Dorothy Tse's stories sometimes start in a vein of innocent realism, but she invariably brings us up short with an abrupt twist: dreamscapes descend and the pages become populated with ever weirder characters. Not only do strange things happen, they are juxtaposed in ways that confound all logical expectations. This collection of 13 short stories is not for the faint-hearted-violent and sensual elements abound and limbs, even heads, are lopped off with alarming regularity. Yet scenes are sometimes so outrageous that they make us laugh, and Dorothy's bold thematic and narrative experiments yield results that are alternately beguiling and deeply disturbing.
This short story collection is challenging and provocative. Sometimes terrifying, often surreal, always containing hidden truths, these stories give each reader plenty of room to come away with his or her own interpretation. Fans of Aimee Bender, Tessa Mellas, or the stories in xo Orpheus will love this. Read my full review of this title at A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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12 August, 2014:
Finished reading
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12 August, 2014:
Reviewed