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Stuff
Some love stories never end—no matter how many times you try to bury them.
contains very dark themes.
1968, Long Island. In a strip of woods behind a quiet street, a torn, stitched thing lies in the leaves—soft as cotton, ugly as sin, carrying the echo of something human.
Just a child’s toy.
But toys don’t follow you home.
Over the years, families move in and out of the houses along Pea Pond Road. Beneath those polite suburban lawns, something waits—quiet, shapeless, hungry. It loves to be held. It loves to be touched. But it doesn’t let go without taking something with it.
Stuff is a story of inheritance and infection, of memories that won’t stay buried and little things that refuse to die.
For readers of Shirley Jackson, early Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury—an unsettling descent into what we keep, what we pass down, and what finally consumes us.
contains very dark themes.
1968, Long Island. In a strip of woods behind a quiet street, a torn, stitched thing lies in the leaves—soft as cotton, ugly as sin, carrying the echo of something human.
Just a child’s toy.
But toys don’t follow you home.
Over the years, families move in and out of the houses along Pea Pond Road. Beneath those polite suburban lawns, something waits—quiet, shapeless, hungry. It loves to be held. It loves to be touched. But it doesn’t let go without taking something with it.
Stuff is a story of inheritance and infection, of memories that won’t stay buried and little things that refuse to die.
For readers of Shirley Jackson, early Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury—an unsettling descent into what we keep, what we pass down, and what finally consumes us.
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 25, 2026
Definitely not for kids. It was an interesting read.
March 21, 2026
A Masterpiece
There’s a scene in the book showing a carrousel w mechanical arms waving; this is reminiscent of the entire theme of the tale: people merely going thru the motions of life, aimless and w out purpose.
There are no happy endings promised here since there are none in real life, and this is one of the main ideas of this story. Getting things settled, finding love or resolving issues is not the point of this story or of life and this is why it is such prolific work. Satisfactory resolutions are unnecessary here, again as in life because they rarely happen.
This is why it is such a masterwork; no need to dwell on the good girl growing up positive ly, no reason to eventually find the lost child, no need to make up and live a happy life bec that just doesn’t always happen. The drunk, the abuser, the cruel and the scared all have their roles to play w out a need for reprieve and this too is reality.
Stuff is a mesmerizing tale for the positivity it leaves out, not the climactic resolutions it provides. Characters change their identities in order to hide from social complications as we all do, wearing our masks in public. And in the end, with no resolution, that negative becomes one in itself, leaving us with the possibility of destroying all.
There’s a scene in the book showing a carrousel w mechanical arms waving; this is reminiscent of the entire theme of the tale: people merely going thru the motions of life, aimless and w out purpose.
There are no happy endings promised here since there are none in real life, and this is one of the main ideas of this story. Getting things settled, finding love or resolving issues is not the point of this story or of life and this is why it is such prolific work. Satisfactory resolutions are unnecessary here, again as in life because they rarely happen.
This is why it is such a masterwork; no need to dwell on the good girl growing up positive ly, no reason to eventually find the lost child, no need to make up and live a happy life bec that just doesn’t always happen. The drunk, the abuser, the cruel and the scared all have their roles to play w out a need for reprieve and this too is reality.
Stuff is a mesmerizing tale for the positivity it leaves out, not the climactic resolutions it provides. Characters change their identities in order to hide from social complications as we all do, wearing our masks in public. And in the end, with no resolution, that negative becomes one in itself, leaving us with the possibility of destroying all.
February 27, 2025
I enjoyed this story. . .It is like three different stories rolled up in one. When the stories would connect there would be a ah-ha moment. . .and then the question on where it is going to lead next. Can't help but wonder if there's going to be a follow up story.
August 18, 2025
Made no sense whatsoever.
February 14, 2025
This is a review that is in collaboration with my Reedsy Reviewer.
I was optimistic about Stuff by Bill Kurklen, but unfortunately, it fell short for me.
The premise seemed intriguing at first, and I was excited to dive in, but the execution left a lot to be desired. From the very beginning, the constant jumping between characters and settings made it difficult to stay engaged. It felt like I was being pulled in too many directions at once, and instead of weaving the story together, the shifts left the narrative feeling disjointed.
The characters themselves had potential, but because of the rapid transitions and lack of focus between jumping through the chapters/characters, I found it hard to connect with them on any meaningful level. Their motivations were often unclear, and the fragmented structure made it difficult to fully understand their roles within the larger story. As a result, I struggled to feel invested in their journeys.
The premise also didn’t resonate with me. While it initially seemed like the book would offer an interesting exploration of its themes, whatever the message or purpose was became lost in the chaos. Because of all the jumping back and forth and losing the plot, I did stop the book halfway through, as I did not find it enjoyable to my tastes.
For me, Stuff was simply too chaotic to feel immersive or satisfying. I truly couldn't concentrate long enough on one character before jumping to another one - I did not see any connections between them, nor were their stories fleshed out before moving to another.
That said, I can see how this book might appeal to readers who enjoy fragmented or experimental storytelling. The narrative style could work for those who appreciate a challenge and don’t mind piecing together the threads on their own. It almost felt like an anthology story to me - and I am not too big of a fan of those, so it would make sense that I could not finish this book.
My Reedsy Review can be found here: https://reedsy.com/discovery/reviewer...
I was optimistic about Stuff by Bill Kurklen, but unfortunately, it fell short for me.
The premise seemed intriguing at first, and I was excited to dive in, but the execution left a lot to be desired. From the very beginning, the constant jumping between characters and settings made it difficult to stay engaged. It felt like I was being pulled in too many directions at once, and instead of weaving the story together, the shifts left the narrative feeling disjointed.
The characters themselves had potential, but because of the rapid transitions and lack of focus between jumping through the chapters/characters, I found it hard to connect with them on any meaningful level. Their motivations were often unclear, and the fragmented structure made it difficult to fully understand their roles within the larger story. As a result, I struggled to feel invested in their journeys.
The premise also didn’t resonate with me. While it initially seemed like the book would offer an interesting exploration of its themes, whatever the message or purpose was became lost in the chaos. Because of all the jumping back and forth and losing the plot, I did stop the book halfway through, as I did not find it enjoyable to my tastes.
For me, Stuff was simply too chaotic to feel immersive or satisfying. I truly couldn't concentrate long enough on one character before jumping to another one - I did not see any connections between them, nor were their stories fleshed out before moving to another.
That said, I can see how this book might appeal to readers who enjoy fragmented or experimental storytelling. The narrative style could work for those who appreciate a challenge and don’t mind piecing together the threads on their own. It almost felt like an anthology story to me - and I am not too big of a fan of those, so it would make sense that I could not finish this book.
My Reedsy Review can be found here: https://reedsy.com/discovery/reviewer...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews