Suspended Heart

by Heather Fowler

In an explosion of love’s metaphors, Fowler’s debut magic realism collection, Suspended Heart, takes on American fabulism with a cast of unexpected heroines in the narratives of life and loss—women whose hearts fall out at public malls, women whose bodies bloom with changing seasons, women who sprout blades or have multiple eyes, sleep as snakes, or birth saints like lapis lazuli babies. There’s a fearlessness to this prose, a melody of life and magic and loss. This Collector’s Edition contains three previously uncollected stories.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Magical Realism

261 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 2010

About the author

Heather Fowler is a poet, a fiction writer, a playwright, and a novelist. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Ape Girl Baby (2016) and the story collections Suspended Heart (2010, 2nd edition 2019), People with Holes (2012), This Time, While We're Awake (2013), and Elegantly Naked In My Sexy Mental Illness (2014). Fowler’s People with Holes was named a 2012 finalist for Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Award in Short Fiction. Her fictive work has been made into fine art in several instances and her collaborative poetry collection, Bare Bulbs Swinging, written with Meg Tuite and Michelle Reale, is the winner of the 2013 TWIN ANTLERS PRIZE FOR COLLABORATIVE POETRY released in December of 2014. Fowler has published stories and poems online and in print in the U.S., England, Australia, and India, and had work appear in such venues as PANK, Night Train, storyglossia, Surreal South, Feminist Studies, and more, as well as having been nominated for the storySouth Million Writers Award, Sundress Publications Best of the Net, and Pushcart Prizes. She is Poetry Editor at Corium Magazine.
Please visit her website here: www.heatherfowler.com

Reviews

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always with a collection or anthology of short stories there are winners and losers. Some standout and are memorable; others are forgotten the moment you read the title of the next story. On the whole Heather Fowler has given us a fairly standard set of different genre stories inside the magical realism realm. I really enjoyed some of these (especially Cock-Sculpting, Minnow Lake and Fear of Snakes) and found some of them a bit bland or too allegorical for my taste (like Razorblade Skin, Made of Clay and Erotic City of Ghosts).
Likely any one who enjoys speculative and weird stories will find at least one of these 20 stories that whets their appetite.

Story #1 - Suspended Heart
A lovely little story about a woman and her missing heart; and her desire to never, ever take it back. What I wouldn't do to have ditched my heart in a mall a few times over in my life so it didn't hurt anymore.

Story #2 - Bloom In Any Season
A gal blooms lovely in spring/summer; and then looses her lovely flowers in fall/winter. Then no one wants her in the same way. It made me think of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). As well as reminded me of how much we can change as people depending on our existing state of mind. Wonderful little story!

Story #3 - Cat/Bird Love Song
This story is just depressing. It’s about being alone and the challenges of love when you are attracted to those likely to dislike you just because of your look, race, age, etc.

Story #4 - Crack-Smoking Parrots
So this title is literally describing our two lead characters. Two parrots. It’s a very purposeful allegory, filled with a lot of humour, regarding how difficult it is to publish anything these days. I genuinely laughed out loud twice during this cute little story.

Story #5 - The Girl with Razorblade Skin
I’m not totally sure I get this one. It’s clearly about self esteem and making your life your own; I’m just not sure on the symbolism of the razor blades. I’m starting to think I need an English teacher to explain some of these stories to me.

Story #6 - Godiva
Here we get a story that is all about the #MeToo movement and the idea that dressing like a slut, wanting to show off your body, etc. is not consent.
Ironically (perhaps) I feel like the lead gal in this loves being a slut and when she’s upset at one point I had very little sympathy. I’m not sure if that was the intended point or not...

Story #7 - My Brother, Made of Clay
Another one that had mostly gone over my head. It’s obviously about how bad parenting and negativity grows awful children (or plants) but I can honestly say the point of the story is lost on me.

Story #8 - Cock-Sculpting
Here’s a story where the title is literally what the artist in the story does. Yes that’s right she makes male genitalia from clay; based on real life models (of course). And I loved it!

Story #9 - Psychic Pigeon
A really sad but great story. Told from the perspective of a pigeon who helps out a woman being sexually assaulted (as blackmail to keep her job) by her boss.

Story #10 - Fear of Snakes
Okay this super short story is near and dear to me as a snake momma. My three darling snakes are amazing; although I will confess to loving my 6’4” boa the best.

Story #11 - Men like Chameleons in the Dark
Imagine if a colour on your body indicated how you felt about someone? An involuntary colour change would betray your every moment of love, lust or hate.

Story #12 - Saints and Blue Babies
This religious story is a little weird; but I liked the overall idea that all religious are the same religion at the end of the day.

Story #13 - The Rose Lamp
An intriguing story that should really be expanded into a full length historical mystery novel. Sooo much potential in this one but because it’s so short it doesn’t quite reach its full worth.

Story #14 - The Bheindris
A typical sci-fi short story about a human in love with a robot. Nothing new to see here.

Story #15 - A Companion of Minnow Lake
This is exactly the type of odd, creepy story I love best in short stories. Absolutely wonderful and nice to see an elderly man as our lead character.

Story #16 - Channel 59
A commentary on our societal addiction to television and by proxy our smartphones. Showing that addicts will find a way to get a fix; even when it seems impossible.

Story #17 - Time Broker
The ultimate question... what would you be willing to give up in life in order to have more time? We all say what we wouldn't give to have more time in a day; but have you ever thought about what that might actually mean and if you intend the statement literally?

Story #18 - Schrodinger’s Love Cat
Thanks to The Big Bang Theory I know what Schrodinger’s theory is! I was really excited for this story as I think there’s so many ways the cat theory can apply to opportunities or what if situations. Sadly this story didn’t elaborate on it any further than at the basic level.

Story #19 - Little Red Riding Hood and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War
This is an amusing take on Red and her encounter with the wolf which included her grandmother being eaten. I liked the wit put into it and wish I could read Red’s diary now.

Story #20 - Dangling Now, The Erotic City of Ghosts
I’m sure some English professor could find meaning in this last super short story and tell me how it brings all the stories together in a way. But to be honest it feels like some nonsensical words put together that don’t make a story; but instead set a scene. No characters, plot or anything exist here, so I feel it’s not really a story at all.

Overall
Out of these 20 stories I really enjoyed about half of them. Some were much better than others; as tends to be the way with short story collections. I'd definitely read more of Fowler in the future and would love to see her write some full-length speculative fiction for readers to gnaw their way through.
I would encourage Fowler to stay with the lighthearted or creepy stories more so than the contemporary ones. She does a good job of incorporating the contemporary themes desired into the amusing or scary stories; and it keeps the reader far more interested (or at least me more interested) than the basic tell it like it is story.

To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and BookSirens. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Bonnie ZoBell · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Originally published in Gently Read Literature)

Heather Fowler: Suspended Heart

Heather Fowler is Kafka in drag, an American Marquez. If you are looking for a safe little book, one that lines up neatly with other short story collections being published today, then Heather Fowler's SUSPENDED HEART is not the collection for you. It is a book about the fervor of love, yes, but also about the devastation and danger surrounding such a seemingly pleasurable emotion. What really wins the reader over, though, is the way she tells the story.

The plots in these tales are magical, as in magical realism. Some poor girl in the title story literally loses her heart while down at the nearby mall. The local mall rats first notice it and then finally someone hangs it by a string between Bath and Body Works and Kleinfelter's Jewelers with the hope that somebody will come and claim it. more

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather Fowler has a sense of humor attuned with mine, so I loved this collection of short stories- fables, actually- concerning women and their hearts and how they can be handled well or not. And she does have a lot to offer in the way of hidden advice! Her word pictures are exquisite and the feeling of shared woe is instant.

My most favorite of these tales were probably Bloom in Any Season. Or maybe Psychic Pigeon. Harvey was something else. Places in Men Like Chameleons in the Dark and Saints and Blue Babies were pure poetry and I had to say the words aloud. I started The Bheindris with all my sympathy tied into poor old Jarah but slowly the robot Siola became my soul sister. A Companion to Minnow Lake is poetry, again - phrases that stand alone and sing to you.

Heather Fowler is an author I am pleased to recommend to friends and family. She is an author I will follow. And the black/white cover art is exceptional! Love it.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from BookSirens and Heather Fowler. Thank you for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this book of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

Posted Reviews at BookSirens and Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes and Noble on July 4, 2019. Not available at BookBub or Kobo.

As I was dropping off to sleep last night, I kept picturing this heart resting, beating in the vase in the Mall, with long lines of lovers waiting their turn to see it up close and personal. Dropped off laughing. Thank you Heather Fowler! Been a long time since that happened... BRF 7/21/19

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a creative and thrilling book. There was just so much creativity and amazing ideas I loved this book. I won this from goodreads and finally finished it and I'm happy I entered the contest for this book I don't regret it. I just loved the idea of women being the heros for once. That's all I had to see and I entered the giveaway. So happy I own this book I'll probably read it again when my book list narrows down if that ever even happens my booklist is practically endless.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of some of the best thought provoking and poignant short stories I've every read. I had to take a break after each story just to say Wow.

Heather Fowler has a rare gift for exposing the truth in a way most can understand.

-Joe-

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical realism at its finest. Great work by Heather Fowler. Recommended.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of short stories in the magical realism ‘genre ‘.

The stories are all very different, but all relate to women and their hearts and a search for love…..some packed full of humour and others at will break your own heart...I’m sure there is at least one story in this collection that will touch a nerve with your and your own emotions.

Heather Fowler writes in a near poetic style that has a rhythm of its own….so utterly evocative you will feel every moment. A unique masterpiece.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

(Originally written for Daniel Casey's Gently Read Literature.)

Ah, the MFA story collection; has a more beguiling trickster ever existed in the literary world? Originally a cutting-edge means of education at a time when "creative writing" was largely seen as an unworthy subject for university study, over the last 75 years this distilled, often intense artistic format has become a victim of its own success, resulting in a world now so oversaturated with short academic pieces that the genre itself has largely become a self-parodying one, the universe now filled with an unending series of obscure trade paperbacks destined to be picked up only by that author's professors and friends (as well as the occasional random book reviewer). And so do these academic and basement presses keep fighting the good fight, putting out hundreds and hundreds more of these compilations with each passing year, the results sometimes great in quality but with it becoming more and more difficult to justify their existence in general, given how little you usually have to travel anymore to find an existing story collection that's already exactly like it.

Take for example two volumes I recently had the chance to look through, Heather Fowler's Suspended Heart from Aqueous Books, and Stacey Levine's The Girl with Brown Fur from Starcherone Books, itself an imprint of Dzanc Books. Both writers are award-winning academes, one from California and the other from the Pacific Northwest; and frankly, both of their collections feel like the pat results of a year's worth of workshopping with their fellow professors and students, a typical grind through the MFA sausage factory that tends to produce stories that all sorta vaguely sound like each other, and that all tend to coalesce in one's head not long after finishing them into a big blurry blob of magical realism and ten-dollar vocabulary words. I mean, take Suspended Heart for example, which I suppose I would call the better of the two, although truthfully there's not a whole lot of difference between them; it's essentially a book's worth of metaphorical fairytales and fables, which in good Postmodernist fashion examines a series of blase real-world issues (bad jobs, terrible boyfriends) through the filter of made-up genre concepts, such as the title tale for a good example, in which a woman at a mall one day literally loses her heart, placed into a glass jar by a janitor and put on display in the hopes of finding its owner, and eventually becoming the source of all these freaky emotional things that happen to couples whenever they walk too close to it.

It's not a bad story by any means, and Fowler is a more than capable writer; but I just can't help but to feel that I've already read stories like these a million times before, which always seems to be my issue with MFA story collections much more than the quality of the collections themselves. And this is even more pronounced with Levine's book, which frankly just a week after finishing I can barely even remember anything about, other than a vague recollection of finishing each story and thinking, "Really? Was that it?" And that of course is one of the lingering problems of the MFA short story that profoundly contributes to their short mental lifespans; that since character development tends to be much more treasured than plot in most academic writing programs, and since the most prominent style in academic writing is ho-hum social realism, and since most academes tend to live sheltered, uneventful lives, the very subjects of the stories themselves tend to command little attention on their own to begin with, the problem then compounded by the lackluster personal style and tendency to overedit that is so endemic to so much academic writing.

It's a question that budding young writers really owe to themselves to ask, when they sit down to start putting together their first professional manuscripts; that now that they have their training under their belt, how are they now going to differentiate themselves from not only what's come before, but from all their contemporaries churning out those five thousand new fiction titles that are currently being published each year in the United States, every single year without fail? It's a question that academic programs tend not to address, because in many ways it's not the academic world's job to address it -- it's their job instead to crank out well-trained writers, and to make sure by graduation time that they are literal Masters at the fundamentals of the English language and the three-act structure -- but as Fowler and Levine's earnest yet forgettable volumes prove, for a writer to have a true success in the 21st century, they need to know more than just how to dot all their I's and cross all their T's.

Out of 10: 7.5

[Steph Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author and BookSirens. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

Suspended Heart is a gorgeous, often surreal, collection of short stories loosely themed around love and women (not always both, or either though).

Here is humanity in its gamut of emotional experiences: there is love and sex, suffering and sacrifice, tenderness, loneliness, contentedness, grief, regret, jealousy. There are elements of horror, romance, fantasy and sci-fi, and while the author frequently explores the female form and experience, she also embraces the masculine, and a variety of highly advanced animals (including a psychic pigeon, a lovelorn cat, and a pair of parrots on crack).

The writing is precise, as the author carefully digs out the truth of our thoughts and feelings using surrealist tools. The result is twenty stories that are just as short stories should be: emotional, thoughtful, strange, poignant, brief vignettes onto other lives (however fantastical).

The content and tone varies greatly between the stories. There are sensual stories about women’s bodies as they blossom with metal or petals, or turn into snakes, and satirical stories about avian editors and fairytale warriors. Therefore there is something for every taste, but not everything is likely to meet the same taste.

I would recommend this book to fans of the short form looking for some challenging, female-centred fiction.





Ginger Frank didn’t start out covered in metal. One August, standing in the sweltering Texas heat that bordered on a hundred and ten degrees, the heavyset girl in the peach and ivory dress looked down to find silver emerging on her arms, on her legs, silver bulging like stretch marks from every soft parcel of her skin.

– Heather Fowler, ‘The Girl with the Razorblade Skin’ in Suspended Heart: Stories


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...

[Annette Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was initially drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, and decided to take a chance because while the short story is not my favourite form, I usually find at least one gem in any collection, and this time was no different. As with any collection of short stories, it was something of a mixed bag, there was a story I loved, a couple that I liked and a few that I really didn't care for. My absolute favourite story in the book is The Girl with the Razorblade Skin about a young woman who literally develops a self defence mechanism to protect herself, I also liked the title story, Suspended Heart , which questions if we might be better off not ever knowing what the heart really does want.. Some of the inclusions fell a little flat for me, for example Crack Smoking Parrots, which is exactly as strange as the title suggests.
Magical realism is always an interesting genre, and while I liked this book, I think I still prefer more long form storytelling, however I will say that there should be something in here for every fan of the genre to enjoy.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are entirely my own.

[Lucy Goodfellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐3 Stars

Heather Fowler writes about the female experience, but not every female's experience. Which is fine.

I found this collection to be touch and go in some sections. I either really enjoyed a story or was not engaged at all by it. My favourite stories were 'My Brother, Made of Clay', 'The Girl with the Razorblade Skin' and 'Men Like Chameleons In The Dark'. The abstractness of these stories is what appealed to me and how they blend magical realism, sci-fi and fairy tale tropes together to create completely unique narratives.

A lot of the topics that Heather explores in her collection are universal. However, the way she presents some of these themes could be interpreted as problematic. Particularly her description of a plus-sized character as a 'heifer'.

Overall, due to the large difference in quality between each of the stories I am giving this collection 3 stars.

⚠Trigger Warnings: Body Horror, Fat Shaming, Parental Neglect.

I received this ARC via Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.

My Book Sirens Profile

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hyper-bizarre, startlingly out-there, and wildly imaginative, Heather Fowler has a gift for coming up with pithy titles for her short stories - one of my favorites is Crack-Smoking Parrots. She first published this collection of shorts 10 years ago, and I love the look of the updated cover. Each piece within is so remarkably different than the rest, and indeed from any other author I've read to date; but maybe the closest would be JG Ballard? Some of these stories are or could be set in the future, an alternate universe, or perhaps the Twilight Zone. Fowler magically tweaks phrases like "televangelistically addicted", and "disability for life", "This is not art. It's public display." There is a rape scene that wasn't at all charitable to the victim, in Psychic Pigeon so that's probably my least favorite, but I even liked the reusage of the name Ginger and titled cats like Mr. Higgs in The Rose Lamp, and Mrs. Snickers and Dr. Knockerdoodle in Fear of Snakes. The Kindle edition I read as an ARC from BookSirens had a bit of a recurring hyphenation glitch.

[Lauren Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the complexity and thoughtfulness of the short stories within this work. So many different experiences and topics of the heart are included within this work. Some of my personal favorites included Cat/Bird Love Song, The Time Broker, and Little Red Riding Hood and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. The characters are often heart broken, eerie, and eclectic and experience love in varying stages. These stories contain mature topics and examine triggering topics including: sexual assault and death. This is a deeply compelling collection that I would highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pascale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Way back when this was self-published I had added it to my TBR shelf, and kind of forgot about it... I'm so very glad it is the first title I picked to review from booksirens.

Reinvented fairy tales reminiscent of a more contemporary Angela Carter. Dark, sexy, and intensely feminist. Some of these were a little too strange for my liking (the crack heroine addicted birds, were a bit much for me) but for the most part I loved every story.

[Jack Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when I first got this book years ago, and it has been a treasure of mine ever since. I've re-read it several times, and each read I am astounded by the depth and truth in these stories. My love of magical realism started with Fowler's books, and every story in this collection touches a small part of myself where I thought I was alone. It ranges from tittilating to heartbreaking, inspiring to vulnerable, but always a poetic honesty that I love about Fowler's work.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was fairly slow in terms of finding stories that I liked. There were a handful that stood out as thought-provoking... The Time Broker (probably my favorite of the collection -- what would you sacrifice to get more time?,) The Rose Lamp, Schrodinger's love Cat, Cat/Bird Love song, Psychic pigeon. (This author really likes using cats and birds in her metaphors.) But most of the rest of the stories were at best fine.

Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for a free arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. It did not influence my opinion.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical journey that swept me along with the fantastic characters and setting.

From the first pages I was transfixed on the story! I loved how a person's lost heart started an amazing story that just had me captivated!

Pick this book up and you'll be transported from your everyday world to a new one that challenges your way of thinking and dreaming!

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was supposed to read this for Book Sirens, but I got through "Cock-Sculpting" and saw that I was only 42% of the way through the book, and noped right out. I'm bored, I don't like the subject matter, and I really don't think this is magical realism.

[Patrick St-Amand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some quirky and weird stories in here. Not all of them worked but overall I quite enjoyed it.

[LITREAL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out Heather Fowler's Interview at LITREAL
https://youtu.be/m9wRnLN9rtg

[Laura Simonite · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of short stories, Suspended Heart Stories explores the breadth and depth of personal interconnectedness through a range of relationships and often unusual situations. Each tale introduces a collection of characters different to the last, and undoubtedly some will resonate with individual readers more than others. While most are told from a female perspective, the prose is not overly sentimental as can sometimes be the downfall of this type of writing - while reading I often felt like I was examining a surreal and intricate painting, honing in on specific brush strokes or unusual colours to gain a greater appreciation of the whole.

I was struck by a recurrent mention of birds and flight, with psychic pigeons, literary and lovelorn parrots, and a man with wings that do not allow him to lie about the truths contained within his heart. While talking animals, human mutation, and inter-species romances are not necessarily unheard of in magic realist fantasy of this sort (Murakami is a favourite of mine in employing these devices), "wingedness" felt like a confirmed theme, although I haven't quite unpicked what it might mean beyond the usual flight-based allusions.

More broadly, there is a strong thread of intrusive and distorted nature - a boy taken over by a patch of soil, or a baby born pure blue. Bloom in Any Season and The Girl With the Razorblade Skin both took this concept and made it intrinsic to the female protagonists' experience of love and loss in the world; the former as a cycle of lush plenty and prickly desolation, the latter as growth by quite literally becoming sharper and less pliable to malicious external forces.

Several of the stories also suggested a near future dystopia, or something like a reimagined past. Automatons with an algorithmic drive to survive, a world without books but instead a vaguely sinister TV station, and (once again) literary parrots following the fall of humanity. I'm not sure if it was ever clearly stated, or just something reminiscent in the language being used, but I often felt as if I were reading something at home in the 1950s, stylistically speaking. There is often an elegance and restraint in the language being used that allows violence and cursing the land with all the power and shock with which they rightfully should.

A couple of the stories fell a little flat for me ..The Erotic City of Ghosts and Little Red Riding Hood both felt out of place and comparatively oddly written, although Ghosts did retain more of the lush language and imagery of the rest of the collection. I'm quite sure that this is typical in an anthology of this sort though, and am equally sure that they're likely to be someone else's favourites.

Overall I found great enjoyment reading this collection, and would strongly recommend to anyone who enjoys literary fiction with a more poetic flare. Rather mundanely, I'm also a big fan of short stories when commuting as there's less of a thread to try and hold on to in-between sittings, so this was a brilliant train read. My personal favourites from the volume were:

- Fear of Snakes
- Godiva
- Saints and Blue Babies
- A Companion to Minnow Lake

This copy was granted for free in exchange for an honest review, courtesy of Book Sirens.

[Laura Alonso · Rating 5 out of 5]

A-MAZ-ING. This is a brilliant collection of magical realism stories that will have you laughing out loud while the characters sneak up behind you and gently break your heart. Heather Fowler has created some uniquely memorable characters (talking birds, avant-garde robots, disintegrating boys) -- all in search of love in one way or another -- in whom we can identify and explore our own longings, failures, and redemptions. The prose is impressive for it's poetic lyricism alone, but it is also so evocative that you can taste what the characters taste, smell what they smell -- the language is tactile and cinematic but also thought-provoking and allegorical in the tradition of classic literary fiction. Add to all of this a twist of magic reminiscent of your favorite fables and fairy tales and you have a page-turner that will keep you guessing and wanting more. Don't miss this beautiful debut collection from a unique and talented literary voice!

[Odessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

DEFINITELY worth buying!!!

I can't even express how thoroughly I enjoyed reading this book!!! Reviewed in the New York Times alongside Brian Evenson, Raphael Bob-Waksberg (creator of Netflix's animated series "BoJack Horseman"), this book is absolutely, without doubt, one of my all time favorite magical realism collections. The New York Times compares her work to "...the late, great Carol Emshwiller..." in that it is similar in style "funny chronicles of fantastic events in the lives of unextraordinary people". I couldn't agree more. I LAUGHED, out loud. I enjoyed the time spent reading this more than I can adequately express to you.

I highly recommend you purchase this; you will want to have this beautiful book on display, and available for re-reads!!!

[Sequoia · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Goodreads Giveaway has arrived, loads earlier than I thought.
Thank you so much, can't wait to get started!

edit.

Finally finished the book and I liekd it. The book is made up of different stories and the stories weren't bad, some I had a small trouble getting through. I'm happy I won it instead of buying it on Amazon. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book but maybe it's just not my kind of book/what I thought it'd be.

[Siolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspended Heart is a wonderful collection of stories from the lovely and lightly twisted mind of Heather Fowler. The themes she address are universal; love, heartbreak, loneliness, the inexorable search for meaning... but oh the ingenuity Fowler uses to bring these concepts new life! Lushly metaphorical and sometimes shockingly honest, these stories sing. Two parts magical realism, one part fairy tale, and a dash of brutality... this collection is a jewel box. Read it.

[Heath Nevergold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather Fowler has a literary visual sense that stretches somewhere in between the simplicity of Yukio Mishima and the surreal vibrancy of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, at times combined with dilemmatic storylines akin to Jorge Luis Borges. Indeed though visual and thought provoking, reader beware the questions in your mind … the subtext may have taken you asunder.

[FC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in Goodreads giveaway contest. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The varying short stories were entertaining and interesting. I definitely enjoyed the very different worlds created and the seemingly unifying theme of love. I would recommend this book to a friend.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read. well written, grabbed me in from the very first story.

[Paige Ovanisian]

eARC provided by Pink Narcissus Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. RTC!