Book Review – Caution: Contains Small Parts by Kirstyn McDermott

Glancing at my Goodreads stats, I began reading Caution well over a year ago.  It was going to be one of those quick personal reads you fit in before the review copy starts padding the walls of your cell library.

I may have let it languish longer were it not for the death of my ereader, which prompted the purchase of another ($65 Kobo Touch at Brisbane Airport).  I had bought Caution through Kobo and it downloaded as part of the setup process again.  The intervening year of not reading hadn’t dulled my memory but I embarked on reading the first 3 stories again.

It struck me on a second reading that this collection does really showcase McDermott’s versatility.  All the stories are a mix of dark/weird/horror/fantasy but McDermott gives us something fresh in each of the 4 tales.

Kij Johnson (whose work I also have in the personal reading pile) introduces the collection, outlining the reasons why I continue to enjoy Kirstyn’s work i.e. that Kirstyn isn’t afraid to drag the reader toward big messy uncomfortable themes and bind them together with good story.

 

What Amanda Wants kicks off the set and presents initially as a fairly straight psychological thriller before edging its way into the weird. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed being manipulated in this story, the build up of dread and the twist.

Horn was a very interesting bit of fun, a thick vein of cultural commentary wrapped up in a good horror story. If you like fluffy tales about unicorns…well ( why would you be reading McDermott) skip this one.

Caution: Contains Small Parts was another wonderful piece of manipulation, playing with genre expectations around possessed childhood toys.  I think this would work well as a short film.

The final novella is The Home for Broken Dolls where Kirstyn manages to blend genre tropes, criticism and adult dolls in the one story that should be given so much more critical analysis than this short recommendation will provide.  Out of all the stories this one impressed me the most.  Horn, What Amanda Wants and Caution are great stories, entertaining stories.  The Home for Broken Dolls though managed to really provoke some introspection on top of having the qualities of the stories previously mentioned.

This collection continues Twelfth Planet Press’ wonderful series of female talent. Caution and indeed the entire series should receive wider attention than the usual genre haunts.  I encourage readers especially those not fans or readers of genre to try Kirstyn’s collection, to sample what serious topics and themes can be packaged in horror and dark fantasy short story.

So a thumbs up from me.

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This review is part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2015.  Please check out this page for more great writing from Australian women.

 

 

 

 

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Upcoming Book Release: Day Boy by Trent Jamieson

Trent’s new book is out on the 24th of June but its just occurred to me that Booktopia have been running a free postage promo for the last week and I hadn’t recommended it.  So here it is:

Mark is a Day Boy.

In a post-traumatic future the Masters—formerly human, now practically immortal—rule a world that bends to their will and a human population upon which they feed. Invincible by night, all but helpless by day, each relies on his Day Boy to serve and protect him.
Mark has been lucky in his Master: Dain has treated him well. But as he grows to manhood and his time as a Day Boy draws to a close, there are choices to be made.

Will Mark undergo the Change and become, himself, a Master—or throw in his lot with his fellow humans? As the tensions in his conflicted world reach crisis point, Mark's decision may be crucial.

In Day Boy Trent Jamieson reimagines the elements of the vampire myth in a wholly original way. This is beautifully written and surprisingly tender novel about fathers and sons, and what it may mean to become a man.
Or to remain one.

Booktopia have it for $24.95 sans shipping if you use the code word SNUGGLE before midnight tonight.

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The Sara Douglass Book Series Award

I can remember, particularly after the Hugo in which the final book of the Wheel of Time series featured, a number of people suggesting that there really should be an award that examines a series as a whole.  It seems the wonderful folk at the Aurealis Awards have done just that, for an Australian series at least.  With the blessing of Sara Douglas’ executor, The Sara Douglass Book Series is now open for submissions.

This Award is named for one of Australia’s best known speculative fiction writers. Sara Douglass was the flagship author of the HarperVoyager Australian line, which launched the careers of many of our most popular writers, and paved the way for the vibrant and diverse speculative fiction scene Australia has today. Sara’s contribution to the state of speculative fiction in Australia cannot be underestimated, and we are proud to commemorate her in this Award.

Please check their website for more.

 

 

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