who is aging (much to my dismay) and has a fear of nursing homes. Still, in spite of all of that, this story will make you side eye your Mom.
Rating: 4.5/5
“Ten Thousand Crawling Children” (Nightmare Magazine, Jan. 2024)
By: R.A. Busby
Release: January 2024
Synopsis: Anna is not a fan of kids or being a mom. After writing an article, she finally makes her choice - but her male OBGYN isn’t so great at listening. That, unfortunately, may come back to haunt them both.
First line: “Pregnancy is an infestation. A hidden invasion.”
Favorite line: “My father was right after all: a woman’s place is in the kitchen. That’s where the knives are. But the knife is not for him. It’s for me.”
Thoughts: Stories like this fill me with such an unhealthy amount of feminine rage. Male doctors can be some of the biggest assholes on the planet. And Busby gives the reader one to loathe. Between the vaginal-inducing PTSD, body itching, and visceral anger, this story is a must read.
Rating: 5/5
“She Sheds Her Skin” (Nightmare Magazine, Nov. 2024)
By: Raven Jabubowski
Release: Nov. 2024
Synopsis: Cora changes as she is afraid to become the same person for too long and forget who she really is. Her partner, through thick and thin, and she are at a crossroad in their relationship.
First line: “Cora has left her skin lying out again.”
Favorite line: “Seeing her is like that: a beauty that hinges on distance.”
Thoughts: Oh the allegories this short could be. Mental illness? An abusive relationship? Or just to be taken at face value (no pun intended). Jakubowski weaves sadness, love, compassion, and knowing into a story that needs to be tried on.
Rating: 5/5
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