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Abjectification: Stories and Truths
Abjectification mines our most intimate moments to flesh out the horrors of human interaction. In the isolated system of these stories, the past is animate and tangible, located in the body, fantasy & nightmare intertwined.
Like matter, what we've loved isn't destroyed, it merely changes forms. A man thinks he's found a haven from the past with a new love in "Freak Show"; Meghan seems sensitive to exposure, but she isn't the woman Jeff imagines he's been sleeping with at all. A small family begins remodeling their home in "Shedding," but their six-year-old daughter Emmy discovers unsettling things in the walls. In "Hand-Me-Down," Carly Jo welcomes her high school boyfriend back into her life after he moves home to care for his dying mother; she's haunted by the mother's presence in their lives and in their bed. Old friends reconnect, disregarding "Boundaries," only to discover a force is whittling the group down, their new spouses and partners in lethal danger. Kubasta's collection is creepy, haunting, and unapologetically sexy.
Like matter, what we've loved isn't destroyed, it merely changes forms. A man thinks he's found a haven from the past with a new love in "Freak Show"; Meghan seems sensitive to exposure, but she isn't the woman Jeff imagines he's been sleeping with at all. A small family begins remodeling their home in "Shedding," but their six-year-old daughter Emmy discovers unsettling things in the walls. In "Hand-Me-Down," Carly Jo welcomes her high school boyfriend back into her life after he moves home to care for his dying mother; she's haunted by the mother's presence in their lives and in their bed. Old friends reconnect, disregarding "Boundaries," only to discover a force is whittling the group down, their new spouses and partners in lethal danger. Kubasta's collection is creepy, haunting, and unapologetically sexy.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
229 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2020
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 16, 2020
It is clear from this collection that Kubasta is a writer to be reckoned with.
These stories cover so much ground, but overall, Kubasta is interested in human connection and the lack thereof, tangling with the uncanny, and (as implied by the title), Kristeva's abject, or an exploration of what is "me" vs "not me" and the horror one experiences when subjected to a breakdown of this perceived barrier.
I loved these stories. I loved the reading experience, I loved Kubasta's varied narrative techniques and nimble writing that was sometimes very detailed and sometimes only offered the bare minimum. Kubasta specifically has a talent for ending stories, allowing them to resonate in you and resolve in a way that brings up more interesting questions to consider.
Here are a few of my favorites:
"Shedding": If teeth outside of the body give you the shivers, this one will leave you a bit scarred. Kubasta has a unique talent for writing a plot about one thing, but the story is actually about something different. Here, a father tries to understand the three women in his life, his frustrations amplified by a seemingly haunted house.
"Treasure Hunt" details how a mother creates a scavenger hunt for her young son and his friends for a birthday party, but the story is really about how some mothers truly see their children's hopes and desires and how they put their children first to the point that the mothers themselves might not really exist anymore.
"Boundaries" was definitely a favorite. A story that starts out simply as a few old friends and their new partners getting together for a fun getaway turns into a story about how people don't really know each other—and then it turns into something much worse, something much bigger than the group could have imagined. A crowning jewel.
These stories cover so much ground, but overall, Kubasta is interested in human connection and the lack thereof, tangling with the uncanny, and (as implied by the title), Kristeva's abject, or an exploration of what is "me" vs "not me" and the horror one experiences when subjected to a breakdown of this perceived barrier.
I loved these stories. I loved the reading experience, I loved Kubasta's varied narrative techniques and nimble writing that was sometimes very detailed and sometimes only offered the bare minimum. Kubasta specifically has a talent for ending stories, allowing them to resonate in you and resolve in a way that brings up more interesting questions to consider.
Here are a few of my favorites:
"Shedding": If teeth outside of the body give you the shivers, this one will leave you a bit scarred. Kubasta has a unique talent for writing a plot about one thing, but the story is actually about something different. Here, a father tries to understand the three women in his life, his frustrations amplified by a seemingly haunted house.
"Treasure Hunt" details how a mother creates a scavenger hunt for her young son and his friends for a birthday party, but the story is really about how some mothers truly see their children's hopes and desires and how they put their children first to the point that the mothers themselves might not really exist anymore.
"Boundaries" was definitely a favorite. A story that starts out simply as a few old friends and their new partners getting together for a fun getaway turns into a story about how people don't really know each other—and then it turns into something much worse, something much bigger than the group could have imagined. A crowning jewel.
December 17, 2020
“Abjectification” is a not quite a love story to the female form but more of a mind-boggling interpretation of the truths as the title suggests. This read will lash you from story to story as you will never guess what Kubasta has up her sleeve for you next.
Split into two distinct sections, Primary Embodiments and The Monstrous-Feminine, this entire read derives its stories from female-centered constructs. With the focus of “Abjectification” firmly on capturing the female, Kubasta nails her intentions through the crafting of a collection of thought-provoking short stories highlighting a wide plethora of diverse stories, female characters, trials and tribulations. Readers will be enlightened, scared and inspired as they take on each story. This well thought out compilation of females, their bodies, decisions and relationships will cause readers to think, reflect and understand deeper at the conclusion of each story/truth revealed. Combining creepy with intriguing and sensual there isn’t a single genre untouched within the pages of the stories housed within.
Throughout the 2020 worldwide quarantine there has been an abundance of articles surrounding the phenomena of “reading slumps.” These slumps currently being experienced are hypothesized as being caused by the excess free time experienced amidst the stress, pressures and life altering pandemic swirling about. In every article, the consensus in battling and remedying these “slumps” is to frequently switch genres and increase your intake of short stories. “Abjectifications” provided the perfect vessel to accomplish both while, proving to be a wholly intoxicating experience while doing so. From stories begging readers to re-read them such as “The Luck and Misfortune of Others” as well as “Shedding” to the familial, heart breaking drama of “Dogged Problems” and the good old fashioned crisis of female relationships and nostalgia in “Camp Tall Pines.” Author, C. Kubasta gives readers a pleasant mix of stories for all emotions, mindsets and scenery.
This collection shows readers the beauty and complexity of short stories as each new tale successfully captures one’s attention time and time again. Female readers abound will laugh, cower, maybe even shed a tear, and nod along to each of the unique stories portrayed within.
Split into two distinct sections, Primary Embodiments and The Monstrous-Feminine, this entire read derives its stories from female-centered constructs. With the focus of “Abjectification” firmly on capturing the female, Kubasta nails her intentions through the crafting of a collection of thought-provoking short stories highlighting a wide plethora of diverse stories, female characters, trials and tribulations. Readers will be enlightened, scared and inspired as they take on each story. This well thought out compilation of females, their bodies, decisions and relationships will cause readers to think, reflect and understand deeper at the conclusion of each story/truth revealed. Combining creepy with intriguing and sensual there isn’t a single genre untouched within the pages of the stories housed within.
Throughout the 2020 worldwide quarantine there has been an abundance of articles surrounding the phenomena of “reading slumps.” These slumps currently being experienced are hypothesized as being caused by the excess free time experienced amidst the stress, pressures and life altering pandemic swirling about. In every article, the consensus in battling and remedying these “slumps” is to frequently switch genres and increase your intake of short stories. “Abjectifications” provided the perfect vessel to accomplish both while, proving to be a wholly intoxicating experience while doing so. From stories begging readers to re-read them such as “The Luck and Misfortune of Others” as well as “Shedding” to the familial, heart breaking drama of “Dogged Problems” and the good old fashioned crisis of female relationships and nostalgia in “Camp Tall Pines.” Author, C. Kubasta gives readers a pleasant mix of stories for all emotions, mindsets and scenery.
This collection shows readers the beauty and complexity of short stories as each new tale successfully captures one’s attention time and time again. Female readers abound will laugh, cower, maybe even shed a tear, and nod along to each of the unique stories portrayed within.
December 21, 2020
“Abjectification” is a not quite a love story to the female form but more of a mind-boggling interpretation of the truths as the title suggests. This read will lash you from story to story as you will never guess what Kubasta has up her sleeve for you next.
Split into two distinct sections, Primary Embodiments and The Monstrous-Feminine, this entire read derives its stories from female-centered constructs. With the focus of “Abjectification” firmly on capturing the female, Kubasta nails her intentions through the crafting of a collection of thought-provoking short stories highlighting a wide plethora of diverse stories, female characters, trials, and tribulations. Readers will be enlightened, scared, and inspired as they take on each story. This well thought out compilation of females, their bodies, decisions, and relationships will cause readers to think, reflect and understand deeper at the conclusion of each story/truth revealed. Combining creepy with intriguing and sensual, there isn’t a single genre untouched within the pages of the stories housed within.
Throughout the 2020 worldwide quarantine there has been an abundance of articles surrounding the phenomena of “reading slumps.” These slumps currently being experienced are hypothesized as being caused by the excess free time experienced amidst the stress, pressures and life altering pandemic swirling about. In every article, the consensus in battling and remedying these “slumps” is to frequently switch genres and increase your intake of short stories. “Abjectification” provided the perfect vessel to accomplish both while, proving to be a wholly intoxicating experience while doing so. From stories begging readers to re-read them such as “The Luck and Misfortune of Others” as well as “Shedding” to the familial, heart breaking drama of “Dogged Problems” and the good old-fashioned crisis of female relationships and nostalgia in “Camp Tall Pines,” Author, C. Kubasta gives readers a pleasant mix of stories for all emotions, mindsets, and scenery.
This collection shows readers the beauty and complexity of short stories as each new tale successfully captures one’s attention time and time again. Female readers abound will laugh, cower, maybe even shed a tear, and nod along to each of the unique stories portrayed within.
Split into two distinct sections, Primary Embodiments and The Monstrous-Feminine, this entire read derives its stories from female-centered constructs. With the focus of “Abjectification” firmly on capturing the female, Kubasta nails her intentions through the crafting of a collection of thought-provoking short stories highlighting a wide plethora of diverse stories, female characters, trials, and tribulations. Readers will be enlightened, scared, and inspired as they take on each story. This well thought out compilation of females, their bodies, decisions, and relationships will cause readers to think, reflect and understand deeper at the conclusion of each story/truth revealed. Combining creepy with intriguing and sensual, there isn’t a single genre untouched within the pages of the stories housed within.
Throughout the 2020 worldwide quarantine there has been an abundance of articles surrounding the phenomena of “reading slumps.” These slumps currently being experienced are hypothesized as being caused by the excess free time experienced amidst the stress, pressures and life altering pandemic swirling about. In every article, the consensus in battling and remedying these “slumps” is to frequently switch genres and increase your intake of short stories. “Abjectification” provided the perfect vessel to accomplish both while, proving to be a wholly intoxicating experience while doing so. From stories begging readers to re-read them such as “The Luck and Misfortune of Others” as well as “Shedding” to the familial, heart breaking drama of “Dogged Problems” and the good old-fashioned crisis of female relationships and nostalgia in “Camp Tall Pines,” Author, C. Kubasta gives readers a pleasant mix of stories for all emotions, mindsets, and scenery.
This collection shows readers the beauty and complexity of short stories as each new tale successfully captures one’s attention time and time again. Female readers abound will laugh, cower, maybe even shed a tear, and nod along to each of the unique stories portrayed within.
December 16, 2021
This is a collection of compelling short stories of various themes and genres. The writing is so beautiful you will stop to reread sections.
May 11, 2021
I'm not a huge fan of short story collections, but this one is an exceptional exception. The stories are creepy, sexy, surreal but real at the same time. C. Kubasta is a deft writer with wonderful characters in folksy settings. I felt like I knew these people, could maybe be friends with them except for the occasional eerie twist or turn. She brings you right to the edge with each story, then lets you teeter there with your own imagination running wild. At least twice I yelled at the book because I couldn't believe what happened (in a good way, not like the stupid plot twists you see on TV). I've read just about everything she's written, have to say this is my favorite!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews