The Marzipan Fruit Basket

by Lucy E.M. Black

The stories in this collection are unifed by a sense of dislocation. In each of the pieces, there is an underlying element of disturbance and disharmony. Resolution threads its way through the narratives while the characters struggle to navigate conscious choices and come to terms with new realities. A perspective that views the complexity of life journeys as a manifestation of intentional decisions, circumstances beyond one's control, and the need to reflect upon the combination of both in order to become fully realized, drives the narrative voices.

“Lucy Black arrives into the world of Can Lit with this compilation of beautifully written short stories that speak to the heart-felt intimacies of both her characters and her readers.”

—Donna Morrissey, author of The Fortunate Brother

240 pages, Paperback

Published May 24, 2017

About the author

Lucy E.M. Black is the author of The Marzipan Fruit Basket, Eleanor Courtown, Stella’s Carpet, The Brickworks and Class Lessons: Stories of Vulnerable Yout and A Quilting of Scars. Her award-winning short stories have been published in Britain, Ireland, USA and Canada in literary journals and magazines including Cyphers Magazine, the Hawai’i Review, The Antigonish Review, the Queen’s Quarterly and others. She is a dynamic workshop presenter, experienced interviewer and freelance writer. She lives with her partner in the small lakeside town of Port Perry, Ontario, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, First Nations.

Reviews

[Hollay Ghadery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The range in this collection of short stories is astounding, in terms of length, but also, in breadth. Lucy's stories explore discomfort and disassociation in our daily lives, and fittingly, left me unsettled and rapt.

The title story, "The Marzipan Fruit Basket", beautifully captured the suspended blur of childhood--not as we look back at it, but as we live it. I loved how that muddled and raw experience was brought to life.

"Creamers" is another remarkable story (they all are, really), because of its strangeness, but how it domesticates strangeness.

A stunning collection, and one I highly recommend.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was sceptical about this book because of the lack of reviews...but oh my god this book is amazing. The short stories each hold a captivating plot, and the book in general is crammed with plot twists, suspense, and surprise. Reading this collection almost felt like watching an episode of black mirror. I loved it 🧡🧡🧡

[K.R. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A child’s first garden with her grandmother. A mother’s past told through her collection of antique creamers. The complex simplicities of rural life. The Marzipan Fruit Basket is a collection of exquisitely written stories filled with wonderfully drawn characters and gem-like insights.

[Debbie Bateman]

Such a diverse collection of stories, each a nugget of thoughtfulness. I found myself especially intrigued by the narrators and how the teller of the story is revealed in a subtler fashion that can echo or contrast the main narrative.

[maya willson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of stories about the simple pains and pleasures of life. Captivating and diverse.

This is what I was hoping for when I started reading Raymond Carver’s work. The expression of everyday life in these stories resonated much more with me.