What do you think?
Rate this book
The Art of Broken Things
A marriage dissolves in the middle of a spacewalk…
A lonely robot searches for the remains of a long-lost child…
An empty nester is haunted by victims of the bushfires that surround her home…
These are tales of breaking and rebuilding, falling apart and being put back together.
The stories in The Art of Broken Things blur the line between genres to explore some of our deepest, most fundamentally human concerns: what does it mean to build a family? And what are we willing to sacrifice, to keep that family together?
From multiple award-winning author Joanne Anderton comes a new collection of dark science fiction, horror and weird.
A lonely robot searches for the remains of a long-lost child…
An empty nester is haunted by victims of the bushfires that surround her home…
These are tales of breaking and rebuilding, falling apart and being put back together.
The stories in The Art of Broken Things blur the line between genres to explore some of our deepest, most fundamentally human concerns: what does it mean to build a family? And what are we willing to sacrifice, to keep that family together?
From multiple award-winning author Joanne Anderton comes a new collection of dark science fiction, horror and weird.
186 pages, Paperback
First published January 21, 2022
About the author
Joanne Anderton
38 books7 followersJoanne Anderton writes speculative fiction for anyone who likes their worlds a little different. Her publications include the novels Debris, Suited and Guardian, and the short story collection The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories. She has won the Australian Shadows Award, the Ditmar and multiple Aurealis awards. Her most recent book is the children's picture book, The Flying Optometrist.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 8, 2022
A new collection of short stories from one of Australia's hidden treasures will break your heart and mend it back together with gold.
Full review at Nerds of a Feather
Full review at Nerds of a Feather
September 12, 2023
The Art of Broken Things is a collection of 13 widely varied stories. As the title implies, the theme running through these stories is broken relationships - which is sometimes reflected in the setting, but not always - and trying to repair them.
If you asked me to describe an Anderton story, I would fail miserably, as her stories defy classification. Reflecting on the entire collection however, it becomes clear that each story possesses an undercurrent of emotion, elevating them from simply innovative or thought-provoking, to memorable and moving.
The 3 stories that I enjoyed the most – and savoured for days afterwards – were:
* wreck diving: the opening story and a deserving recipient of an Aurealis Award, which involves the disintegration of a relationship whilst on a space walk
* traces: a robot’s futile search for a ‘particular DNA’ in a contaminated region and subsequent dilemma when it finds a near-enough match
* three on a match: a single-scene story that unfolds to reveal a tragic history in a classic small-town Aussie pub
4.5 stars for this collection.
If you asked me to describe an Anderton story, I would fail miserably, as her stories defy classification. Reflecting on the entire collection however, it becomes clear that each story possesses an undercurrent of emotion, elevating them from simply innovative or thought-provoking, to memorable and moving.
The 3 stories that I enjoyed the most – and savoured for days afterwards – were:
* wreck diving: the opening story and a deserving recipient of an Aurealis Award, which involves the disintegration of a relationship whilst on a space walk
* traces: a robot’s futile search for a ‘particular DNA’ in a contaminated region and subsequent dilemma when it finds a near-enough match
* three on a match: a single-scene story that unfolds to reveal a tragic history in a classic small-town Aussie pub
4.5 stars for this collection.
December 4, 2024
This book is a collection of very imaginative short stories. They come in various forms by drawing inspiration from different sources such as Japanese culture (e.g. meeting yokai, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake) and Australian culture (e.g. living with bushfire). The variety is also boosted by the use of different genres - one story is sci-fi, then the next one is fantasy, and after that is magical realism.
There are two common themes across all the stories. The first is an element of dystopia or horror. This is not the kind of book for a comfy relaxing read or for cheering up. The second is a deep emotional relationship between the main characters. Be it the bond between lovers, childhood best friends, predator and prey, or parent and child, it makes the characters relateable and interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to appreciate good writing. The dystopian aspect makes me hesitant to consider the book for general recommendation, hence the 3-star rating.
There are two common themes across all the stories. The first is an element of dystopia or horror. This is not the kind of book for a comfy relaxing read or for cheering up. The second is a deep emotional relationship between the main characters. Be it the bond between lovers, childhood best friends, predator and prey, or parent and child, it makes the characters relateable and interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to appreciate good writing. The dystopian aspect makes me hesitant to consider the book for general recommendation, hence the 3-star rating.
December 16, 2024
The Art of Broken Things by Joanne Anderton is an intricately woven collection of short stories that explore the delicate balance between pain, beauty, and healing.
Reminiscent of The Outer Limits, Anderton's stories blend the abstract with the fantastical, often weaving in futuristic or surreal elements that leave you contemplating long after the last page. The stories vary in tone, but they all carry a sense of quiet introspection and emotional depth.
One of the fascinating aspects was how the narratives explored the brokenness of the human condition while still offering a glimpse of hope or understanding.
If you're a fan of thought-provoking fiction with a touch of the fantastical, this one’s for you.
Reminiscent of The Outer Limits, Anderton's stories blend the abstract with the fantastical, often weaving in futuristic or surreal elements that leave you contemplating long after the last page. The stories vary in tone, but they all carry a sense of quiet introspection and emotional depth.
One of the fascinating aspects was how the narratives explored the brokenness of the human condition while still offering a glimpse of hope or understanding.
If you're a fan of thought-provoking fiction with a touch of the fantastical, this one’s for you.
September 26, 2024
Really enjoyed this anthology. The title story is absolutely beautiful - a pitch-perfect use of metaphor and allusion.
The rest aren't bad either.
The rest aren't bad either.
August 28, 2024
A wonderful collection of tales from one of my favourite Australian authors of speculative fiction. Anderton's writing has a beautiful literary style, while the stories run from the sad, to the hopeful, to the unsettling, to the deeply horrifying. I defy you to read these tales and remain unaffected.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews