Tag Archives: Green Monkey Dreams

Long Live the Giant by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Long Live the Giant
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Death, Science fiction
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

I love that this is a short story about death and truth, a great twist on creationist myths. The how and why of our creation. It starts with someone who is elderly and has a whole heap of stories to tell. Then continues to their past and the decisions that led her here. At least, I think the narrator was female. That wasn’t really the stand out point of the character – their gender, it was all of the reflections on a life well lived and the many stories that led to this point.

There is always that idea that the bright points of life are made all that much brighter because of the darkness. I loved that this short story took that theme and ran with it. That it was about creators who created humanity and made them mortal. That this wasn’t quite the tragedy and disservice that it’s purported to be. It’s a reminder that even though we die and there are so many sucky parts to life, it makes the life that we do live all that much sweeter.

Having recently lost someone very close to me, and then reading this short story. It made me think a lot about life, death and the lives that we live. A bit of reflection and self-examination that I found intriguing.

<- The PhoenixThe Pumpkin Eater ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

The Phoenix by Isobelle Carmody

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Overview
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Title: The Phoenix
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody) & The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 10 (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dystopia, Horror
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

I honestly wasn’t expecting the tragedy at the end of this short story. I mean, I knew it wasn’t going to be all sunshine and roses, and I knew that it was going to be a little bit dark. But the tragic way in which this story finished? That I didn’t expect at all. It was seriously convoluted and hard to read. But, I loved reading it anyway!

This tale was all about twisted fate and twisted reality. It had a feeling of potential paranormal / mythological reality. But also just a feeling of mental illness and delusions. At first I thought it was a good metaphor for a dystopian reality, but then I realised that this story was a whole lot darker and more convoluted than anticipated. I mean, it ends in a really final way. And yet, there is still some kind of sense of hope throughout.

The Phoenix felt like a story in which you step into a mad man’s brain. It felt insane and chaotic. And honestly, I want to read it again to try and figure out just what in the heck was going on.

<- Seek No MoreLong Live the Giant ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

The Witch Seed by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: The Witch Seed
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

This small cluster of stories in Green Monkey Dreams seem to have a strong theme of revisiting the past. In memory and mind, remembering what it is that bought people to this point in their lives. And just how the past, however tragic, shapes all of us. It’s got a tragic and dark feel to it, that just made me ache for the narrator.

There is something terrifying about evil when you are a kid, and I love that this story shows just how easy it is to turn an evil being into a witch in the mind’s eye. Plus, there is a reminder that children sometimes see the darkness hidden behind closed doors. The darkness that adults don’t want to see often times.

Although I found this short story quite uncomfortable and dark, it was also one of surviving. About the challenges and difficulties of surviving and escaping abuse. And how those scars will haunt you forever.

<- CorfuSeek No More ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

Seek No More by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: Seek No More
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

It’s kind of unclear as to whether or not Noah lives in a fantasy world of reality or his mind. Which makes this a bit of an uncomfortable read for me. At least, that’s how I found the entire reality of this story – I wasn’t’ sure if we were in the real world with someone who is a bit unsettled with reality. Or in an urban fantasy world with someone who is just misunderstood. I suppose that’s what makes this story one that will be interesting to reread.

Although I’m not sure of where the line between reality and not is blurred, this did, ultimately have a happy ending. It was a bit of a dark story, but I don’t necessarily hate that fact when there is a nice ending. One that felt really hopeful and sweet.

I really enjoyed the craftiness Noah shows in escaping his bully, Buddha. And also how that just shows how those who don’t quite fit in are ostracized. Ultimately, this was a story about found family and maybe, just maybe, finding a place to belong.

<- The Witch SeedThe Phoenix ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

The Monster Game by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: The Monster Game
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Family, Historical fiction
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

Family is always a tricky thing to experience, describe and write about. Often, it is the thing that most destroys us, but also holds us together. This short story was a reminder of all of that darkness, a family trying to survive throughout war. But falling apart as they try to stay together. It honestly hurt my heart to read this tale. But also reminded me to cherish the family I have and the good memories.

There was a dark foreshadowing in the tone of this story from the very beginning. It was pretty obvious from the beginning that there wasn’t going to be a happy ending for these siblings. Plus, that kind of follows the tone of most of the stories in Green Monkey Dreams… there’s a layer of darkness that I haven’t focused in on in a while.

We all play games as children, and sometimes we remember the most random aspects of these games. Yet, sometimes these games and moments of perceived joy hid a greater, and much darker truth. In this case, the ways in which we hide from the truth and try to protect each other…

<- The Lemming FactorCorfu ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

Corfu by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: Corfu
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

This story made me really sad – it was a soulless town filled with soulless people. And, even though there was no hopeful notes to this story, I was still hoping for a more positive and promising ending than I got. It was a bit disheartening and sad to read – and honestly, I like stories that have at least a glimmer of hope in them. I didn’t find that in this story.

The decision made at the end of this wasn’t all that surprising – there’s a reason that it’s the decision many make in reality. But it was still really sad. I mean, the boy has so much hope at the beginning of this story, and potential. But then, he decides to join his brother in a gang and say goodbye to all of the potential doors that were in front of him. Sometimes I wonder if that’s a metaphor for life – saying goodbye to dreams because sometimes they are just unattainable.

I think that saddest part of all of this for me was that at the very end, Sophie recognises the path chosen. And recognised the betrayal that that decision denotes. Absolutely heart breaking and hard to read about. Love doesn’t necessarily conquer all, and this is kind of a reminder of that fact.

<- The Monster GameThe Witch Seed ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

The Lemming Factor by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: The Lemming Factor
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Family, Retellings
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

Something about this short story made it feel like everyone was just… charging towards their death. Which kind of makes sense, since its a story called The Lemming Factor. And even, with the uncertain ending to this, I still felt like the majority had literally been running towards their death.

The Lemming highlights how damaging it can be to only look out for yourself. And how the great importance of loyalty and family is what often carries us through. I love that one of those who was thought to be the ‘winners’ of the race, was more focused on their family.

I felt like there were so many meanings to this story. And many possible interpretations. But, even if you’re not trying to unravel the hidden meanings, the very simple act of running after the pied piper provided and entertaining read.

<- The BeastThe Monster Game ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

The Beast by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: The Beast
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Dystopia
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

This short story was incredibly dark and uncomfortable. Which is honestly a bit of why I like Isobelle Carmody, and I’m finding that within the Green Monkey Dreams collection, the stories are particularly dark and uncomfortable. The reason that they strike this tone with me – because, they make me think about the current state of the world and just completely freak me out.

I love that this short story focuses on the darkness that seems to be inherent in humanity. And how our very actions are a form of cannibalisation. Or at least, that’s what I got out of this story. It might be the scary times that we currently find ourselves in, but there is something just… self-destructive about our actions, and this story of The Beast focuses on this.

At first, I thought that the beast within this story was going to be an external creature. One that is preying upon those left behind after the apocalypse. Instead, it’s the beast within the narrator. Which, somehow was all that much more terrifying. It made me incredibly uncomfortable as I realised just how… beastly the beast was. Which is sometimes, honestly, why I read short stories.

Throughout all of the darkness in this story, I like that there was the underlying thread of hope throughout. It might have been a dark story overall, but there is that sense of hope. Hope for the future and redemption, even when everything is dark.

<- RoachesThe Lemming Factor ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

Roaches by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: Roaches
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dystopia
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996

Thoughts

This is a very short and quick story, one that has some seriously uncomfortable dystopian future vibes. There are so many damn ways in which we can imagine the world as we know it ending (although COVID did give us more of a taste of that), and this definitely leans into that genre. It’s really just a world in where the children (and the future I suppose) are trying to understand just what happened and escape.

Even though this is kind of sad, and doesn’t have a happy ending, it was still somehow hopeful. It was actually pretty dark and sad. But, because I’m the kind of person who always wants the silver linings, I’m going to imagine a fantastic happily ever after…

Even without the structured happily ever after, there is a great message of hope. And the power of humanity in that hope. It’s about the written word, and the importance of books. How trust is integral and that we always should strive for something better.

<- The Glory DaysThe Beast ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin

The Glory Days by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: The Glory Days
Author: Isobelle Carmody
In: Green Monkey Dreams (Isobelle Carmody)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dystopia, Fantasy
Dates read: 31st March 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 1996
5th sentence, 74th page: She touched the pencil with the tip of her finger.

Synopsis

The Glory Days are long gone. But some people still remember them…

Thoughts

I always love the post-apocalyptic feeling of Isobelle Carmody’s writing. There is just something so poignant about it all. And she always points out the things that are horribly wrong with our society. And honestly, this short story was no exception.

Ultimately, I finished this short story with a hurt-heart feeling. It was just… intense. There is something about looking at our society and reflecting that can really and seriously pull on the heart strings.

The key words that jumped out at me with this story – sorrow, anguish, betrayal, pain and love…

<- Green Monkey Dreams CollectionRoaches ->

Image source: Allen & Unwin