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The Japanese Box and Other Stories
The Japanese Box and Other Stories
The precision of observation here speaks not only to the honesty of the writer, but to the respect granted
in all phases of life; Jennifer Anne Gordon is on full display. Smart, full of character, vibrant. You will
feel, you will feel big, and you will return, too, to the richest moments of your own history, landmarks
that bring you to both smile and weep.
–Josh Malerman
New York Times best-selling author of Bird Box and Daphne
I compulsively read anything Jennifer Anne Gordon writes. Like the best contemporary filmmakers
stitching together grief and horror, her storytelling is a sharp needle that both pierces and tugs us close.
Compulsive and genre-slashing, with exquisite, rhythmic prose, THE JAPANESE BOX is an
extraordinary exploration of alone-ness that beats and grief is horror, grief is love. We as readers
are drawn ever closer to this beautifully haunted narrator until we're face-down in the box with her. Does
she feel us? She thinks she is alone. We all think we are alone. By the end we've become the ghosts in her
black room, reaching out to gently touch her hair and whisper we're here.
-Diane Zinna, author of The All-Night Sun
From the author of the Kindle Award Winning Novel for Best Horror 2020 —Beautiful,
Frightening, and Silent—and Pretty/Ugly— Winner of The Kindle Award for Best Novel
2022 (Reader’s Choice) comes a collection of short stories contemplating horror, grief, and trauma.
Simulacrum is a dark comedic tale about college life, and love. It is the story of what happens when
two sociopaths attend art exhibits, drink lemon vodka, and spar over everything and anything.
Periods.
Coloring books.
Art.
This is the story of our unnamed narrator…an origin story of a would-be, hopes to be, serial killer.
The Japanese Box is a story that blends memoir, creative nonfiction, and the horror of a coming-of-age
story, and a coming of middle-aged story.
Imagine growing up with a reflection that is often absent, and a Japanese box that is filled with things that
should never have been there.
Memories.
Violence.
The Japanese Box is a love letter to anxiety, trauma, grief, and longing. It is a story of a child becoming
an adult, and all the ghosts and misfortunes that happen in order to survive.
The Lithium Simone is an artist by day, and an emotionally abused wife at night. She is a
successful artist with a long history of schizoid effective disorder with bipolar tendencies.
When her marriage goes from good to bad, she suffers her first miscarriage. The tragedy coincides with a
wolf moon—Trauma and magic converge seem to converge in Simone’s head.
This story explores sadness, illness, hallucinations, full moons, and the creative process.
What Stage of Grief is not a poem, or a song, but a dirge.
Fantasy and facts, this poem walks a fine line between nightmares and memories. Grief stories and love
stories. Dogs, and drama. Nightmares, and nevermore.
The precision of observation here speaks not only to the honesty of the writer, but to the respect granted
in all phases of life; Jennifer Anne Gordon is on full display. Smart, full of character, vibrant. You will
feel, you will feel big, and you will return, too, to the richest moments of your own history, landmarks
that bring you to both smile and weep.
–Josh Malerman
New York Times best-selling author of Bird Box and Daphne
I compulsively read anything Jennifer Anne Gordon writes. Like the best contemporary filmmakers
stitching together grief and horror, her storytelling is a sharp needle that both pierces and tugs us close.
Compulsive and genre-slashing, with exquisite, rhythmic prose, THE JAPANESE BOX is an
extraordinary exploration of alone-ness that beats and grief is horror, grief is love. We as readers
are drawn ever closer to this beautifully haunted narrator until we're face-down in the box with her. Does
she feel us? She thinks she is alone. We all think we are alone. By the end we've become the ghosts in her
black room, reaching out to gently touch her hair and whisper we're here.
-Diane Zinna, author of The All-Night Sun
From the author of the Kindle Award Winning Novel for Best Horror 2020 —Beautiful,
Frightening, and Silent—and Pretty/Ugly— Winner of The Kindle Award for Best Novel
2022 (Reader’s Choice) comes a collection of short stories contemplating horror, grief, and trauma.
Simulacrum is a dark comedic tale about college life, and love. It is the story of what happens when
two sociopaths attend art exhibits, drink lemon vodka, and spar over everything and anything.
Periods.
Coloring books.
Art.
This is the story of our unnamed narrator…an origin story of a would-be, hopes to be, serial killer.
The Japanese Box is a story that blends memoir, creative nonfiction, and the horror of a coming-of-age
story, and a coming of middle-aged story.
Imagine growing up with a reflection that is often absent, and a Japanese box that is filled with things that
should never have been there.
Memories.
Violence.
The Japanese Box is a love letter to anxiety, trauma, grief, and longing. It is a story of a child becoming
an adult, and all the ghosts and misfortunes that happen in order to survive.
The Lithium Simone is an artist by day, and an emotionally abused wife at night. She is a
successful artist with a long history of schizoid effective disorder with bipolar tendencies.
When her marriage goes from good to bad, she suffers her first miscarriage. The tragedy coincides with a
wolf moon—Trauma and magic converge seem to converge in Simone’s head.
This story explores sadness, illness, hallucinations, full moons, and the creative process.
What Stage of Grief is not a poem, or a song, but a dirge.
Fantasy and facts, this poem walks a fine line between nightmares and memories. Grief stories and love
stories. Dogs, and drama. Nightmares, and nevermore.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
103 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2023
About the author
Jennifer Anne Gordon
15 books205 followersJennifer Anne Gordon is a Gothic horror novelist. Her work includes Beautiful, Frightening and Silent (2020) which won the Kindle Award for Best Horror/Suspense for 2020, and From Daylight to Madness (The Hotel book 1), and When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk (The Hotel book 2).
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 29, 2024
-"The Japanese Box & Other Stories" by Jennifer Anne Gordon
This book has intense short stories dealing with themes like grief, anxiety, and mental illness. The first story is about a man realizing the deep impact of a past relationship. Another standout is a dark werewolf tale from the perspective of a troubled wife.
The writing is poetic and haunting, making the stories powerful and thought-provoking. However, due to heavy subjects like trauma and miscarriage, it’s recommended with caution.
Overall, it's a deeply moving and beautifully written collection.
This book has intense short stories dealing with themes like grief, anxiety, and mental illness. The first story is about a man realizing the deep impact of a past relationship. Another standout is a dark werewolf tale from the perspective of a troubled wife.
The writing is poetic and haunting, making the stories powerful and thought-provoking. However, due to heavy subjects like trauma and miscarriage, it’s recommended with caution.
Overall, it's a deeply moving and beautifully written collection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2023
Extraordinary!
"My father has the fan from Mount Fuji in his hand. He waves it back and forth, and the stale air of all his yesterdays blows against my skin like a summer-sweet kiss from afar."
THE JAPANESE BOX is a beautiful, haunting collection filled with brilliant imagery and exquisite prose. I enjoyed all these stories, but my absolute favorite was "Simulacrum." You can't go wrong with anything by Gordon. Highly recommended!
"My father has the fan from Mount Fuji in his hand. He waves it back and forth, and the stale air of all his yesterdays blows against my skin like a summer-sweet kiss from afar."
THE JAPANESE BOX is a beautiful, haunting collection filled with brilliant imagery and exquisite prose. I enjoyed all these stories, but my absolute favorite was "Simulacrum." You can't go wrong with anything by Gordon. Highly recommended!
June 9, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and last waltz publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
I normally don't like to rate books low, coz I know how much a book matters for an author. All the hard with they put into it. And it feels like we are ignoring all that so it's quite rare for me to rate it low.
Japanese box and other stories is my first book by the author and no matter how much I tried to enjoy the book I just couldn't. I would start the book, read the same pages over and over again Coz I just couldn't push myself, couldn't engage myself in the whole thing.
Writing isn't bad but there's something about it that always turned my mind off while reading. The whole book is very deep, dark and twisted , depressing even but that's never my issue as I actually like dark books. I don't know how to describe it but it just didn't grab my attention.
Definitely not for me.
I normally don't like to rate books low, coz I know how much a book matters for an author. All the hard with they put into it. And it feels like we are ignoring all that so it's quite rare for me to rate it low.
Japanese box and other stories is my first book by the author and no matter how much I tried to enjoy the book I just couldn't. I would start the book, read the same pages over and over again Coz I just couldn't push myself, couldn't engage myself in the whole thing.
Writing isn't bad but there's something about it that always turned my mind off while reading. The whole book is very deep, dark and twisted , depressing even but that's never my issue as I actually like dark books. I don't know how to describe it but it just didn't grab my attention.
Definitely not for me.
June 11, 2024
I finished The Japanese Box by Jennifer Anne Gordon in San Diego. A really well depiction of grief horror that rivals anything else like it I've read. She is very good at making you feel what she feels. Great read!
June 8, 2024
You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat
This is a collection of short stories that cover a wide range of topics. Mental illness of various natures are at the forefront alongside grief and coming of age. Make sure you check the warnings because there are a lot of things that are touched on that could be quite upsetting for many.
I found it so hard to work out my rating for this short story collection, and even harder to try and work out my thoughts on it. This is a very bleak and depressing book. It's very dark, it's haunting in its execution and it touches on a gamut of different things, not sugar coating or shying away from anything. This book was horror of a different kind, and I wasn't expecting it. I knew it was a collection of short stories. But I didn't realise the type of horror that I'd be reading. I actually had a conversation with my bestie while I was 30% through it, and I told her how I was so torn because It's not what I expected, and I didn't know how I felt about it. It made me feel uncomfortable in a weird way. In the way where I feel like there's a strange pressure in my throat, like I used to get as a very young child, I think it's just one of the many ways that my anxiety has liked to present itself over the years. Though I didn't feel anxious. I felt a kinda way, and it's so hard to me to describe it. Uncomfortable is the only word that comes to mind. It made me want to have a shower, brush my teeth, get a good night's sleep. It was such a bizarre feeling. It is currently making me ramble on incessantly, yet not say much. It's the person on the sidewalk, that you avert your eyes from because you know that they're going to ask you for money, or a smoke. It pulls back the curtain and actually allows you to see the dark, dripping parts of the human psyche and how broken it can become.
This was one of those books that I wasn't sure I 'got', to be honest, I'm still not sure that I 'got' it. I feel like a large portion of it went over my head. The majority of the stories, I felt, were interconnected, following the same female character throughout her life from a young age, up into her later years. But after reading over some other reviews, I now believe that I was incorrect in this assumption? It seems that they're not all interconnected, at least, according to others. So I'm still left feeling like maybe it went over my head after all. Maybe it's one of those books that I'm just not meant to 'get'.
One thing that I remember thinking as I finished this story, was that I feel like it gave great insight into the mind of someone with mental illness. I feel like Gordon did a fantastic job of illustrating the potential thought patterns of someone with schizophrenia. The confusion that the female lead (leads?) had throughout the entire collection, was a common factor in all of the stories. Having her grip on reality constantly keep slipping, losing chunks of time, never knowing what was real and what was not. Seeing things in the environment. The more of this book that I read, the more I settled into a comfort that was different. With each story, my brain became more and more comfortable because 'this is just how it is for her' so I found it easier to continue on as I got further through. I found the poem to be heart wrenching and gut churning, and I can't even tell you why. I cannot put into words what this book in its entirety made me feel.
This one is a hard one to review, but I'll try and sum it up in a nutshell. This collection is intense, complex, confusing, violent, dissociative, dark, messy, hopeful, depressing, bleak. It is horror of another form, the horror of being human. The horror of trauma. The horror of loss and grief and broken minds. The horror of reality, of how it could happen to any of us at any time. The horror of being alone, of having no one you can count on, knowing that everyone looks at you with the uncomfortable side eye as they try to slowly and quietly exit your life because you're too much. Too strange. Too out of touch with reality. Too lost. Too broken. It is a bleak journey through a coming of age with mental illness. Of having always known it exists because your mother had it. And her mother. And probably her mother. I can't tell you how I felt about this, because I don't know, I can't put it into words...
This is a collection of short stories that cover a wide range of topics. Mental illness of various natures are at the forefront alongside grief and coming of age. Make sure you check the warnings because there are a lot of things that are touched on that could be quite upsetting for many.
I found it so hard to work out my rating for this short story collection, and even harder to try and work out my thoughts on it. This is a very bleak and depressing book. It's very dark, it's haunting in its execution and it touches on a gamut of different things, not sugar coating or shying away from anything. This book was horror of a different kind, and I wasn't expecting it. I knew it was a collection of short stories. But I didn't realise the type of horror that I'd be reading. I actually had a conversation with my bestie while I was 30% through it, and I told her how I was so torn because It's not what I expected, and I didn't know how I felt about it. It made me feel uncomfortable in a weird way. In the way where I feel like there's a strange pressure in my throat, like I used to get as a very young child, I think it's just one of the many ways that my anxiety has liked to present itself over the years. Though I didn't feel anxious. I felt a kinda way, and it's so hard to me to describe it. Uncomfortable is the only word that comes to mind. It made me want to have a shower, brush my teeth, get a good night's sleep. It was such a bizarre feeling. It is currently making me ramble on incessantly, yet not say much. It's the person on the sidewalk, that you avert your eyes from because you know that they're going to ask you for money, or a smoke. It pulls back the curtain and actually allows you to see the dark, dripping parts of the human psyche and how broken it can become.
This was one of those books that I wasn't sure I 'got', to be honest, I'm still not sure that I 'got' it. I feel like a large portion of it went over my head. The majority of the stories, I felt, were interconnected, following the same female character throughout her life from a young age, up into her later years. But after reading over some other reviews, I now believe that I was incorrect in this assumption? It seems that they're not all interconnected, at least, according to others. So I'm still left feeling like maybe it went over my head after all. Maybe it's one of those books that I'm just not meant to 'get'.
One thing that I remember thinking as I finished this story, was that I feel like it gave great insight into the mind of someone with mental illness. I feel like Gordon did a fantastic job of illustrating the potential thought patterns of someone with schizophrenia. The confusion that the female lead (leads?) had throughout the entire collection, was a common factor in all of the stories. Having her grip on reality constantly keep slipping, losing chunks of time, never knowing what was real and what was not. Seeing things in the environment. The more of this book that I read, the more I settled into a comfort that was different. With each story, my brain became more and more comfortable because 'this is just how it is for her' so I found it easier to continue on as I got further through. I found the poem to be heart wrenching and gut churning, and I can't even tell you why. I cannot put into words what this book in its entirety made me feel.
This one is a hard one to review, but I'll try and sum it up in a nutshell. This collection is intense, complex, confusing, violent, dissociative, dark, messy, hopeful, depressing, bleak. It is horror of another form, the horror of being human. The horror of trauma. The horror of loss and grief and broken minds. The horror of reality, of how it could happen to any of us at any time. The horror of being alone, of having no one you can count on, knowing that everyone looks at you with the uncomfortable side eye as they try to slowly and quietly exit your life because you're too much. Too strange. Too out of touch with reality. Too lost. Too broken. It is a bleak journey through a coming of age with mental illness. Of having always known it exists because your mother had it. And her mother. And probably her mother. I can't tell you how I felt about this, because I don't know, I can't put it into words...
April 9, 2024
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Recommendation:
There is this one sentence in this book that describes the book actually quite well: ‘I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought.’ So if you like thought-provoking books, read this. If not, definitely not read it. The whole book is complicated written and leaves you to understand it.
There is every trigger you can think of, and it focuses on mental and emotional triggers like eating disorders, schizophrenia and more. Don't read the book if you have such triggers.
Review
Likes:
About the emotional parts; They are really well described (most of the time in a metaphorical way) and it also seems a bit personal as it's not the typical abuse story. Never heard before that one chews their hair when nervous, for example.
Dislikes:
The blurb has a huge issue; Every trigger is mentioned except that it also includes sexual content and r@pe. I am triggered by both and I needed to skip certain parts of the Simulacrum chapter 'cause of it.
In my opinion, that 'service' scene was a bit too long. I know that an Anapher is there to let a word stand out and make it more important but it loses its effect when it's too often used.
I know that the book will be about miscarriage, but I thought that she won't get pregnant again. I usually don't read books where a character is pregnant in the present.
The ending was sudden, but felt really dull. It was excepted. And it ended so soon. I know the book isn't long, but it felt like something was missing. Like detail for the ending.
What to do for a higher rating:
I would advise to change the blurb a bit and mention that the story includes r@pe. That's what mainly put me off and made the story unenjoyable. 'Cause I didn't know that it included this trigger.
End note/Final thoughts:
Thank you for the advanced reader copy of The Japanese Box and Other Stories by Jennifer Anne Gordon.
I was a bit triggered and couldn't imagine what exactly was meant sometimes (complicated writing style) and in general I thought the story would be a bit different. It wasn't my taste, but that doesn't mean it can't be liked by someone else.
Started the book: 09. April 2024
Finished the book: 09. April 2024
Wrote the review: 09. April 2024
Recommendation:
There is this one sentence in this book that describes the book actually quite well: ‘I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought.’ So if you like thought-provoking books, read this. If not, definitely not read it. The whole book is complicated written and leaves you to understand it.
There is every trigger you can think of, and it focuses on mental and emotional triggers like eating disorders, schizophrenia and more. Don't read the book if you have such triggers.
Review
Likes:
About the emotional parts; They are really well described (most of the time in a metaphorical way) and it also seems a bit personal as it's not the typical abuse story. Never heard before that one chews their hair when nervous, for example.
Dislikes:
The blurb has a huge issue; Every trigger is mentioned except that it also includes sexual content and r@pe. I am triggered by both and I needed to skip certain parts of the Simulacrum chapter 'cause of it.
In my opinion, that 'service' scene was a bit too long. I know that an Anapher is there to let a word stand out and make it more important but it loses its effect when it's too often used.
I know that the book will be about miscarriage, but I thought that she won't get pregnant again. I usually don't read books where a character is pregnant in the present.
The ending was sudden, but felt really dull. It was excepted. And it ended so soon. I know the book isn't long, but it felt like something was missing. Like detail for the ending.
What to do for a higher rating:
I would advise to change the blurb a bit and mention that the story includes r@pe. That's what mainly put me off and made the story unenjoyable. 'Cause I didn't know that it included this trigger.
End note/Final thoughts:
Thank you for the advanced reader copy of The Japanese Box and Other Stories by Jennifer Anne Gordon.
I was a bit triggered and couldn't imagine what exactly was meant sometimes (complicated writing style) and in general I thought the story would be a bit different. It wasn't my taste, but that doesn't mean it can't be liked by someone else.
Started the book: 09. April 2024
Finished the book: 09. April 2024
Wrote the review: 09. April 2024
August 31, 2023
The Review
This was such a powerful and thought-provoking read. I’ve been such a huge fan of the author’s previous works, and so I was immediately drawn into the narrative. The visual imagery, the atmosphere, and the tension were all perfectly executed in this narrative, and yet it was the simple observations that really stood out. Amongst the horror and the tragedy of each story, moments, where one character would fixate on a K-Mart razor blade or a plastic bag from a convenience store, would create that unsettled feeling and become a great juxtaposition to the narratives themselves.
The combination of the mystery behind these narrators in each story with the emotional tragedy each story seemed to touch on made this such a compelling collection. The themes of toxic love, loss, trauma, and so much more became the focal point of each story’s dark twist, and the imagery and dialogue surrounding those themes in each story felt like something out of a Mike Flannigan show, speaking to the depth of what it means to be human against the backdrop of a great horror story.
The Verdict
Shocking, emotional, and heart-pounding, author Jennifer Anne Gordon’s “The Japanese Box and Other Stories” is a must-read horror anthology. The surprising, at times jarring twists each story takes onto itself and the heartfelt themes that speak to so many of us and touch upon everything from mental health to relationships and more, made this a gripping collection that you will return to time and time again.
This was such a powerful and thought-provoking read. I’ve been such a huge fan of the author’s previous works, and so I was immediately drawn into the narrative. The visual imagery, the atmosphere, and the tension were all perfectly executed in this narrative, and yet it was the simple observations that really stood out. Amongst the horror and the tragedy of each story, moments, where one character would fixate on a K-Mart razor blade or a plastic bag from a convenience store, would create that unsettled feeling and become a great juxtaposition to the narratives themselves.
The combination of the mystery behind these narrators in each story with the emotional tragedy each story seemed to touch on made this such a compelling collection. The themes of toxic love, loss, trauma, and so much more became the focal point of each story’s dark twist, and the imagery and dialogue surrounding those themes in each story felt like something out of a Mike Flannigan show, speaking to the depth of what it means to be human against the backdrop of a great horror story.
The Verdict
Shocking, emotional, and heart-pounding, author Jennifer Anne Gordon’s “The Japanese Box and Other Stories” is a must-read horror anthology. The surprising, at times jarring twists each story takes onto itself and the heartfelt themes that speak to so many of us and touch upon everything from mental health to relationships and more, made this a gripping collection that you will return to time and time again.
April 17, 2024
Japanese Box & Other Stories
Author:- Jennifer Ann Gordon
Book :- 140 Pages
Publisher:- Last Waltz Publishing
The Japanese Box is a love letter to anxiety, trauma, grief, and longing. It is a story of a child becoming
an adult, and all the ghosts and misfortunes that happen in order to survive.
The Lithium Moon: Simone is an artist by day, and an emotionally abused wife at night. She is a
successful artist with a long history of schizoid effective disorder with bipolar tendencies.
Review....
The short stories in this book are not light & airy ( ⚠️ Trigger warnings ⚠️ )
* Trauma
* murderous Thoughts
* slight sexual themes
* suicidal thoughts
* miscarriage
* loss
& other issues.
If ur OK with reading any of this then pick up this book... The short stories are only a few pages long but the wording used with a disturbing narrative to each story pulls you in wanting to read the events that unfold before you, each story dealing with growing up & how certain events form us and cause us to grow up too fast, but there are also 1 or 2 stories that deal with adult themed issues like miscarriage & this story hit me quite hard ( I have experienced miscarriage twice in my past).
It's worth a read but do not read if these triggers effect you allot
Author:- Jennifer Ann Gordon
Book :- 140 Pages
Publisher:- Last Waltz Publishing
The Japanese Box is a love letter to anxiety, trauma, grief, and longing. It is a story of a child becoming
an adult, and all the ghosts and misfortunes that happen in order to survive.
The Lithium Moon: Simone is an artist by day, and an emotionally abused wife at night. She is a
successful artist with a long history of schizoid effective disorder with bipolar tendencies.
Review....
The short stories in this book are not light & airy ( ⚠️ Trigger warnings ⚠️ )
* Trauma
* murderous Thoughts
* slight sexual themes
* suicidal thoughts
* miscarriage
* loss
& other issues.
If ur OK with reading any of this then pick up this book... The short stories are only a few pages long but the wording used with a disturbing narrative to each story pulls you in wanting to read the events that unfold before you, each story dealing with growing up & how certain events form us and cause us to grow up too fast, but there are also 1 or 2 stories that deal with adult themed issues like miscarriage & this story hit me quite hard ( I have experienced miscarriage twice in my past).
It's worth a read but do not read if these triggers effect you allot
April 11, 2024
This little collection is short and sweet, consisting of 3 short stories and a poem, but hits the mark with each.
The first story consists of a single part, and features aguy stuck in a relationship that's consuming his soul and when he's finally free, finds the hold she has on him is deeper than he can escape.
The second is a several part story of trauma from which the book takes its title. It's raw and emotional and again features the theme of life trapping you in its grip, with a somewhat preternatural twist.
Lastly, is a classic werewolf story with a twist, from the viewpoint of a wife stuck in an unsupportive relationship and a history of pregnancies gone awry, and by which she's haunted.
All 4 parts to the book feature heavy themes of mental health and mental anguish, all portrayed well in my opinion. They also each shine a light on a variety of relationships that fill readers and protagonists alike with dread and moral questioning, something I enjoy a lot about the horrid genre especially when written by women, I've found.
The first story consists of a single part, and features aguy stuck in a relationship that's consuming his soul and when he's finally free, finds the hold she has on him is deeper than he can escape.
The second is a several part story of trauma from which the book takes its title. It's raw and emotional and again features the theme of life trapping you in its grip, with a somewhat preternatural twist.
Lastly, is a classic werewolf story with a twist, from the viewpoint of a wife stuck in an unsupportive relationship and a history of pregnancies gone awry, and by which she's haunted.
All 4 parts to the book feature heavy themes of mental health and mental anguish, all portrayed well in my opinion. They also each shine a light on a variety of relationships that fill readers and protagonists alike with dread and moral questioning, something I enjoy a lot about the horrid genre especially when written by women, I've found.
May 20, 2024
Rating: 2.05 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 2.75/5
-Cover: 1/5
-Story: 2/5
-Writing: 3.5/5
Genre: Horror
-Horror: 1/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Maybe?
Hated|Disliked|Meh|It Was Okay|Liked|Really Liked|Loved
Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.
This whole book was so depressing. There was not really any horror, maybe how life can be horrible but that's about it. I believe I was confused for a majority of the book because I though the stories intertwined with each other but that wasn't the case, I think 3 stories could be grouped together and the other three could be grouped separately together? Then there was one all by its lonesome? I don't know, it was all a bit messy.
-Characters: 2.75/5
-Cover: 1/5
-Story: 2/5
-Writing: 3.5/5
Genre: Horror
-Horror: 1/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Maybe?
Hated|Disliked|Meh|It Was Okay|Liked|Really Liked|Loved
Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.
This whole book was so depressing. There was not really any horror, maybe how life can be horrible but that's about it. I believe I was confused for a majority of the book because I though the stories intertwined with each other but that wasn't the case, I think 3 stories could be grouped together and the other three could be grouped separately together? Then there was one all by its lonesome? I don't know, it was all a bit messy.
April 22, 2024
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
I initially skimmed over this book, because to be honest I wasn't a huge fan of the cover. BUT the horror genre is near and dear to my heart, haha.
This book is a collection of short stories based around grief, anxiety and trauma. It's pretty short in length, so very easy to get through.
And I'm honestly a huge fan of short story collections anyway.
Lithium Moon really ... captured me. Out of everything in that book, that story really struck me. I don't 'want to say too much to give the storyline away, but it features artist Simone who has bpd and skitzo-effective disorder.
If you're a horror fan, check this one out. Worth the read even if it doesn't wow you completely.
I initially skimmed over this book, because to be honest I wasn't a huge fan of the cover. BUT the horror genre is near and dear to my heart, haha.
This book is a collection of short stories based around grief, anxiety and trauma. It's pretty short in length, so very easy to get through.
And I'm honestly a huge fan of short story collections anyway.
Lithium Moon really ... captured me. Out of everything in that book, that story really struck me. I don't 'want to say too much to give the storyline away, but it features artist Simone who has bpd and skitzo-effective disorder.
If you're a horror fan, check this one out. Worth the read even if it doesn't wow you completely.
October 11, 2023
Lyrical, Short, & delightful
In The Japanese Box, Jennifer Anne Gordon pulls readers into a disturbing narrative that will shake them in many ways and open windows into an honest exploration of what it is about growing up. The writing is stellar, and the terrific descriptions deftly capture frightful moments. The vivid writing and the author's extraordinary storytelling skill offer poignant scenes of coming-of-age trauma, anxiety, and circumstances that forces a young child to quickly grow up. In another story, a gifted artist with a mental disorder must struggle with domestic abuse. She experiences miscarriage due to the painful marriage experience. Thos who enjoy poetry will revel in What Stage Grief, a poem that is beautifully crafted and that has strong currents of languor. Gordon's writing is powerful and her ability to write compelling narratives is unmistakably evident in The Japanese Box.
In The Japanese Box, Jennifer Anne Gordon pulls readers into a disturbing narrative that will shake them in many ways and open windows into an honest exploration of what it is about growing up. The writing is stellar, and the terrific descriptions deftly capture frightful moments. The vivid writing and the author's extraordinary storytelling skill offer poignant scenes of coming-of-age trauma, anxiety, and circumstances that forces a young child to quickly grow up. In another story, a gifted artist with a mental disorder must struggle with domestic abuse. She experiences miscarriage due to the painful marriage experience. Thos who enjoy poetry will revel in What Stage Grief, a poem that is beautifully crafted and that has strong currents of languor. Gordon's writing is powerful and her ability to write compelling narratives is unmistakably evident in The Japanese Box.
April 5, 2024
While this is a short collection of stories, each tale is dark and disturbingly beautiful in its own way. This author writes with raw emotion, and the JAPANESE BOX drips with it. The author explores the theme of the emptiness inside of us and the different ways that people cope with it in a haunting and lyrical way.
It was easy to get lost in this book, and I wish it was longer. I will definitely seek out more work from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy.
It was easy to get lost in this book, and I wish it was longer. I will definitely seek out more work from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy.
June 2, 2024
My expectations of this book were quite high and I pictured it differently.
I don’t shy away from depressing, bleak and horror stories but this book was not for me. There’s not any horror (or at least the horror you expect). There is enough of the horrors in life throughout the stories and how horrible life can be and it explored grief, mental illness and trauma.
At first I thought all the different stories would intertwine with each other but that wasn’t the case.
I still think it was very well written and I was able to read it in one setting.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I don’t shy away from depressing, bleak and horror stories but this book was not for me. There’s not any horror (or at least the horror you expect). There is enough of the horrors in life throughout the stories and how horrible life can be and it explored grief, mental illness and trauma.
At first I thought all the different stories would intertwine with each other but that wasn’t the case.
I still think it was very well written and I was able to read it in one setting.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
July 28, 2023
Jennifer Anne Gordon takes us on a deep ride with grief and loss tangled with layers of love. The Japanese Box is relatable and raw, exploring the pieces that haunt us and the ghosts from our past that linger and speak to each of us. My heart was with her throughout this book, and hers with mine. Her writing beautifully evokes a melody we all will understand and connect with as we walk our own grief stories.
April 18, 2024
Short story collections usually aren’t my thing, but I LOVED this. The stories were masterfully interwoven and had such an eerie atmosphere hanging over it like a dark miasma. Jennifer Anne Gordon’s writing is so poetic and beautifully crafted. A horrifying (and at times hyperrealistic) take on mental illness, she was able to accomplish so much in such a short amount of pages.
I initially received an ARC copy, but read/reviewed after release.
I initially received an ARC copy, but read/reviewed after release.
July 17, 2023
Raw, intimate, and stunningly visceral, THE JAPANESE BOX and other stories is a literary tasting menu, of poetry and prose, of the personal and profound. At turns shocking, then tender, the collection explores the unhealed parts of us, and the parts that will never heal; the very stitching of the soul. It moves between the preternatural and the all-too-real, the physical and the banal, the psyche and the soul. It left me breathless.
January 24, 2024
The Japanese Box. Really enjoyed this book. Excellent perception of mental health and done in Jennifer’s unique poetic style. Beautiful and sad.
May 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this collection and how it explored grief, trauma, and mental illness.
September 2, 2025
This collection is beautiful and devastating. My favorite story was The Japanese Box, which absolutely deserves to be the title story. I read it and felt understood.
December 20, 2023
A Haunting Journey. The Japanese Box evoked childhood memories of feeling both a part of, and apart from, the world. Jennifer Anne Gordon skillfully captures the emotions of angst, surety and insecurity of self, trauma, and the beautifully macabre. Her deft handling of twists and turns of the tricks our minds play upon us kept me turning pages, and disappointed only because it ended so soon. I anticipate revisiting this collection for years to come. It is a superb blend of literary devices of both fiction and memoir. Well done.
August 18, 2023
This book was so powerful. I was immediately fully invested in our narrator and hung in every word. I devoured this story. I love everything Jennifer Anne Gordon has written, but this book had so much more intensity for me. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.
August 11, 2023
Another masterpiece! <3 <3 <3
May 17, 2024
@netgalley arc
Este livro foi uma excelente surpresa!
Uma jornada bastante emocional e intensa!
Com uma escrita requintada e belíssima que desafia os limites entre a fantasia e a realidade, é sem dúvida uma leitura recomendada para quem aprecia histórias que mergulham profundamente no psicológico e no sobrenatural.
The Japanese Box and Other Stories é uma coleção de contos, que explora temas como horror, luto e trauma.
Com 3 contos e um poema lindíssimo , o meu favorito é precisamente o que dá nome ao livro, “The Japanese Box”, uma autêntica carta de amor à ansiedade, ao trauma e ao luto, narrada pelos olhos de uma criança, obrigada a amadurecer precocemente ao mesmo tempo que enfrenta os seus próprios fantasmas e demónios.
No último conto, “The Lithium Moon”, conhecemos Simone, uma pintora de sucesso durante o dia e uma esposa emocionalmente abusada à noite, com um longo histórico de transtorno esquizoafetivo com tendências bipolares. Quando o seu casamento piora, ela sofre o seu primeiro aborto espontâneo, que coincide com uma lua cheia, e provoca alucinações sobre lobisomens na cabeça de Simone.
Uma narrativa com uma beleza poética mas com um toque bem sobrenatural.
Recomendo a apreciadores do género.
Este livro foi uma excelente surpresa!
Uma jornada bastante emocional e intensa!
Com uma escrita requintada e belíssima que desafia os limites entre a fantasia e a realidade, é sem dúvida uma leitura recomendada para quem aprecia histórias que mergulham profundamente no psicológico e no sobrenatural.
The Japanese Box and Other Stories é uma coleção de contos, que explora temas como horror, luto e trauma.
Com 3 contos e um poema lindíssimo , o meu favorito é precisamente o que dá nome ao livro, “The Japanese Box”, uma autêntica carta de amor à ansiedade, ao trauma e ao luto, narrada pelos olhos de uma criança, obrigada a amadurecer precocemente ao mesmo tempo que enfrenta os seus próprios fantasmas e demónios.
No último conto, “The Lithium Moon”, conhecemos Simone, uma pintora de sucesso durante o dia e uma esposa emocionalmente abusada à noite, com um longo histórico de transtorno esquizoafetivo com tendências bipolares. Quando o seu casamento piora, ela sofre o seu primeiro aborto espontâneo, que coincide com uma lua cheia, e provoca alucinações sobre lobisomens na cabeça de Simone.
Uma narrativa com uma beleza poética mas com um toque bem sobrenatural.
Recomendo a apreciadores do género.
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