Short Story Reviews: Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation by Mike Thorn

Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation by Mike Thorn
Demain Publishing
Publication Date: September 27th, 2019

Ebook. 48 pages

About Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation:

"Dreams of Lake Drukka" and "Exhumation" explore the unearthing of horrific, long-buried family secrets. Journeying into the darkest recesses of the past, these stories depict the dire consequences of discovering the truth. 

Writing about this duology, author Mike Thorn says: “It was only in retrospect that I could see the connections between these two stories. When I revisited them for publication, it struck me that they work well as companion pieces. Both plots depict unfulfilled pacts with supernatural undercurrents, both include journeys to uncover unresolved familial trauma, and both pivot around the revelation of repressed memories. I wanted to explore the relationship between setting and atmosphere in these pieces, and to depict horror within internal and physical ‘sites of trauma.’ The characters are grappling with painful memories / experiences that have held them back, consciously or unconsciously. One story focuses on a character who is the agent of her own revelations, whereas the other story sees someone whose agency is quickly and brutally taken away."

Dreams of Lake Drukka: This felt like a really classic scary story that I had a lot of fun with. It follows two sisters as they head out to place of their past to reconcile with their mother's death. However, upon arriving at their destination things take a bit of an...unexpected turn.

I loved the eeriness of this setting and the way that the strained relationship between both sisters really matched the tense atmosphere. I think Thorn did a great job in conveying the family dynamics at play in this story, which ultimately builds up into something I could not have predicted. I can't tell you more about the story since it's a short one, but there are some rather extraordinary events that occur that didn't exactly make perfect sense, but that matched the idea of a shocking ending that I love in short stories.

Exhumation: "Exhumation" is a whole other ball game than "Dreams of Lake Drukka," and honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about because I still have so many questions about it. If you like some dark, gory, and raw stories, then you're going to want to pick up "Exhumation." I appreciate that Thorn is willing to take risks and write a story that is likely to evoke strong reactions. It's a unique story that offers a lot to consider, though I do wish the writing was a bit smoother and easier to follow.

Overall, both stories offer intriguing tales of horror that are full of unpredictable moments. I definitely preferred "Dreams of Lake Drukka" for its atmosphere and writing flow, but "Exhumation" still managed to provide an oddly interesting plot that kept me reading. I've given this collection 3.75 stars (rounded up to four on Goodreads/Amazon)!

*I received a copy of Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment of the novel.*

Mini-Review: Revenge: Stories by Yoko Ogawa

Revenge: Stories by Yoko Ogawa 
trans. Stephen Snyder
Picador, 1998

Paperback. 162 pages.

About Revenge:

"Sinister forces draw together a cast of desperate characters in this eerie and absorbing novel from Yoko Ogawa. 

An aspiring writer moves into a new apartment and discovers that her landlady has murdered her husband. Years later, the writer’s stepson reflects upon his stepmother and the strange stories she used to tell him. Meanwhile, a surgeon’s lover vows to kill him if he does not leave his wife. Before she can follow-through on her crime of passion, though, the surgeon will cross paths with another remarkable woman, a cabaret singer whose heart beats delicately outside of her body. But when the surgeon promises to repair her condition, he sparks the jealousy of another man who would like to preserve the heart in a custom tailored bag. Murderers and mourners, mothers and children, lovers and innocent bystanders—their fates converge in a darkly beautiful web that they are each powerless to escape. 

Macabre, fiendishly clever, and with a touch of the supernatural, Yoko Ogawa’s Revenge creates a haunting tapestry of death—and the afterlife of the living."

LIKES: This was a weird collection of short stories, but I like weird so it worked out well for me.
I've had a lot of success with Japanese authors in the past, so when I saw Ogawa mentioned as talented Japanese author to check out, I knew I wanted to check out her work.

This is a short collection of stories that reads quickly, so I was able to breeze through this particular book in about a day. The first story, "Afternoon in the Bakery" was a perfect opening story that really set the tone for the rest of the book--quite, unsettling, and unexpected. "Sewing for the Heart" and "The Last Hour of the Bengal Tiger" are two that also stood out and that had particularly interesting storylines. I found myself almost rather amused by some of these, which feels weird to say based on the subject matter, but there's something very satisfying and entertaining to figure out the connection between the stories and find out the twist. For me, the best part of this collection was how Ogawa connected all of the stories in one way or another so that they all sort of worked together and created one overarching narrative, even though storylines and/or characters were different in each.

DISLIKES: There were a few stories that didn't hold my interest and fell a little flat, but for the most part I don't really have many complaints. A few of the 'twists' were a little predictable as well in a select few of the stories, but I'm also not sure if they were supposed to be totally surprising or not. This wasn't necessarily the best collection of stories I've ever read, but I have no doubt that I will be picking up more of Yoko Ogawa's books this year!

Overall, I've decided to give Revenge four stars! If you like weird, quiet, short fiction, then be sure to give this collection a chance.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

You might also  like:

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Waiting on Wednesday: The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston & A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh & Elsie Chapman

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:

The Traitor God by Cameron
Publication Date: June 5th, 2018

Angry Robot
432 pages
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads:

"A city threatened by unimaginable horrors must trust their most hated outcast, or lose everything, in this crushing epic fantasy debut. 

After ten years on the run, dodging daemons and debt, reviled magician Edrin Walker returns home to avenge the brutal murder of his friend. Lynas had uncovered a terrible secret, something that threatened to devour the entire city. He tried to warn the Arcanum, the sorcerers who rule the city. He failed. Lynas was skinned alive and Walker felt every cut. Now nothing will stop him from finding the murderer. Magi, mortals, daemons, and even the gods - Walker will burn them all if he has to. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he's killed a god..."

Another new fantasy debut--I just can't seem to get enough of them, it seems. I'm particularly intrigued by the premise of this one and how dark it has the potential to be, plus I noticed a positive review for it from the incredible Anna Smith Spark, so.. I'm sold!

and...

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
Featuring stories by: Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagwa, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodar, Cindy Pon, Alyssa Wong, Rahul Kanakia, Shveta Thakrar, and more
Publication Date: June 26th, 2018

Greenwillow Books
336 pages
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads:

"Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. 

Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turcs enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. 

Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong. 

A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Unnatural Creatures and Ameriie’s New York Times–bestselling Because You Love to Hate Me."

Does this not sound like it's going to be a fantastic collection of stories? I am so excited to read this because I love Asian myths and folklore and I really don't see too many stories based on them. I can't wait to have an opportunity to read this one!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Fourteen of My Favorite Short Stories (and Short Story Collections) + A Few on My TBR!

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly book blog meme hosted by the lovely girls over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is short books, and since I sort of just recently made a post highlighting some great books that are 200 pages or less, I thought I'd tweak this theme a little bit... and share some awesome short stories and short story collections, along with a few short works of poetry and plays thrown in for good measure (I'm being liberal with the term 'short story')! Now, I thought that this would be more difficult to do since I'm not really a big short story person, but apparently I like more than I thought - who knew?

**These titles are listed in particular order. Enjoy!

1. Unnatural Creatures by Neil Gaiman
As the summary describes it, Unnatural Creatures is "a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds. The magical creatures range from werewolves to sunbirds to beings never before classified." And yes, this collection is every bit as magical as it sounds. 

2. The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, translated by Jack Zipes
Besides being absolutely stunning, this particular is the first translated edition of all 156 stories by the Brothers Grimm from the original 1812 and 1815 editions. I love folk/fairy tales, and these one did not disappoint at all. They are as close to the way they were originally written as possible, and it's wonderful. The illustration, by Andrea Dezso, are also a lovely addition.

3. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
"The Yellow Wallpaper" will never get old. This 6,000-word short story essentially documents slow descent of a woman into madness, and that's all you really need to know to jump in. 

4. "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg
I am a big fan of Ginsberg's poetry, which I first mentioned in a review for some uncollected works, and because of this I had to include his short book of poems in this list. This particular collection resulted in the arrest of its publisher and editor for "disseminating obscene literature." What's more enticing than banned books?

5. "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
This is, hands down, one of my favorite pieces of satire to ever be written. Essentially, Swift suggests that in order to ease the lives of the poor and provide them with more food, they should begin selling children as food to the rich. Thus, the poor would make a profit and food would begin to be in greater supply. As you might expect, it wasn't received by everyone with as much enjoyment as it is now. 

6. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
I am so in love with this book. There are three short stories contained within, each one delightfully creepy and haunting. I read these all in one sitting, and I definitely recommend them.
(Review)

7. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell
In case you hadn't noticed, I like Neil Gaiman. The Sleeper and the Spindle is a short book inspired by a "weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic." It's gorgeous, and the illustrations by Riddell are as stunning as every other thing he's ever created.

8. The Short Stories of Edgar Allan Poe
I know, I know, I probably include Poe too much on these list, but I can't help it! I love his short stories (and poetry!) and I think they are some of the best out there.  They are classically disturbing and I just cannot get enough of them.

9. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Another classic! If you haven't read the tale of the headless horsemen, then I encourage you to do so!

10. Lady with the Dog and Other Short Stories by Anton Chekov
If you haven't read anything by Chekov, this is a great place to start! The Lady with the Dog is about an adulterous affair, and supposedly Vladimir Nabokov called it one of the best pieces of short fiction he's ever read, so there's that.

11. Fragile Things: 
Yes, more Neil Gaiman. And more wonderful short stories.

12. After the Quakes: Stories by Haruki Murakami
And another favorite author of mine. This particular collection features six short stories written in response to the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan.

13. Greek Lives by Plutarch & Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius

All of these are great. They're fascinating if you're at all interested in Ancient Greek and Roman figures. I just translated a good portion of Life of Antony this past quarter for a Greek course, so I am slightly biased, but they are still fascinating. And Suetonius' lives of the Roman emperors are delightfully juicy. I highly recommend them.

14. The Bacchus by Euripides

Euripides is a brilliant Greek author, and I think this is one of his best works. 

Short Stories I want to Read:

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
I don't even know how many years this book has been on my TBR at this point, but I am still dying to read it! I love every thing I've read about this collection, and I think it sounds like it is right up my alley.

Moral Disorder and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood
I love Margaret Atwood and have heard great things about this collection! I've yet to read any short stories by Atwood, so I'm excited to see how it is.

Little Black Book of Stories by A. S. Byatt
I'm just so fascinated by the sound of this one. I read Possession last year and I think I really liked it (it's complicated), and I think this sounds like a perfect match for the taste of Byatt's writing that I received from Possession.

Have you read any of these? What are some of your favorite short stories/short story collections?

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