This little collection took a long time for me to read, but not because I didn’t like it. I read it as a sort of buddy read with someone who never reads so it took a while. I’ve never read anything by Ben Loory before, but this collection sounded like something I would enjoy.
Most of the stories have a fairy tale feeling to them. They are written rather simply, but the symbolism and themes are often more complex. The characters rarely have names or faces and most of the stories have a moral at the end. This makes the stories very universal. They could take place anywhere and be about anyone. The collection as a whole is very strange. Some pieces are very dark while others made me laugh. They really are stories of the nighttime and day.
Did I like the book though? Yes. It wasn’t my favorite collection though. I really loved some of the stories, but with all collections there are some hits and misses. I like the fairy tale style of storytelling for the short story format. And I do mean short! Some stories are only a paragraph or two long while others might be a five pages at most. I’m sure there are better collections of bizarre short stories, but this book wouldn’t be a bad choice if it sounds like something you’d enjoy!
