In the Attic

by Dakota Minnie Boyer

Across stories and essays, Dakota Boyer explores the question of what defines us as humans through the things we carry, stored in our own attics. Here, we witness a woman who has trouble sharing her home with a ghostly presence, a man fighting against time, a young boy's quest for something lost, and the author unpacking memories of childhood, racism, and identity.

177 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2021

About the author

is a North Florida poet whose work draws on her experiences as a mixed woman in America. Her writing often tackles topics of politics, race, sex, and identity. She has written three collections of poetry and one short story and essay collection. Her first full length novel, I am Pythia, is out now.

Her work has previously been featured in Elan Literary Magazine, the Blooms Art Show, ArtWork(ers) United, (a) River Rising: Anthology of Women’s Voices volumes 1-3, and The Jacksonvillain #2. In the Attic was Rebel Readers Florida’s September 2023 Book Club pick. I am Pythia is Rebel Readers Florida's March 2026 Book Club pick.

You can find her books locally at Happy Medium Books Cafe, Present Tense Books, and both Chamblin’s locations.

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mother met Dakota Minnie Boyer at some sort of festival or market in Florida and gifted me this book. She had no idea what was in it or if it’d be the kind of thing I’d like, but I’m glad she did.

To get the bad out of the way, the prose is often terribly overwrought and the entire thing is in dire need of an editor. Such is the plight of the self-published author.

More importantly, however, it is so refreshing to read an amateur writer’s work and to hear the innermost thoughts of a real person, as opposed to the professional author with their veil of rarefied air. When I taught and had occasion to read students’ works I had the same feeling. Nothing in the collection exemplifies this feeling better than “English as a First Language.” It certainly has missteps and I don’t agree with all the premises and/or conclusions Boyer comes to, but, God, it’s real and honest. It’s at its best when the aforementioned tortured prose drops away, and the reader gets to see real anger and bitterness from Boyer. “The twelve of us unlucky English only [sic] speakers were taught Spanish by an elderly white woman. Her hair curled around her fat cheeks . . . .” That’s biting and mean and such an evocative image of a teacher everyone has had before. That sort of stripped-down prose is present throughout the essay, and I hope it’s a style the author will develop further.

It may be some time before I read anything else by Boyer, but if she releases work after this, I’d be interested to see how she progresses as a writer!

[Changley Cavins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I approached In the Attic with no prior experience in reading a collection of essays, and it turned out to be an eye-opening journey for me. It reminded me of the creative writing assignments I cherished from my high school English teacher (and has motivated me to get back to doing more of that).
Among the essays, "The Builders Wife" struck a personal chord with me (and was my personal favorite from the collection). It resonated on multiple levels, and I found myself wholeheartedly relating to the narrative. It reminded me that I am more than just a spouse, more than my job title, and more than a parent. I found myself nodding my head in agreement and even shouting out “yes, you go girl!”
The author, Dakota, impressed me with her thoughtful and profound word choices. Her writing left me questioning whether she has ventured into poetry. As it turns out, she has indeed delved into poetry, and I am eager to explore her collections in that genre as well.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Observations on possible encounters with the usual…and reminisces of a migratory life leading to a new adopted home in the river city…

In the Attic by Dakota Minnie Boyer is part weird story anthology and part travel memoir of the author’s experiences (or of thsoe they know and share)…

It’s hard to write a review of an anthology that mixes fiction and non fiction…so I’ll keep it short…

It’s good to have a careful eye for the odd events around us and the possible encounters with ghosts, fairies, and other darker forces…and this book captures that idea of living just outside the eyeline of the dark and mysterious…

The other stories and essays cover lived experiences…and the background we come from that creates the adult we have become…

But mainly I liked the casual references dot Jacksonville places and events I am very familiar with…as a sort of love letter to Jacksonville, Florida even though it is a cruel unrepentant city that does not deserve our love (and I feel the author may agree with me on that point)…

[Celia Ochoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first short stories and essays book and it did not disappoint. 


I met the author in June at a local author book festival and was excited to try something out of my comfort zone. Dakota has set the bar high for me and these types of books moving forward.


I read this as part of the September book club for Rebel Readers and we had such a great time discussing this book at our meeting.


Each story is thought provoking and I personally loved that some of the stories are left open to interpretation as I found myself contemplating the different possibilities (In the Attic). Some stories made me think back and truly evaluate if this has happened to me or my spouse (The Builder's Wife) and others were relatable in ways I wouldn't have imagined.


Dakota truly has a gift for writing and knowing that her work comes from a very personal place I think is what makes this a special collection of stories and essays.


My favorite of the book is The Builder's Wife.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally the type to highlight and underline a book so fervently. But I had no choice but to mark this book up. The words have this ability to transport you into its self. Such a raw and beautiful book. I need to go and buy some more sticky notes.
My particular favorite essay is titled the builder's wife. It's going to stick with me for some time and I cannot wait to pick this book up again and reread it.