Animals in Captivity

by Kate Segriff

International award-winning writer Kate Segriff’s debut short story collection is a sleeper hit in the making, loaded with fierce, unapologetic writing about women struggling against poverty, addiction, and a world that wants to drag them down. With hope and hilarity, Segriff transports us from speakeasies to heavy metal concerts on Hudson’s Bay, where we meet neurodiverse miners, opiate-dependent, train-riding teens, and a tree-murdering grandma.   


In her unyielding debut story collection, Kate Segriff’s characters are fierce, unapologetic, and not afraid to plunge headfirst into chaos. Animals in Captivity takes us from the 1930’s to the present day, from Fogo Island, NL, to Lethbridge, Alberta, from speakeasies to heavy metal concerts on Hudson’s Bay, where we meet neurodiverse miners, opiate-dependent, train-riding teens, and a tree-murdering grandma. With matter-of-fact prose and dark humour, Segriff guides us through desperate times and unusual circumstances toward hope in an imperfect world.


For fans of We Want What We Want by Alix Ohlin, David Huebert’s Chemical Valley, and Cary Fagen’s Great Adventures for the Faint of Heart, Animals in Captivity feature a motley cast, each ready to snatch their due from the clenched hand of the universe. 

164 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2024

Reviews

[Maggie North · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Segriff's debut short story collection is strange and wonderful, raw yet tender, veering from everyday banality to unspeakably bizarre moments in a single swift sentence. Daring, beautiful, and a little bit dangerous, like a lovely smile with blood between the teeth. Classic Canadian short story genius; story and prose to savour equally.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Call this a solid 3.5 stars. There is the usual mix of stories that interest/don't interest me in such collections, but I appreciate the blunt, in-your-face attitude and snarky-ness apparent in quite a few of these tales. Makes for a refreshing read when characters show no desire or inclination to prevaricate.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I texted Kate after reading the first 3 stories, this book is so effing good. Obviously I know the author, but that's not why I want to play book matchmaker to everyone I know who might appreciate some gritty love stories or weirdo tales of revenge and strange triumph. It is very Canadian: the stories are set in cities and towns across the country. The characters are more important than the settings, though, offbeat characters and families that feel real. These stories are often dark, and just as often funny.

The only downside to this book, from my perspective, is that it's not available in ebook format.