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Salt Water and other short stories
The mother who uses charity as a weapon. The invisible chef and his deadly mashed potato. The obsession that takes a man closer to the mysteries of the cosmos than he counted on. The man who can’t stop crying. The murderer who helps his victims escape real death. The weekend break that turns into a journey to edges of sanity. And more.
Eleven off-centre stories that blend dark magical realism with gripping domestic drama to create tales that range from the hauntingly sinister to the downright bizarre.
Influenced by JG Ballard, Iain Banks, Will Self, Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut to name a few, Sef Hughes writes stories that are dark, heartbreaking, funny, twisted, bleak and hopeful in unequal measure, that take his readers to the curious extremities of human relationships.
Eleven off-centre stories that blend dark magical realism with gripping domestic drama to create tales that range from the hauntingly sinister to the downright bizarre.
Influenced by JG Ballard, Iain Banks, Will Self, Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut to name a few, Sef Hughes writes stories that are dark, heartbreaking, funny, twisted, bleak and hopeful in unequal measure, that take his readers to the curious extremities of human relationships.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2019
23 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Sef Hughes
2 books31 followersSef Hughes was born in Stirling, Scotland, and has lived in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Pittsburgh, Amsterdam and Eindhoven. He is currently hiding out in York.
A version of his short story Lost Cargo was published in Litro USA in 2015, and The Straw Hat appeared in the Dream Issue of Popshot Quarterly in 2018. Salt Water, his first collection of short stories, was published in 2019. The Hate Extractor is his debut novel.
A version of his short story Lost Cargo was published in Litro USA in 2015, and The Straw Hat appeared in the Dream Issue of Popshot Quarterly in 2018. Salt Water, his first collection of short stories, was published in 2019. The Hate Extractor is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 7, 2019
In this dark collection, we have a reader’s late-night buffet of provocative stories concocted and served by a writer who has a unique mind and—for my money—a brilliant one. Certainly, his brilliance is a dark brilliance, but there are many veins of humor and humanity running through that darkness, tempering it. I’d describe this collection as a group of chess pieces sculpted out of highly polished black marble.
We begin with a portrait of a woman—more or less ordinary at first glance—as depicted by her neglected daughter, beginning in broad strokes, and then, as the pages quickly flip to the left, in finer and finer detail. In Mother Dear, we meet Mom, a human spider. Mom weaves a web for her clueless victim, spinning it from the substance of their tragic circumstances, and when, at last, the ensnared one comes to believe it is hopeless to try to escape her sickening kindness, her outlandish, disproportionate generosity, her suffocating largesse, Mom slowly lowers herself down, inch by inch, for the kill-with-kindness kill. And smiles beneficently. The author paints his incisive portrait with one insightful stroke after another, until the enigmatic final page.
The story that follows in Mom’s shadow, >Tap Tap, was so startling to me, I read it three times in rapid succession. It's compact enough to do that—the author knows how to trim fat as he dissects his beast, so there's not an extra word to be found from start to finish. A man who is blatantly oblivious to his wife, his colleagues, his neighbors, his friends, and all else, pursues his obsession, which is dismissed by all as a mere hobby. And what might that hobby be? You won’t believe it when you read it. Taking a cue from the author’s practiced economy, the less said by me, a mere auditor, the better.
Once a Civil Servant is the type of story that I classify as a "Two Shoe"—a storytelling template perfected by the late Roald Dahl. It’s a tale with an unpleasant twist that a reader will see coming from the get-go. When that happens, an alarm goes off in the reader's mind: Hold on, it's too soon to guess the outcome! That's the first shoe. It drops when you realize that the narrator is capable of anything, and that realization comes (at least for me) at the end of the fourth paragraph with these words: "I know how to cheat death." From that point, I was intrigued to see if I had guessed the outcome correctly. I had. The author intended that. Because there was a second shoe to fall. It does.
We have many more diversions of varying lengths, making up a total of eleven. A particularly good one, rendered in dialogue only, concerns a pair of not-too-bright career criminals arranging a lethal escapade—an especially delightful twist caps this one off perfectly—the story ends with a humorous bang, something like a gunshot crossed with a popping champagne cork. The concluding voyage fantastique—the second in the book to touch upon the subject of “invisibility”—was deliciously engaging. It has a labyrinthian plot so well-constructed, every turn of events is another blind alley leading to delight and surprise. One really finds himself at the author’s mercy in this one, but that’s what makes great storytelling.
A book of shorts as accomplished as this (his first, too) gets my highest recommendation. There are at least two stories in this collection that could have/would have/should have won a competition prize. If you want to know which ones, read them and decide for yourself.
Sef Hughes Salt Water and other short stories
We begin with a portrait of a woman—more or less ordinary at first glance—as depicted by her neglected daughter, beginning in broad strokes, and then, as the pages quickly flip to the left, in finer and finer detail. In Mother Dear, we meet Mom, a human spider. Mom weaves a web for her clueless victim, spinning it from the substance of their tragic circumstances, and when, at last, the ensnared one comes to believe it is hopeless to try to escape her sickening kindness, her outlandish, disproportionate generosity, her suffocating largesse, Mom slowly lowers herself down, inch by inch, for the kill-with-kindness kill. And smiles beneficently. The author paints his incisive portrait with one insightful stroke after another, until the enigmatic final page.
The story that follows in Mom’s shadow, >Tap Tap, was so startling to me, I read it three times in rapid succession. It's compact enough to do that—the author knows how to trim fat as he dissects his beast, so there's not an extra word to be found from start to finish. A man who is blatantly oblivious to his wife, his colleagues, his neighbors, his friends, and all else, pursues his obsession, which is dismissed by all as a mere hobby. And what might that hobby be? You won’t believe it when you read it. Taking a cue from the author’s practiced economy, the less said by me, a mere auditor, the better.
Once a Civil Servant is the type of story that I classify as a "Two Shoe"—a storytelling template perfected by the late Roald Dahl. It’s a tale with an unpleasant twist that a reader will see coming from the get-go. When that happens, an alarm goes off in the reader's mind: Hold on, it's too soon to guess the outcome! That's the first shoe. It drops when you realize that the narrator is capable of anything, and that realization comes (at least for me) at the end of the fourth paragraph with these words: "I know how to cheat death." From that point, I was intrigued to see if I had guessed the outcome correctly. I had. The author intended that. Because there was a second shoe to fall. It does.
We have many more diversions of varying lengths, making up a total of eleven. A particularly good one, rendered in dialogue only, concerns a pair of not-too-bright career criminals arranging a lethal escapade—an especially delightful twist caps this one off perfectly—the story ends with a humorous bang, something like a gunshot crossed with a popping champagne cork. The concluding voyage fantastique—the second in the book to touch upon the subject of “invisibility”—was deliciously engaging. It has a labyrinthian plot so well-constructed, every turn of events is another blind alley leading to delight and surprise. One really finds himself at the author’s mercy in this one, but that’s what makes great storytelling.
A book of shorts as accomplished as this (his first, too) gets my highest recommendation. There are at least two stories in this collection that could have/would have/should have won a competition prize. If you want to know which ones, read them and decide for yourself.
Sef Hughes Salt Water and other short stories
January 12, 2020
I’m always a little skeptical about short stories. An author of short stories must be a really really good storyteller because there are only so many pages of paragraphs to lure in a reader. I need not have been concerned as I was pulled in...whole line and sinker by the second story.
The stories are a bit dark, some gruesome and others bordering on the grisly side of the macabre which made them perfect to curl up with on the sofa, a blanket, the lights turned low and a glass of red wine at hand. There is a love story or two. Tears are salt water. Other stories will make you ponder, one or two will make you smile and others will make you wonder. I enjoyed every escape into every story...all eleven of them. That being said, I must admit that I did make sure the doors were locked when I went to bed. I fell asleep with “tap-tap” tapping through my brain. However, the very last story definitely has the makings of a novel or two. Sef Hughes has effortlessly spun these tales together as if he was stitching a story quilt instead of a book...they are seamless. Yep, Sef Hughes is a master storyteller
The stories are a bit dark, some gruesome and others bordering on the grisly side of the macabre which made them perfect to curl up with on the sofa, a blanket, the lights turned low and a glass of red wine at hand. There is a love story or two. Tears are salt water. Other stories will make you ponder, one or two will make you smile and others will make you wonder. I enjoyed every escape into every story...all eleven of them. That being said, I must admit that I did make sure the doors were locked when I went to bed. I fell asleep with “tap-tap” tapping through my brain. However, the very last story definitely has the makings of a novel or two. Sef Hughes has effortlessly spun these tales together as if he was stitching a story quilt instead of a book...they are seamless. Yep, Sef Hughes is a master storyteller
May 30, 2020
This was a great short story collection. The writing is poignant and visceral, sometimes beautiful, often disturbing. While reading them, I felt mostly unsettled. The kind of unsettled you want to feel when reading a story with existential horror elements, that is.
One of these stories is set in Barcelona, where I was born, and it conveyed what it's like to be sick in a hot climate so accurately, I felt physically sick while reading it. If that's your kind of thing, you'll love this book.
One of these stories is set in Barcelona, where I was born, and it conveyed what it's like to be sick in a hot climate so accurately, I felt physically sick while reading it. If that's your kind of thing, you'll love this book.
July 2, 2019
A skilfully written collection of short stories. Good shorts should leave the reader thinking ... I read that somewhere, and have thought it ever since. Sef Hughes has got it, I'm thinking right now! Favourites and standouts are Mother Dear about a self-glorifying woman who cares for her image rather than her child's welfare. Once a Civil Servant - whole new meaning to the role! And 'Are You Scared' - nice twist. I won't name all the stories, but they all have good characters and excellent plots.
July 5, 2019
Loved this collection of shorts, and can’t recommend it highly enough. It's a must for anyone who likes their stories dark and just a little weird. While some of them are bizarre verging on sinister, others are heartbreakingly charming or darkly hilarious. Really well crafted. Particular favourites were Once a Civil Servant, Mother Dear, A Survival Guide for the Unseen and The Tears of Noel Hardy. I'll definitely be reading this one again, and looking out for more in the future.
December 6, 2019
Salt Water is just one of many excellent stories that Sef Hughes has written making this one of the best collection I have had the pleasure to read in a long time. The mixture of styles, subjects, and emotions are all on display from a talented author that has mastered the short story craft. Read it an enjoy.
Thanks to NetGalley / Kobo I have given an independent review.
Thanks to NetGalley / Kobo I have given an independent review.
July 21, 2019
My favorite kind of short story collection - dark & twisty! Very glad I picked it up and will keep an eye out for future books by this author.
January 5, 2020
While this book of short stories was undeniably well-written, it was just not for me. Stories that others might reasonably find brilliant, I found depressing and (mostly) meaningless. I thought that the first story, Mother Dear, had a great concept (who hasn't met a woman like that?), but the ending left me disappointed. Of all the stories, my favourite was Salt Water. I thought there was a beauty and wistful sadness to it that was really well done. I'm sure many people will also enjoy Tap Tap and Are You Scared. Overall, I think this a collection best suited to those who don't mind dark stories that may have ambiguous endings--if you're that person, by all means pick this book up. For me, it wasn't the right fit.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
August 6, 2021
If you’re into literary dark fiction, this debut collection by author Sef Hughes might be just the treat you’re looking for. Funny, poignant, and terrifying at the same time, each story is meticulously crafted and polished. Hughes’s prose is erudite without being turgid, the darkness into which he casts his protagonists shot through with sparks of humor, magic, and deep insights into the human condition.
The tone and theme vary throughout the collection, showing the author’s different influences (as advertised in the blurb) and ability to write across a variety of genres. Tension is introduced in the first paragraph and builds slowly to the end, making the reveals all the more rewarding. Mother Dear reads like a horror story and instills a sense of dread, although nothing supernatural or overtly scary happens in it. Lost Cargo is easily the most terrifying of the lot, even while describing something as mundane as getting sick on a vacation. We’ll never know what awful fate Mary Little narrowly dodges in The Wind on Joshua Street, or the secret ingredient in Rocco Fellini’s Famous Mashed Potatoes, but that only adds to the draw. In the titular Salt Water, a woman revisits her moments with an old friend lost to an abusive relationship, struggling to keep her head above the waves of sorrow. There’s real magic in A Survival Guide for the Unseen, as well as in Mashed Potatoes.
Salt Water and other short stories is one of the most impressive debut works I’ve ever read by an independent author. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more masterpieces by Sef Hughes.
The tone and theme vary throughout the collection, showing the author’s different influences (as advertised in the blurb) and ability to write across a variety of genres. Tension is introduced in the first paragraph and builds slowly to the end, making the reveals all the more rewarding. Mother Dear reads like a horror story and instills a sense of dread, although nothing supernatural or overtly scary happens in it. Lost Cargo is easily the most terrifying of the lot, even while describing something as mundane as getting sick on a vacation. We’ll never know what awful fate Mary Little narrowly dodges in The Wind on Joshua Street, or the secret ingredient in Rocco Fellini’s Famous Mashed Potatoes, but that only adds to the draw. In the titular Salt Water, a woman revisits her moments with an old friend lost to an abusive relationship, struggling to keep her head above the waves of sorrow. There’s real magic in A Survival Guide for the Unseen, as well as in Mashed Potatoes.
Salt Water and other short stories is one of the most impressive debut works I’ve ever read by an independent author. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more masterpieces by Sef Hughes.
April 18, 2020
'Salt Water' by Sef Hughes is an excellent collection of short stories where each story is uniquely crafted, worth reading, and rereading. I perceived this collection as a mysterious, dramatic, stylish, and addictive black & white film with a surprising end and a significant impact. Especially memorable were Mother Dear, The Tears of Noel Hardy, Salt Water, Tap Tap, Once a Civil Servant, Salt Water, and The Wind on Joshua Street. A good read! Highly recommend!
October 2, 2024
In Salt Water, Sef Hughes has written a largely satisfying collection of short fiction that targets the obsessive behaviours of some decidedly eccentric characters. “Mother Dear” is narrated by the unnamed daughter of Lily. Lily is a neglectful parent in the habit of forcing her altruistic attentions on others within her circle of friends and acquaintances, even those who neither want nor need it, a pattern of behaviour the narrator describes as “guerilla kindness.” As the story progresses, we learn a great deal about Lily’s background as the youngest of seven siblings, the one who got the blame when their mother died in childbirth, and her belief that through acts of charity she will defy death and live on in the memories of those she helped. “Tap Tap” is the suspenseful story of a man who becomes obsessed with absolute solitude, who longs to be able to completely shut himself off from the polluting presence of other people. This wish for solitude leads him to devise an experiment that will fulfill his desire. But when it goes wrong, the consequences are disastrous. In “Lost Cargo,” a man suffering from depression after his father’s recent death is persuaded by his girlfriend to go away for a weekend and recoup. For better or worse, he chooses Barcelona. But, never having flown before, he becomes nauseous on the plane, and after landing suffers further physical discomfort brought on by the heat of the city, where the air seems viscous, like “syrup.” In the end, he spends his entire Spanish sojourn stuck in his hotel room in gastrointestinal distress, realizing only as he’s returning to the airport in a taxi that the city’s lifeblood resides in its streets. And “A Survival Guide for the Unseen,” is just that, a set of instructions for living after becoming “unseen,” composed in 1894 by a man who is in the process of passing the cloak of invisibility to an unidentified victim. The prevailing narrative mode in many of the stories is overstatement, and the repetition of extreme behaviours and amplified emotional states over 200 pages can have a wearying affect on the reader. Still, Hughes’s prose can reach quietly lyrical heights, and the stories are audaciously inventive and sometimes veer toward the outrageous (see “Rocco Fellini’s Famous Mashed Potatoes”). Diverting if uneven, Salt Water provides a pleasurably off-kilter read.
February 16, 2020
Many of my favourite authors have a skill for writing across genres - Michel Faber is a good example - but it is definitely a skill. Some fail even managing it book by book, so it is admirable when someone attempts it in a collection of short stories, where the changes are even more obvious. Hughes is obviously talented in writing across a range of genres, however some are definitely better than others, which leaves this book feeling uneven. To me it read something like a collection where a student on a creative writing program was set a different genre prompt each week. That said, there are some real gems in this book - I found the more 'realistic' stories more moving than the more 'magical realism' attempts.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 3, 2020
Great collection of beautifully written short stories.
I enjoyed all the stories which is unusual in a collection like this. I’m used to finding a couple of great stories & more than a few ‘fillers’
The collection reminded me of Roald Dahl’s creepy ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ that I loved. Whilst there was nothing explicitly horrific about the stories they definitely fell into the category of dark with enough variety to not get boring.
Thanks to the publisher & Book Sirens for an advanced reader’s copy in return for an honest review.
I enjoyed all the stories which is unusual in a collection like this. I’m used to finding a couple of great stories & more than a few ‘fillers’
The collection reminded me of Roald Dahl’s creepy ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ that I loved. Whilst there was nothing explicitly horrific about the stories they definitely fell into the category of dark with enough variety to not get boring.
Thanks to the publisher & Book Sirens for an advanced reader’s copy in return for an honest review.
May 21, 2020
I found this work to be thoughtful, eerie, and poignant. The short stories grappled with heavy concepts and topics but in eclectic and interesting ways. I found the stories to highlight the moral gray areas. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving my honest thoughts on the work.
December 6, 2020
A well-written and varied collection of short stories. Food for the imagination and for thoughtful reflection. The author has an accomplished literary, but very readable style, and the stories have believable characters embedded in well-crafted plots. I recommend this collection to all.
December 17, 2020
Sharp, poignant and disturbing. If that sounds like the stories you crave, then you won’t be disappointed. Entertaining and very well written book. Each tale will suck you in and take you to places you may or may not want to go!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews