Friday, May 29, 2015

Short story roundup: week four

no photo this week and only the briefest of comments to wrap up the inaugural observation of Short Story Month.

"Freeze Dried Groom" by Margaret Atwood in Stone Mattress
Returning to Margaret Atwood's collection in order to finish it. This story had a Steven King horror quality to it as well as an ambiguous ending the kind of which leads the reader to imagine only the darkest possible solution. Spoiler ahead: A salvage collector who distresses junk and passes it off as antiques buys several storage lockers of abandoned goods. Cleaning them out, he discovers a wedding dress, cake, etc. And, in the corner of the locker, he finds the groom. Freeze-dried.

"I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth" by Margaret Atwood in Stone Mattress
Sequel to Robber Bride. The characters wonder if their friend, Zenia, has returned to haunt them.

"This Is Not a Love Song" by Brendan Mathews in Virginia Quarterly Review, Summer 2013
I bought this issue with a travel theme and stories about the Faroe Islands and beekeeping several summers ago, but had never looked at it. It has been in a stack sitter on my coffee table. This story was chosen at random. The title is also a title to a song by PIL.

"The Dead Hand Loves You," by Margaret Atwood in Stone Mattress

"Ava Wrestles the Alligator" by Karen Russell in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
More Karen Russell. Happily!

"ZZ's Sleep-Away Camp for Disordered Dreamers," by Karen Russell in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves

"Haunting Olivia" by Karen Russell in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves





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