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Fortune Box
No one knows where or what Tower Ltd Surprise Packages is or why it’s sending gifts to complete strangers across The City. All they know is that each package is the best thing that’s ever happened to them…or the worst. In one box is a packet of seeds that allows you to grow your perfect date. In another there’s a cupcake that causes anyone who eats it to grow eyeballs all over their skin. There’s also a parcel with a mousetrap that turns all your enemies tiny. Or you could receive your autobiography, which when signed, makes your every thought famous. Or maybe even a key to a secret door that leads to another dimension where all your unfinished and abandoned projects exist. But with each package received comes both fortune and misfortune that will surely result in unexpected consequences. Like a season of episodes from The Twilight Zone or Friday the 13th The Series, comes a collection of dark and humorous stories from the premier British female author of bizarro fiction.
101 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2018
7 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 3, 2019
"Perfect, it had been perfect."
Fortune Box was my introduction to bizarro writer Madeleine Swann, and I had so much fun reading it. It's a collection of nine stories, and each begins with a mysterious packages being delivered from a company called Tower Ltd. Surprise Packages. I absolutely loved this idea. It left room for so much creativity, and I had so much fun seeing what was in each package.
Each one is specific to a character in that story, so you get a bit of a weird character study in each story. Some of the "gifts" are funny, some are creepy, some are emotional, and some are just downright strange. There's a good variety here, and the stories are so enjoyable. Also, the cover is so precious, and I love looking at this book.
I wish the stories would have had names instead of just numbers so I could remember them better, but my top 3 stories were 1, 2, and 4. These three were body horror-related & a bit grim; I really loved them. The humane traps for humans in a college dorm one (story 2) was probably my favorite of the collection. I had so much fun reading these.
I found the collection to be stronger in the beginning than it was at the end, but I still enjoyed it the whole way through. I rated everything between 3⭐ to 5⭐, so all the stories in this collection are good.
Fortune Box was my pick for the #ladiesfirst2019 challenge hosted by Ladies of Horror Fiction, and I feel that I chose a great book to kick off 2019. I can't wait to read more from Madeleine Swann! There were so many entertaining ideas in Fortune Box & I would love to see more from her. I recommend this one if you're looking for something amusing yet unsettling.
Fortune Box was my introduction to bizarro writer Madeleine Swann, and I had so much fun reading it. It's a collection of nine stories, and each begins with a mysterious packages being delivered from a company called Tower Ltd. Surprise Packages. I absolutely loved this idea. It left room for so much creativity, and I had so much fun seeing what was in each package.
Each one is specific to a character in that story, so you get a bit of a weird character study in each story. Some of the "gifts" are funny, some are creepy, some are emotional, and some are just downright strange. There's a good variety here, and the stories are so enjoyable. Also, the cover is so precious, and I love looking at this book.
I wish the stories would have had names instead of just numbers so I could remember them better, but my top 3 stories were 1, 2, and 4. These three were body horror-related & a bit grim; I really loved them. The humane traps for humans in a college dorm one (story 2) was probably my favorite of the collection. I had so much fun reading these.
I found the collection to be stronger in the beginning than it was at the end, but I still enjoyed it the whole way through. I rated everything between 3⭐ to 5⭐, so all the stories in this collection are good.
Fortune Box was my pick for the #ladiesfirst2019 challenge hosted by Ladies of Horror Fiction, and I feel that I chose a great book to kick off 2019. I can't wait to read more from Madeleine Swann! There were so many entertaining ideas in Fortune Box & I would love to see more from her. I recommend this one if you're looking for something amusing yet unsettling.
June 15, 2018
Ms Swann has officially written the only bizarro book I would think of giving to my sister (I totally will as well!)
Excellent cover art, lovely book design in general—and fantastic fixy uppy short novelly structure defyingly storyish story(s) to boot!
Ms Swann has made two appearances on my podcast, "Losing the Plot":
https://soundcloud.com/losingtheplotp...
(An early episode and one earlier this year—not linking to specific because they're easy to find and I'm tired.)
And I've also enjoyed interacting with her on social media—therefore I can say that these stories are very much told in her voice and are rich with Swannian fare: Black Mirror-style highly allegorical satire, YouTube/podcast celebrité, contemporary social issues (social media anxiety, alienation, vanity) and more, all dealt with in a humorous and dark voice.
These fairy-morality tales that prove adults have just as much to learn as anyone. In these stories, whether it be a fortunate or misfortunate package that arrives at each character's door, the author seems warmly to suggest that invisible packages have arrived at all of our doorsteps, and may have thrust our lives in hidden directions either through our own (often misguided) efforts, or by chance. This is quite a mind-bending book indeed.
And from what I glean from her YouTube Q&A (to which I asked some questions!) this is a turning point for the author and may prove to be the starting block of a whole new direction in Swann's future fiction!! Which is exciting to consider indeed!
I would've liked "The City", as it is called in the book, to be the real city(or agglomeration thereof) that it is. The book is British in its tone, content, location etc, and I imagined Swann imagining real places. In The City, they become standard bowling alleys, cafes and houses—but real street names and so on would've given these stories a proper specificity of detail that lends itself to greater depth, I felt. That depth is there in the stories, it just needed to be called out I think :) Especially since Swann is one of the few bizarro authors who often anchors her stories in reality (and that other bizarro authors don't do this, I'd guess, is one of the top reasons that turns people off the genre in general. That or inevitable Sturgeon's Law content.)
But anyway: an exquisitely zesty palate cleanser between my usual self-assigned diet of tomes by dead white American men!!
Excellent cover art, lovely book design in general—and fantastic fixy uppy short novelly structure defyingly storyish story(s) to boot!
Ms Swann has made two appearances on my podcast, "Losing the Plot":
https://soundcloud.com/losingtheplotp...
(An early episode and one earlier this year—not linking to specific because they're easy to find and I'm tired.)
And I've also enjoyed interacting with her on social media—therefore I can say that these stories are very much told in her voice and are rich with Swannian fare: Black Mirror-style highly allegorical satire, YouTube/podcast celebrité, contemporary social issues (social media anxiety, alienation, vanity) and more, all dealt with in a humorous and dark voice.
These fairy-morality tales that prove adults have just as much to learn as anyone. In these stories, whether it be a fortunate or misfortunate package that arrives at each character's door, the author seems warmly to suggest that invisible packages have arrived at all of our doorsteps, and may have thrust our lives in hidden directions either through our own (often misguided) efforts, or by chance. This is quite a mind-bending book indeed.
And from what I glean from her YouTube Q&A (to which I asked some questions!) this is a turning point for the author and may prove to be the starting block of a whole new direction in Swann's future fiction!! Which is exciting to consider indeed!
I would've liked "The City", as it is called in the book, to be the real city(or agglomeration thereof) that it is. The book is British in its tone, content, location etc, and I imagined Swann imagining real places. In The City, they become standard bowling alleys, cafes and houses—but real street names and so on would've given these stories a proper specificity of detail that lends itself to greater depth, I felt. That depth is there in the stories, it just needed to be called out I think :) Especially since Swann is one of the few bizarro authors who often anchors her stories in reality (and that other bizarro authors don't do this, I'd guess, is one of the top reasons that turns people off the genre in general. That or inevitable Sturgeon's Law content.)
But anyway: an exquisitely zesty palate cleanser between my usual self-assigned diet of tomes by dead white American men!!
August 4, 2018
Madeleinne Swann is an indie bizarro writer and BookTube friend of mine and so I knew I had to check her book out. It was pretty good, and I liked the concept that tied it together and how it also allowed for standalone stories.
My only gripe was with her speech tags. She’d write things like: “Relax,” the young man embraced him and Terry. To me, that should be, “Relax,” the young man said, embracing him and Terry. But I got used to it and eventually stopped noticing it.
My only gripe was with her speech tags. She’d write things like: “Relax,” the young man embraced him and Terry. To me, that should be, “Relax,” the young man said, embracing him and Terry. But I got used to it and eventually stopped noticing it.
December 15, 2019
A glorious little pick 'n' mix of bizarro shorts. Maddie can turn a phrase with the best of them. There was a line... something like 'His anus prolapsed with surprise' that had me chuckling for way too long.
January 9, 2019
Fortune Box is a collection of independent stories that each begin with unexpected packages being delivered to unsuspecting souls. Some of the gifts had positive results while others were quite negative. I was hoping that the ending would tie all the stories together but it didn’t or it went over my head. Still an enjoyable book.
February 11, 2019
What a weirdly wonderful little horror gem!
Each story begins with the delivery of a strange, unexpected package. Some of them seem normal (at first), like a book. Others are more surreal, like a seed that grows into a boyfriend. But each tale develops into a strange fairytale-esque morality tale with fangs it isn’t afraid to use.
I would classify this as magical realist, as it seems to be set in a realistic world (though the “city” isn’t named) but the truly bizarre things that happen are just accepted as normal to the characters in the stories. I loved every second and read it in one sitting.
Even though the stories are separate, they are tied together by the thread of the packages, and all have a similar tone and purpose. Some are left open-ended, while others tie up more neatly, but I was left with a feeling that the packages were potentially a metaphor for desire.
All of the characters begin the stories wanting something, feeling unhappy with something in their life, or hollow, underappreciated, or unseen in some way, and then the package arrives, giving them . . . something. Though it may not be exactly what they wanted, they are sent on a journey or a trial of some kind, which may teach them that what they wanted was not really what they needed at all.
That was my reading of the stories! I really enjoyed this book, and would love to see more from this author.
Each story begins with the delivery of a strange, unexpected package. Some of them seem normal (at first), like a book. Others are more surreal, like a seed that grows into a boyfriend. But each tale develops into a strange fairytale-esque morality tale with fangs it isn’t afraid to use.
I would classify this as magical realist, as it seems to be set in a realistic world (though the “city” isn’t named) but the truly bizarre things that happen are just accepted as normal to the characters in the stories. I loved every second and read it in one sitting.
Even though the stories are separate, they are tied together by the thread of the packages, and all have a similar tone and purpose. Some are left open-ended, while others tie up more neatly, but I was left with a feeling that the packages were potentially a metaphor for desire.
All of the characters begin the stories wanting something, feeling unhappy with something in their life, or hollow, underappreciated, or unseen in some way, and then the package arrives, giving them . . . something. Though it may not be exactly what they wanted, they are sent on a journey or a trial of some kind, which may teach them that what they wanted was not really what they needed at all.
That was my reading of the stories! I really enjoyed this book, and would love to see more from this author.
December 10, 2018
As a kid I used to watch The Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits, I loved the weird little stories and having my mind blown by a crazy plot twist that nobody in their right mind would have been able to guess. Reading the fortune box brought all those crazy mind bending experiences flooding back. The premise is so cleverly simple, nine different people across a city get a surprise package which alters their life, for the good or bad is down to your point of view. Not once was I able to guess what the outcome would be, come on! what person could have predicted how the parcel with a mousetrap was gonna play out, that one was my favourite by the way.
I think the only weakness was the length of the book, I wanted more parcels....just had a thought, I had a missed parcel card today, I wonder if Tower Ltd have sent me something. Another fantastic thing about this book was an awesome reference to a kids game show from the past, Knightmare was much watched by me too.
The cover is one of my favourites I seen this year, the sweet little girl makes it very eye-catching.
My first Madeleine Swann book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, looking forward to reading more.
Blog post is here> https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2018...
I think the only weakness was the length of the book, I wanted more parcels....just had a thought, I had a missed parcel card today, I wonder if Tower Ltd have sent me something. Another fantastic thing about this book was an awesome reference to a kids game show from the past, Knightmare was much watched by me too.
The cover is one of my favourites I seen this year, the sweet little girl makes it very eye-catching.
My first Madeleine Swann book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, looking forward to reading more.
Blog post is here> https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2018...
June 13, 2018
It sounds shallow but what first drew to this delightful little book was the cover. Look at it, it's so gorgeous I simply had to know what was inside! A book cover so cute my three year old daughter kept making off with it.
But eventually I found it hidden amongst her dollies and was able to finish, but since finishing it it has suspiciously disappeared again. Published by Eraserhead Press this is a little book containing 9 short stories of bizarro fiction. The characters all have one thing in common, they each receive a surprise package from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages which contain a very odd assortment of items that will change their lives.
It gets off to a really good start with Meera's tale, (This was one of my favourites.) who is a dissatisfied young woman who desperately wants to find her perfect date and is not the patient type. After a terrible first date she comes back to her flat to find a package has arrived, containing seeds and a tiny watering can.
For me this tale was my favourite as told from another perspective these stories would be seen as terrifyingly dark, but Madeleine Swann tells them with such charm that on the surface they appear charming and witty. I think if Madeleine chose to write straight up horror her stories would be deemed too scary to publish!
There's some great comic moments in this book which will really have you chuckling, especially the fifth story which feature the strangest love story I have ever come across. The ninth tale, another favourite, centred around Craig who has no luck when it comes to people, was really fun and shows off Madeleine's hilarious sense of humour and contains my favourite passage of the whole book, (page 96 in case you're wondering.You'll know it when you see it.) I've not shared it here as I would hate to spoil the moment for you.
I had so much fun reading this, its's such a great book. I've had a sneak peak on her Goodreads page and there are some amazing sounding titles she has already released such as Rainbows Suck, The Filing Cabinet of Doom and my favourite, Taken Hard at the Magical Time Travel Sex Resort. I need to read all of these!
But eventually I found it hidden amongst her dollies and was able to finish, but since finishing it it has suspiciously disappeared again. Published by Eraserhead Press this is a little book containing 9 short stories of bizarro fiction. The characters all have one thing in common, they each receive a surprise package from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages which contain a very odd assortment of items that will change their lives.
It gets off to a really good start with Meera's tale, (This was one of my favourites.) who is a dissatisfied young woman who desperately wants to find her perfect date and is not the patient type. After a terrible first date she comes back to her flat to find a package has arrived, containing seeds and a tiny watering can.
For me this tale was my favourite as told from another perspective these stories would be seen as terrifyingly dark, but Madeleine Swann tells them with such charm that on the surface they appear charming and witty. I think if Madeleine chose to write straight up horror her stories would be deemed too scary to publish!
There's some great comic moments in this book which will really have you chuckling, especially the fifth story which feature the strangest love story I have ever come across. The ninth tale, another favourite, centred around Craig who has no luck when it comes to people, was really fun and shows off Madeleine's hilarious sense of humour and contains my favourite passage of the whole book, (page 96 in case you're wondering.You'll know it when you see it.) I've not shared it here as I would hate to spoil the moment for you.
I had so much fun reading this, its's such a great book. I've had a sneak peak on her Goodreads page and there are some amazing sounding titles she has already released such as Rainbows Suck, The Filing Cabinet of Doom and my favourite, Taken Hard at the Magical Time Travel Sex Resort. I need to read all of these!
Read
December 13, 2018Boxes with presents! Not necessarily the nice kind. #bookclub4m
December 2, 2018
I am new to the bizarro fiction world. After listening to Madeleine on the Losing the Plot podcast, I decided to give this a shot, with fingers crossed that I would enjoy it. And enjoy it, I did. I really enjoyed the concept of having interconnecting short stories that also work on their own. Each story is funny, witty, at times disturbing and well written. Swann takes a satirical sneer at social issues such as relationships, celebrity culture, materialism, and social class.
I did feel like a couple of the stories ended a little abruptly, and a little more world building would have been nice. I love how the Tower Ltd company remains mysterious throughout. I’ve seen some comments from reviewers comparing this to TV shows such as Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone and it’s very much in that realm. Surreal, highly enjoyable bitesize snacks.
Also, #CoverLove
Anyway, I’m off to open this random box that just got delivered. Until next time, Peace and Love!
Random Melon Reads - Blog | Twitter | Bloglovin’
I did feel like a couple of the stories ended a little abruptly, and a little more world building would have been nice. I love how the Tower Ltd company remains mysterious throughout. I’ve seen some comments from reviewers comparing this to TV shows such as Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone and it’s very much in that realm. Surreal, highly enjoyable bitesize snacks.
Also, #CoverLove
Anyway, I’m off to open this random box that just got delivered. Until next time, Peace and Love!
Random Melon Reads - Blog | Twitter | Bloglovin’
July 25, 2019
Based loosely on the Thomas Ligotti story "The Red Tower", "Fortune Box" takes a high-concept, bizarro approach to the source material. The nine short stories tied together by the idea of 'surprise' packages mailed by an enigmatic company are delightfully inventive, but the real strength is in the insight to the human condition. The stories revolve around unbalanced characters whose primary flaws are exploited by the supernatural contents of the packages. While there is a heavy dose of "be carefully what you wish for", there is also a sense of adversity being able to make us stronger. Join in the British wit and weirdness, a fun read!
December 12, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It consists of nine short stories, all untitled, and all sharing the theme of the protagonist receiving a mystery box from an unknown corporation (the characters in every story receive a box from the same company). The stories themselves range from body horror to the empowerment of women. My favorite is a strangely sweet story of a love triangle between a woman, her husband, and their boiler. Overall, this was an engaging and entertaining book, and I certainly recommend it to fans of weird fiction.
June 18, 2018
Full review to follow.
July 14, 2018
This was so freaking weird I love it. It was like a season of Black Mirror for horror fans.
February 13, 2020
This is a fun collection of short bizarro stories ranging from light-hearted to grotesque. There’s a unique playfulness to Swann’s writing which makes her voice stand out in the genre. Recommended.
November 3, 2021
Maddie is a freaking phenomenal writer, she really understands the conventions of bizarro horror and allows the tendrils of her influence to creep under your skin.
August 13, 2018
Full Review
Fortune Box is a very well-done collection of sometimes horrifying, sometimes charming, often funny, and always strange stories. Anyone seeking odd speculative stories in the vein of Charles Beaumont will enjoy this very much
Fortune Box is a very well-done collection of sometimes horrifying, sometimes charming, often funny, and always strange stories. Anyone seeking odd speculative stories in the vein of Charles Beaumont will enjoy this very much
December 25, 2018
I gave this book 4.5 stars! It is a collection of short stories and it is one of my favorite Indie reads for 2018! Cheers Madeleine!
February 4, 2022
i enjoyed these short stories though, i was hoping maybe they would come together at the end?? maybe i just didn’t get it, but it all seemed very open ended.
May 26, 2019
I first discovered Fortune Box when I saw it appear in Kendall Reviews best books of 2018 – these guys know their thing when it comes to horror fiction, so why don’t you pop on over and give them a follow…you might just end up unearthing some fabulous works in the process too!
So, after seeing this appear on Kendall’s books of the year and reading up on the book, I couldn’t stop my fingers searching it out and purchasing the eBook.
Fortune Box is broken up into nine separate chapters, or shall we call them parcels – each story delves into the strange appearance of packages arriving from a shadowy organisation called Tower Ltd Surprise Packages. The contents of each parcel is different, and turns the lives of the recipient inside out and upside down. It’s a marvellous concept for a short story collection, and the Bizarro / Weird fiction mastery on show by Swann is a joy to behold – with each story being so outlandish, so off the wall, that all bets are off…as Forrest Gump might say ‘You never know what you’re gunna get!’.
I am a huge fan of weird fiction, I also write a fair bit of it myself – so discovering this new voice (well to me anyway) in that field, I couldn’t wait to get started, and Swann’s offering did not disappoint.
Parcel 1 – Seed Man – After a string of disappointing dates and longing to find the perfect man to go with her perfect date, Meera comes home to find a parcel awaiting her from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages. She opens the package and discovers that she can actually grow her very own perfect man and enjoy that oh so perfect date she’s been craving. So, Meera sets about wining and dining her new man. We soon discover though that no matter how manufactured things are, how perfect they all seem, everything has a way of being corrupted, being changed for the worst – I felt as reading we soon find out that the issue may lay with Meera and not the male company she has been craving, as we see her perfect man soon corrupted by the selfish, self obsessed, defiant Meera – the body horror elements of this for me brought to mind the greats such as Clive Barker and David Cronenberg. Swann delivers a masterclass in the weird and the wonderful and this is only the first story!
Parcel 2 – Humane Traps – This one is balls to the wall crazy, and I have to say I loved it. Another mysterious package arrives this time to a student hall. We get from the background information, offered by Swann that there is a lot of backstabbing and many a fractured argument that takes place in this dorm. But Cassandra has received a new gift in the post that may change all of that. She opens her package to reveal a small cage a humane trap has been delivered. It’s small, very small. So, one night annoyed at the bickering in the house, and not sure what to do with the trap she leaves it in in the hallway, hoping someone may trip over it, and off she goes to sleep. When she awakes in the morning the majority of her housemates have been trapped inside, shrunken within the confines of the metal bars. Like small little Mogwai’s, trapped and angry. We all know what happens to Mogwai’s if you don’t follow the instructions carefully – unfortunately for Cassandra this box didn’t come with any and she has to love with the consequences!
‘A police car screeched to a half beside them and two officers leapt out, yelling at Alicia to get down. Alicia didn’t pay any attention, simply carried on chewing merrily on windpipe.’
Parcel 3 – This is Your Life – A man receives a book in the post, inside which is every intimate moment, every thought he’s ever had – his life written in witty anecdotes. There is space at the front for a signature, should he sign? What happens if he does? What will his life be if he doesn’t? So he signs. When he awakes the next morning he’s responsible for the next best seller, he’s a celebrity. But at what cost. He enjoys the fame, the recognition, the fun of it all, but he also has to face the fact that his life is now common knowledge, people reading his darkest secrets and personal regrets. He also has to deal with the online trolls and the bad publicity. A witty culturally relevant story with weirdness coursing through its veins!
‘He wanted to hit her, to keep hitting until there was nothing left…’
Parcel 4 – Eat me Drink Me – This was my favourite story of the collection it was right up my street with regards to weird fiction and the body shock literature that I like to read and write. The package has a glass bottle saying lies and a muffin with writing on it saying truth. She makes her choice and swallows. Our protagonist starts to develop a rash on her arm, the rash spreads like wildfire, swollen lumps begin to move under her skin, creeping to the surface covering her entire body, as the days pass and the lies keep coming. The final reveal is gore-tastic and right up my street! Horrifically beautiful, a real gem in the collection.
‘The thought of seeing the eyes again was too much. She felt them, though, as they swivelled and searched for her, making moist glowing noises. She put her hands over her ears and screwed up her face against any tears threatening to escape.’
Parcel 5 – Engineer – This story is bizarro at its very core and another fabulous offering from Swann. Focusing on Millicent the wife of an aloof Dr. Melford (who’s a bit of a misogynistic dick), she is unhappy with the neglectfulness of her husband and her lot in life. Their boiler breaks and it’s now fallen to Millicent to get in fixed. She opens the box that arrived in the morning from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages and a man jumps out informing her that he is there to fix the boiler. What transpires next is more of a counselling session between Millicent and her boiler, who talks about being ignored and not included – he’s in a way mirroring Millicent’s own disproval of her circumstance. The story is odd but amazing, the way Swann personifies the boiler is exquisite and when we are reading, it’s odd, but you never doubt the fact that this crazy thing is happening.
Parcel 6 – Cabinet – Mark finds a picture inside his box from Tower Ltd – it’s of the cabinet that he sold on eBay but the purchaser failed to turn up to collect, so it is currently occupying the driveway outside his house. The picture is hand drawn and has a treasure map of sorts (instructions) of where he needs to take it. Mark takes the cabinet to the location and skulks off to wait in the shadows to see what is to come of this strange request. Mark watches as people begin to shuffle along, open the cabinet and placing items inside, people continue to show up until there is a queue of people waiting to put their items in his cabinet, leave them there for a few moments before taking them out and going about their business. After the crowd dissipates, Mark feels it’s safe to go back to his cabinet, as he opens it he realises that there is a wad of money inside. An ominous figure appears from the shadows asking if they could purchase his cabinet offering £2000 as its an original Leminski. To a skint Mark this is a mouthwatering prospect, what he does next will change his life dramatically. Another fabulously intricate and deftly constructed piece by Swann which builds to a dramatic and bold climax.
‘”Just to see your books on one of these shelves for ten minutes is a…privilege…not easily forgotten”‘.
Parcel 7 – Cleaning – Two questions awaited Nicky when she opened her box. Do you crave a change? Would you do anything to start a new life? She ticked both. When she awoke she was suddenly moonlighting at an odd etherial establishment, which paid well, but meant she had to do a lot of odd jobs, with even odder outcomes. It seemed like purgatory to me, an odd take on that old chestnut. The story itself felt a little rushed, there was such a unique landscape to be used and played with, but I felt it wasn’t explored as much as the other stories, but it’s a small blip on what is a great collection, if it were longer and Swann could play with the interesting dynamic she had created so well it may have had more of an impact on me.
‘…never mind the weird aches and pains she couldn’t medicate just in case, what really disturbed her was how gloopy her organs felt, like a garden bursting with life after a long winter. She missed her safe, dry groin body. Now she felt on the edge of shitting herself or otherwise leaking fluid like an alien rejecting its human host.’
Parcel 8 – A Rusty Key – a young student receives a rusty key, and on touching it an ornate old oak door appears in her wall. The room in which she disappears into is more like the entrance to a grand hotel, the reception desk is empty, a grand staircase leads up to a number of rooms. The place she finds herself is where all her creative endeavours have been locked away, still being played out in this strange time warp of a hotel. Her podcast she created, still continues to replay and run itself, her TV pilot continues to run but still as awful as she remembered. It’s an interesting idea that Swann deploys and I loved the thought of there being these huge places where our past endeavours are collected and collated. Once again it felt a little rushed to me and the conclusion seemed to come from nowhere – but the themes and story are a marvellous idea, I just felt it needed a little more time to fester.
Parcel 9 – Leaflet – This is an ingenious little tale, I love it when authors splice dark comedy into their weirdness, and Swann excels, both in this collection and with this story in particular. She sets the scene so well, that we are just there enjoying the whole situation unfold, flies on the wall watching the crazy explode. A man opens a box to find a leaflet that details ‘How to win friends and have a jolly good time‘, it’s a guide that he follows to the letter. The dark comedy sewn within this tale is brilliant, it’s very different from the other stories within the collection and shows Swann in a different light too…a fitting end to a great collection.
So, there we have it, a whistle stop tour through the fabulous Fortune Box which was more like discovering the horrors that lurk inside pandoras box. I’ve tried to leave a little to the imagination with each synopsis of the parcels within the collection, but I wanted to offer enough that you may feel enraptured to purchase a copy. The best thing is that there is such variety in Swann’s stories that everyone will find something they love about it – if you are into bizarro / weird fiction this is a pretty tidy book to add to your collection.
Swann splices moments of gritty realism, gory body-horror and dark comedy into a bubbling cocktail of disturbingly delicious delights.
So, after seeing this appear on Kendall’s books of the year and reading up on the book, I couldn’t stop my fingers searching it out and purchasing the eBook.
Fortune Box is broken up into nine separate chapters, or shall we call them parcels – each story delves into the strange appearance of packages arriving from a shadowy organisation called Tower Ltd Surprise Packages. The contents of each parcel is different, and turns the lives of the recipient inside out and upside down. It’s a marvellous concept for a short story collection, and the Bizarro / Weird fiction mastery on show by Swann is a joy to behold – with each story being so outlandish, so off the wall, that all bets are off…as Forrest Gump might say ‘You never know what you’re gunna get!’.
I am a huge fan of weird fiction, I also write a fair bit of it myself – so discovering this new voice (well to me anyway) in that field, I couldn’t wait to get started, and Swann’s offering did not disappoint.
Parcel 1 – Seed Man – After a string of disappointing dates and longing to find the perfect man to go with her perfect date, Meera comes home to find a parcel awaiting her from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages. She opens the package and discovers that she can actually grow her very own perfect man and enjoy that oh so perfect date she’s been craving. So, Meera sets about wining and dining her new man. We soon discover though that no matter how manufactured things are, how perfect they all seem, everything has a way of being corrupted, being changed for the worst – I felt as reading we soon find out that the issue may lay with Meera and not the male company she has been craving, as we see her perfect man soon corrupted by the selfish, self obsessed, defiant Meera – the body horror elements of this for me brought to mind the greats such as Clive Barker and David Cronenberg. Swann delivers a masterclass in the weird and the wonderful and this is only the first story!
Parcel 2 – Humane Traps – This one is balls to the wall crazy, and I have to say I loved it. Another mysterious package arrives this time to a student hall. We get from the background information, offered by Swann that there is a lot of backstabbing and many a fractured argument that takes place in this dorm. But Cassandra has received a new gift in the post that may change all of that. She opens her package to reveal a small cage a humane trap has been delivered. It’s small, very small. So, one night annoyed at the bickering in the house, and not sure what to do with the trap she leaves it in in the hallway, hoping someone may trip over it, and off she goes to sleep. When she awakes in the morning the majority of her housemates have been trapped inside, shrunken within the confines of the metal bars. Like small little Mogwai’s, trapped and angry. We all know what happens to Mogwai’s if you don’t follow the instructions carefully – unfortunately for Cassandra this box didn’t come with any and she has to love with the consequences!
‘A police car screeched to a half beside them and two officers leapt out, yelling at Alicia to get down. Alicia didn’t pay any attention, simply carried on chewing merrily on windpipe.’
Parcel 3 – This is Your Life – A man receives a book in the post, inside which is every intimate moment, every thought he’s ever had – his life written in witty anecdotes. There is space at the front for a signature, should he sign? What happens if he does? What will his life be if he doesn’t? So he signs. When he awakes the next morning he’s responsible for the next best seller, he’s a celebrity. But at what cost. He enjoys the fame, the recognition, the fun of it all, but he also has to face the fact that his life is now common knowledge, people reading his darkest secrets and personal regrets. He also has to deal with the online trolls and the bad publicity. A witty culturally relevant story with weirdness coursing through its veins!
‘He wanted to hit her, to keep hitting until there was nothing left…’
Parcel 4 – Eat me Drink Me – This was my favourite story of the collection it was right up my street with regards to weird fiction and the body shock literature that I like to read and write. The package has a glass bottle saying lies and a muffin with writing on it saying truth. She makes her choice and swallows. Our protagonist starts to develop a rash on her arm, the rash spreads like wildfire, swollen lumps begin to move under her skin, creeping to the surface covering her entire body, as the days pass and the lies keep coming. The final reveal is gore-tastic and right up my street! Horrifically beautiful, a real gem in the collection.
‘The thought of seeing the eyes again was too much. She felt them, though, as they swivelled and searched for her, making moist glowing noises. She put her hands over her ears and screwed up her face against any tears threatening to escape.’
Parcel 5 – Engineer – This story is bizarro at its very core and another fabulous offering from Swann. Focusing on Millicent the wife of an aloof Dr. Melford (who’s a bit of a misogynistic dick), she is unhappy with the neglectfulness of her husband and her lot in life. Their boiler breaks and it’s now fallen to Millicent to get in fixed. She opens the box that arrived in the morning from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages and a man jumps out informing her that he is there to fix the boiler. What transpires next is more of a counselling session between Millicent and her boiler, who talks about being ignored and not included – he’s in a way mirroring Millicent’s own disproval of her circumstance. The story is odd but amazing, the way Swann personifies the boiler is exquisite and when we are reading, it’s odd, but you never doubt the fact that this crazy thing is happening.
Parcel 6 – Cabinet – Mark finds a picture inside his box from Tower Ltd – it’s of the cabinet that he sold on eBay but the purchaser failed to turn up to collect, so it is currently occupying the driveway outside his house. The picture is hand drawn and has a treasure map of sorts (instructions) of where he needs to take it. Mark takes the cabinet to the location and skulks off to wait in the shadows to see what is to come of this strange request. Mark watches as people begin to shuffle along, open the cabinet and placing items inside, people continue to show up until there is a queue of people waiting to put their items in his cabinet, leave them there for a few moments before taking them out and going about their business. After the crowd dissipates, Mark feels it’s safe to go back to his cabinet, as he opens it he realises that there is a wad of money inside. An ominous figure appears from the shadows asking if they could purchase his cabinet offering £2000 as its an original Leminski. To a skint Mark this is a mouthwatering prospect, what he does next will change his life dramatically. Another fabulously intricate and deftly constructed piece by Swann which builds to a dramatic and bold climax.
‘”Just to see your books on one of these shelves for ten minutes is a…privilege…not easily forgotten”‘.
Parcel 7 – Cleaning – Two questions awaited Nicky when she opened her box. Do you crave a change? Would you do anything to start a new life? She ticked both. When she awoke she was suddenly moonlighting at an odd etherial establishment, which paid well, but meant she had to do a lot of odd jobs, with even odder outcomes. It seemed like purgatory to me, an odd take on that old chestnut. The story itself felt a little rushed, there was such a unique landscape to be used and played with, but I felt it wasn’t explored as much as the other stories, but it’s a small blip on what is a great collection, if it were longer and Swann could play with the interesting dynamic she had created so well it may have had more of an impact on me.
‘…never mind the weird aches and pains she couldn’t medicate just in case, what really disturbed her was how gloopy her organs felt, like a garden bursting with life after a long winter. She missed her safe, dry groin body. Now she felt on the edge of shitting herself or otherwise leaking fluid like an alien rejecting its human host.’
Parcel 8 – A Rusty Key – a young student receives a rusty key, and on touching it an ornate old oak door appears in her wall. The room in which she disappears into is more like the entrance to a grand hotel, the reception desk is empty, a grand staircase leads up to a number of rooms. The place she finds herself is where all her creative endeavours have been locked away, still being played out in this strange time warp of a hotel. Her podcast she created, still continues to replay and run itself, her TV pilot continues to run but still as awful as she remembered. It’s an interesting idea that Swann deploys and I loved the thought of there being these huge places where our past endeavours are collected and collated. Once again it felt a little rushed to me and the conclusion seemed to come from nowhere – but the themes and story are a marvellous idea, I just felt it needed a little more time to fester.
Parcel 9 – Leaflet – This is an ingenious little tale, I love it when authors splice dark comedy into their weirdness, and Swann excels, both in this collection and with this story in particular. She sets the scene so well, that we are just there enjoying the whole situation unfold, flies on the wall watching the crazy explode. A man opens a box to find a leaflet that details ‘How to win friends and have a jolly good time‘, it’s a guide that he follows to the letter. The dark comedy sewn within this tale is brilliant, it’s very different from the other stories within the collection and shows Swann in a different light too…a fitting end to a great collection.
So, there we have it, a whistle stop tour through the fabulous Fortune Box which was more like discovering the horrors that lurk inside pandoras box. I’ve tried to leave a little to the imagination with each synopsis of the parcels within the collection, but I wanted to offer enough that you may feel enraptured to purchase a copy. The best thing is that there is such variety in Swann’s stories that everyone will find something they love about it – if you are into bizarro / weird fiction this is a pretty tidy book to add to your collection.
Swann splices moments of gritty realism, gory body-horror and dark comedy into a bubbling cocktail of disturbingly delicious delights.
February 3, 2019
I do enjoy getting my bizarro fiction fix from time to time, you know. It’s not a staple in my literary exploits but now and again I love to delve into some truly weird-ass stories. It’s been a while since I read any so now was as good a time as ever to involve myself once more.
Fortune Box is a collection of nine kind-of related stories and an excellent epilogue that reminded me why I enjoy bizarro so much, and why I should really read more of it. The cover here perfectly encapsulates these stories; quirky and cute, but unnerving and creepy all at the same time.
I say these stories are related, but only in the introductions; each one opens with the protagonist receiving a strange package from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages. Once opened, weird and bizarre (obviously) stuff begins to happen.
These stories really come alive on the page and almost seem realistic, if that’s a term that can be used in bizarro. Such is the easy-reading quality of the writing. They all have a backdrop of modern life, which most bizarro fiction I’ve read seems to bizarre away from. People have regular jobs, relationships, friends; but of course these regularities become twisted very quickly. The tales don’t come across ‘other-worldly’ and you can quite easily imagine them actually happening, kind of. This is what makes them so creepy.
I found the stories drawing me in immediately and the strangeness only seemed to resonate after I’d finished reading. This is credit to the prose, which never goes full-on ‘This is weird!!!’ but instead reads kind of, I don’t know, cute?
Body horror in bizarro is one of its ingredients I enjoy the most, and although there isn’t much of that aspect in this collection, when it comes it’s delivered perfectly. Eyes growing all over a person’s body? Even though that sounds horrendous, the story just comes across almost as fact, leaving the reader to scratch their head at the descriptions with their matter-of-factness. Like I said, thinking about them afterwards makes it creepy as hell.
I sailed through this in no time at all and would recommend it not only to lovers of bizarro, but lovers of stories that start nicely enough, but then take you on journeys you don’t exactly see coming. So everyone, then!
Bizarro yourselves up!!
Fortune Box is a collection of nine kind-of related stories and an excellent epilogue that reminded me why I enjoy bizarro so much, and why I should really read more of it. The cover here perfectly encapsulates these stories; quirky and cute, but unnerving and creepy all at the same time.
I say these stories are related, but only in the introductions; each one opens with the protagonist receiving a strange package from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages. Once opened, weird and bizarre (obviously) stuff begins to happen.
These stories really come alive on the page and almost seem realistic, if that’s a term that can be used in bizarro. Such is the easy-reading quality of the writing. They all have a backdrop of modern life, which most bizarro fiction I’ve read seems to bizarre away from. People have regular jobs, relationships, friends; but of course these regularities become twisted very quickly. The tales don’t come across ‘other-worldly’ and you can quite easily imagine them actually happening, kind of. This is what makes them so creepy.
I found the stories drawing me in immediately and the strangeness only seemed to resonate after I’d finished reading. This is credit to the prose, which never goes full-on ‘This is weird!!!’ but instead reads kind of, I don’t know, cute?
Body horror in bizarro is one of its ingredients I enjoy the most, and although there isn’t much of that aspect in this collection, when it comes it’s delivered perfectly. Eyes growing all over a person’s body? Even though that sounds horrendous, the story just comes across almost as fact, leaving the reader to scratch their head at the descriptions with their matter-of-factness. Like I said, thinking about them afterwards makes it creepy as hell.
I sailed through this in no time at all and would recommend it not only to lovers of bizarro, but lovers of stories that start nicely enough, but then take you on journeys you don’t exactly see coming. So everyone, then!
Bizarro yourselves up!!
February 22, 2019
Fortune Box is my first read by british bizarro horror writer, Madeleine Swann, and she did not disappoint! She takes the profoundly strange and bizarre and tells these stories against realistic backdrops with realistic characters. Ms. Swann brings each story to life in a quirky, cute, creepy, and unnerving way that is in her own unique style and voice.
Fortune Box is compiled of ten chapters and follows nine stories of individuals who receive mysterious packages from a mysterious company called Tower Industries. What at first these packages seem like a blessing, they soon turn to a curse.
In the first instance, a lonely woman, unlucky in love, comes home to a strange box that allows her to grow her perfect date. But when she accidentally cuts the man, instead of taking him to the hospital, she takes him on their dream date, desperate to have a good time, while he is leaking green goo. This first story is a great character study of desperation and how people seek validation and acceptance through relationships.
In another instance, a seemingly "invisible" man with no friends, receives a box that contains a book that will instantly make him famous. The book becomes a best seller, but there is a catch and things go downhill fairly quickly. This is a bit of dark humor and a satire of celebrities in the new age of the internet. It can make you and break you.
Each package comes with some sort of lesson to be learned and it ultimately brings out the worst in some. The stories start out strange from the start, but grow stranger as each story passes, and I loved each one! Each story was strong, with good quality and was consistent in delivering it's fair share of shocks. The author has the ability to take whimsical hopes and take them to a disturbing level effortlessly. So well done, it's almost creepy. It's that good!
Madeleine Swann is a new author that I'm definitely going to be keeping my eye one. Her ability to blend sweet and innocent with dark horror,is a talent indeed. Her writing creates an underlying, horror narrative that waltzes across the page with such ease it's frightening. Fortune Box needs to be on everyone's to be read list! Ms. Swann definitely gets her message across loud and clear- be careful what you wish for! You just might get it.
Fortune Box is compiled of ten chapters and follows nine stories of individuals who receive mysterious packages from a mysterious company called Tower Industries. What at first these packages seem like a blessing, they soon turn to a curse.
In the first instance, a lonely woman, unlucky in love, comes home to a strange box that allows her to grow her perfect date. But when she accidentally cuts the man, instead of taking him to the hospital, she takes him on their dream date, desperate to have a good time, while he is leaking green goo. This first story is a great character study of desperation and how people seek validation and acceptance through relationships.
In another instance, a seemingly "invisible" man with no friends, receives a box that contains a book that will instantly make him famous. The book becomes a best seller, but there is a catch and things go downhill fairly quickly. This is a bit of dark humor and a satire of celebrities in the new age of the internet. It can make you and break you.
Each package comes with some sort of lesson to be learned and it ultimately brings out the worst in some. The stories start out strange from the start, but grow stranger as each story passes, and I loved each one! Each story was strong, with good quality and was consistent in delivering it's fair share of shocks. The author has the ability to take whimsical hopes and take them to a disturbing level effortlessly. So well done, it's almost creepy. It's that good!
Madeleine Swann is a new author that I'm definitely going to be keeping my eye one. Her ability to blend sweet and innocent with dark horror,is a talent indeed. Her writing creates an underlying, horror narrative that waltzes across the page with such ease it's frightening. Fortune Box needs to be on everyone's to be read list! Ms. Swann definitely gets her message across loud and clear- be careful what you wish for! You just might get it.
August 24, 2018
Tower Ltd. Surprise Packages is sending out parcels with very peculiar contents. Each story in this collection is the tale of a different package. Despite different protagonists in each, it reads like a novel. Each package contains a lesson for the recipient, parables almost, on many of humankind’s weaknesses.
The book starts off strong: the hopeless, lonely Meera wants a man in her life, only to grow one through a seed packet sent by Tower. As is the case in many of the stories, Meera realizes her dreams do not equate with reality.
The third story (they lack titles, only numbers) is a perfect parable for all those desiring fame and especially relevant in this time of social media fumbles. While the eighth story, about a pretentious girl whose extravagant plans never follow through, reminded me of myself, and I sympathized with this character. The story granted me some insight into my own life. The sign of all good fiction.
The book is constructed with clear, beautiful prose, full of wonderful metaphor and simile. (I especially loved the description, “Shame bugs crawled up the inside of Terry’s skin.”) The characters are exaggerated (as is common in bizarro), yet real and believable. I enjoyed Swann’s unique stylistic choices (little things like her method of capitalization). Overall, it was a hilarious and clever read.
I must admit a few of the stories were not as interesting as the others and I found myself reading through them just to get to the next story. Still, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a whimsical, well-constructed look at the discrepancy between desire and reality. It does contain some body horror and gore, but in such limited quantities, it should only bother those with the weakest stomachs.
The book starts off strong: the hopeless, lonely Meera wants a man in her life, only to grow one through a seed packet sent by Tower. As is the case in many of the stories, Meera realizes her dreams do not equate with reality.
The third story (they lack titles, only numbers) is a perfect parable for all those desiring fame and especially relevant in this time of social media fumbles. While the eighth story, about a pretentious girl whose extravagant plans never follow through, reminded me of myself, and I sympathized with this character. The story granted me some insight into my own life. The sign of all good fiction.
The book is constructed with clear, beautiful prose, full of wonderful metaphor and simile. (I especially loved the description, “Shame bugs crawled up the inside of Terry’s skin.”) The characters are exaggerated (as is common in bizarro), yet real and believable. I enjoyed Swann’s unique stylistic choices (little things like her method of capitalization). Overall, it was a hilarious and clever read.
I must admit a few of the stories were not as interesting as the others and I found myself reading through them just to get to the next story. Still, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a whimsical, well-constructed look at the discrepancy between desire and reality. It does contain some body horror and gore, but in such limited quantities, it should only bother those with the weakest stomachs.
July 9, 2019
To read Fortune Box is to get a factory tour of Madeleine Swann's brain.
Centered about individuals at life junctions receiving unsolicited packages from a mysterious company known only as Tower LTD., this assortment of tales ranges from the delightfully absurd to the brilliantly satirical.
One story in particular (my personal favorite) even reaches Black Mirror levels of existential dread when a previously ignored and flawed man becomes the person no one can stop talking about. It's not only here but in each of these brief stories Swann can give us so much of these people's lives in such a short time, leaving us intrigued with a story yet curious for more as if looking as old photos from a yard sale.
I've had this book too long, and I can say I have done Madeleine a disservice by not reading this sooner. I can only hope if she returns to this world to deliver more gifts to the unsuspecting, I'll be more quick to be there sooner when they open the packages.
It's a small, weird trinket of a book you can't help but want on your shelf.
Centered about individuals at life junctions receiving unsolicited packages from a mysterious company known only as Tower LTD., this assortment of tales ranges from the delightfully absurd to the brilliantly satirical.
One story in particular (my personal favorite) even reaches Black Mirror levels of existential dread when a previously ignored and flawed man becomes the person no one can stop talking about. It's not only here but in each of these brief stories Swann can give us so much of these people's lives in such a short time, leaving us intrigued with a story yet curious for more as if looking as old photos from a yard sale.
I've had this book too long, and I can say I have done Madeleine a disservice by not reading this sooner. I can only hope if she returns to this world to deliver more gifts to the unsuspecting, I'll be more quick to be there sooner when they open the packages.
It's a small, weird trinket of a book you can't help but want on your shelf.
July 17, 2018
While at Printers Row Lit Fest I found my way over to the Bizarro booth and to my great surprise I spotted this adorable book by Madeleine Swann. It was a small paperback with a beautiful cover. I couldn't help but pickup this book and start reading. Its one of my favorite concepts short stories. A shipping company delivering small parcels to unexpected characters. Each person willingly opening these packages to reveal humorous to down right bizarre situations. I found some of these stories to be quite delightful but other lacked proper completion. I wish the final chapter would have connected these stories more in tune with each other. I adored the short story about the desperate housewife falling in love with her homes furnace/boiler and the unlucky gentleman who is trying to sell an antique table. This book was energetic, quirky, and very playful. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a quick day read and loves Bizarro.
February 19, 2019
This is my first read by Madeleine Swann.
‘Fortune Box’ is a collection of nine short stories. Each story beginning with a mysterious parcel showing up on people’s doorsteps. The parcel comes from a company named ‘Tower LTD. Surprise Packages’
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This concept was unique and creative. Each character receives a parcel tailored to their lives. The stories show the author’s versatility. Each story was bizarre, creepy, funny, and some were just strange as hell.
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One of my favorite stories had to be number 2 and 4. Towards the end the stories fell flat. The first couple of stories were great and strange. The last couple of them lost my attention. Overall, I enjoyed all of the stories. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I think this was a great introduction to Madeleine’s work and I look forward to reading more of her work. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for something short, strange and sweet.
‘Fortune Box’ is a collection of nine short stories. Each story beginning with a mysterious parcel showing up on people’s doorsteps. The parcel comes from a company named ‘Tower LTD. Surprise Packages’
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This concept was unique and creative. Each character receives a parcel tailored to their lives. The stories show the author’s versatility. Each story was bizarre, creepy, funny, and some were just strange as hell.
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One of my favorite stories had to be number 2 and 4. Towards the end the stories fell flat. The first couple of stories were great and strange. The last couple of them lost my attention. Overall, I enjoyed all of the stories. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I think this was a great introduction to Madeleine’s work and I look forward to reading more of her work. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for something short, strange and sweet.
February 18, 2021
I adore the bizarro genre and I thought this was a cute book. Each chapter follows a different person and their surprise package with it all coming together at the end.
This kind of reminded me of black mirror/twilight zone. However my biggest issue is that while these were all great ideas, I wish some of them were fleshed out more. Some of these chapters ended so abruptly that it didn’t feel complete.
Cute book but I was expecting more so I’m just left feeling meh.
This kind of reminded me of black mirror/twilight zone. However my biggest issue is that while these were all great ideas, I wish some of them were fleshed out more. Some of these chapters ended so abruptly that it didn’t feel complete.
Cute book but I was expecting more so I’m just left feeling meh.
August 2, 2023
This is a difficult one to rate for me. I enjoyed the stories and I love the idea for the mystery packages but I felt each story was too fast paced and could have been filled out more. Additionally perhaps it's just me being an idiot (this is very possible) but I did not understand the ending. Perhaps when I reread it in the future I will give it a higher score, I will certainly give the author another try with another of their stories.
January 3, 2021
this bizarro short story collection had a few hits and a few more misses. i wished the author would have spent just a little more time with each one of these stories—some were too abrupt and didn’t feel complete. there were really great ideas with mediocre execution
May 2, 2019
Entertaining, pretty nasty in places, of course. I’m just starting my journey down the Bizarro rabbit hole, and so far it seems a fine place to spend a few hours.
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