The ramblings of a bibliophile.
I seem to have really enjoyed origin stories this year. Something about them completely draws me in and I like the way that a well-known character can be seen as an immature being. This origins story was a lot freakier. Because it was the beginning of Jack the Ripper. When he was a small child and everyone else ignored what he was becoming. So much, much creepier.
I can spend hours staring at one poem, pulling apart each nuance and meaning. It’s something I’m far more likely to do than when there is prose around. This poem made me so uncomfortable that I didn’t do that this time. After all, it’s in the Alien Sex collection, so it’s not going to be a comfortable story.
It’s human nature to turn around when you hear footsteps. To look into the dark when you don’t know what’s there. But, after this story, I think next time I hear a bump in the night… I’m going to hold my giant dog close and bury myself under the covers. It was just creepy. And intense. And creepy.
A Christmas story that starts with a man going to the doctor because there’s weird things in his poo… you know its going to be funny. Especially since I already knew that it was going to be a werewolf story of some kind. There are many brilliant poo moments throughout… I need to share this story with a nursing friend of mine, she’ll understand the funny.
I loved the premise of this story. Actually, a lot of it reminded me of The Alchemist’s Key by Traci Harding. Same idea of a modern setting and time travel. An eccentric family member bequeathing an estate to an unsuspecting young man. And ultimately, the guy finding true love as an aspect of all his time travelling activities. It was just quite sweet.
I swear it’s the human condition – we always want what we just can’t have. It seems to be the number one thing that leads people to make some incredibly stupid decisions. It also seems to be the thing to that drives people to become greater versions of themselves. A double-edged knife. One that is a great theme to follow throughout this story. And was probably way too relatable at this point in my life.
Read more And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side by James Tiptree, Jr.
In a collection of Halloween stories, I was so excited to find a Dia de los Muertos story. Like, ridiculously excited. I can still remember the grad paper that I wrote comparing Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. And I’ve been obsessed ever since. So the fact that there was a story entirely featuring this celebration… wow!
Read more A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds by Eric J. Guignard
At the end of the world, one scientist fights to create something that will last. It’s a nice idea, except for the fact that you know… she’s dying. And it’s a quite tragic ending to a very uncomfortable collection. But also a brilliant story. Though that might be because I have an obsession with bugs, and there is a lot of talking about weird animal sex.
Read more Love and Sex Among the Invertebrates by Pat Murphy
I just spent most of Christmas alone. And I have a partner, so it just made me sappy and missing him. This sentiment was beautifully echoed in this story. Alright, Hannah doesn’t actually have a partner. And she was dumped the previous Christmas, but that yearning for the one that you love on Christmas Eve… I get that. However, this story was made far more sucky by the fact that Hannah is forced to spend the evening on a case with her ex. That would be seriously sucky.
I bought this book in my Undergrad, hoping that it would help me identify some of the bugs in my backyard down to species level. Back then I didn’t know how insanely difficult that was. But now? As an adult? I realise that this book isn’t quite for that. It can help you identify insects down to their orders. Beautifully so. I didn’t feel like I was reading a textbook while reading this. I actually found it incredibly fun and intriguing.
Read more A Filed Guide to Insects of Australia by Paul Zborowski & Ross Storey
