Seeds

by Tabatha Wood

[Cameron Trost]

Tabatha Wood chose the right title for this collection of unsettling tales. A seed of dread or doubt has been planted in each story. The characters face grave danger, seek retribution, or just want to feel dignified and whole. The reader is invited to see the world from an array of perspectives, slipping into someone else's skin with each story, and the recurrent themes of sexuality and identity add to the depth of Tabatha's work.

My favourites were Bloom, a moving and poetic narrative, The Nameless Ones, a haunting tale of revenge, and That Quiet Voice, a tale about abuse and deliverance which has one of the most powerful beginnings I've read in quite some time: "The slap, when it comes, is not entirely unexpected, but still, the sting of it sends me reeling. His palm stamps a florid mark on my cheek, a branding of possession and disrespect. It tells me everything I need to know without him saying a single word."

Well done, Tabatha.