Status Updates From Roots of My Fears: Terrifyi...

I’m reading this collection of short stories on my kindle. The first two shorts were just ok.

Chalk Bones: a timely environmental tale about how much humanity takes from nature and the price that will need to be paid at some point if we don’t give back

The Veteran: okay this was my new favourite one from the book, I think. Nice and straight-forward, with just enough left to the imagination and short enough to leave you wanting more. Whatever the creatures are feel like a metaphor for addiction and guilt, and their self-destructive nature and how they hurt the people around us.

To Forget and Be Forgotten: The Shining meets Hereditary, and maybe my favourite in the book so far. Ample time is spent on build-up, but in a way that works really well as we are gradually introduced to each element and the building unfolds to us. It leaps forth at a cracking pace, leading to a really solid climax in what I think is otherwise a rumination on aging, loneliness, and later-life care.

Unsewn: pretty cool, although not very spooky. The changing of third- to second-person and back to explore identity is a fun idea, and the ending is a nice Equality punch, but I’d have liked it to be more visceral or to have a little more bite.