Brightest Young Things

New Book Column! Every week I’ll sample the goods and spit out the juiciest pieces of fiction for you—heavy on flavor, light on fat. Ready for your first course?

Stranger Things Happen—Kelly Link (Small Beer Press, 2001)

“…“Give me a kiss,” Bae says. The wind whips his words back at you. You can almost see the shape of them hanging in the heavy air.

—“Travels With the Snow Queen”

Basic ingredients: a quirky fairy tale-esque collection of short stories with a killer cover.
“Fairy tale-esque?” you say, eyebrow raised at the thought of morally slathered children’s’ stories and happily ever after endings. Well, yes, fairy tale-esque, dashed with a bit of sass, swearing and surrealist acceptance. Let me explain: while the action and images are predominantly unbelievable, the stories are told in such a casual, nonchalant fashion that the characters and subjects manage to come off straightforward and—dare I say, normal?
The stories are rooted in a mixed tradition of Brother’s Grimm, Disney, and Kafka—only without roots, floating and darting about. This works incredibly well for many of the stories, but leaves a few lacking and the reader grasping for more. Think: “whaaa?” with a slack-jawed expression. But overall, an entirely enjoyable and worthwhile read.

“Travels With the Snow Queen” and “Shoe and Marriage”—which contains its own short story collection within the story—were the most tenderly prepared and savory slices. On the other end of the spectrum “Survivor’s Ball, or, The Donner Party” set up an increasingly eerie scene, which put me in the mood for a deliciously disturbing end (think A Rose for Emily), but just ended up landing somewhere between confusing and blah.
One of the best qualities in a collection of short stories is the malleability in the way you read it—all the way through, front to back, sorting by title, a story a week. Whatever way you choose to chew it, the collection and Link grow on you as you read. I think you’ll find yourself willing to accept whatever situation she places you in—even if it’s trying to keep a naked hairy ghost from escaping into a cello.

If you liked what you read above you can “Take a Look Inside” Stranger Things Happen on Amazon.com:
Or preview it on google books

till next week:

Previously in Misc/Awesome:

• 12/28: Terrible Boyfriend/ Girlfriend Generator.
• 12/1: The John Waters Advent Calendar-it starts today
• 11/28: It Chooses You: All I Want for Christmas is Everything from Miranda July's Pop-Up Shop
• 11/3: Things I'd Move to Minnesota For
• 9/6: PHOTOS: Maloof $$ Money Cup
• 9/2: PHOTOS: Chantilly Model Train Show
• 9/1: Libby's List: 5 Things I Want Right Now...
• 8/22: PHOTOS: Best Friends Day
• 8/10: PHOTOS: Lawn Mover Racing, Eastern Seaboard Regionals @ Bowles Farm
• 7/26: Special List: Things the BYGays Want Now That We Can Marry In DC (and NY!)