Amazing! An instant favorite short story collection that I just could not stop reading. In these eight short stories and one longer novella, Cipri introduces the reader to their awesome creativity and a slew of unforgettable queer and trans characters. While these stories were naturally slightly uneven in my enjoyment, the highs of this collection were so phenomenally high. ⁣
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Shades of horror reminding me of Machado’s Her Body and Other Parties abounded in the stories Dead Air, which tells the most creepy story I’ve read in ages through audio recording transcripts, and Presque Vu, a weirdly timely feeling story about a haunted world where wraiths stalk the streets, normal people insist on wearing Halloween costumes well past the end of the holiday, and the protagonist wakes up each morning choking up keys. Somehow this surreal tale felt so of the current moment to me, despite feeling anxious when the characters had a lovely potluck. Other favorites for me were A Silly Love Story, about an artist grappling with a poltergeist in his closet alongside a swelling crush on his bigender best friend, and The Shape of My Name, a gorgeous story about a trans guy in a family of time travelers. ⁣
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The collection closes with a novella entitled Before We Disperse Like Star Stuff, which was an absolute treat to read. The story imagines the discovery of a written language developed by a prehistoric species of weasels, through the lense of a documentary being produced following the trio responsible for the discovery. Damian, Min, and Ray are thrust back into contact by the documentary’s production after differences of opinion on how to handle the discovery tore their relationships apart. The story bursts with big ideas and small moments between these vibrant, flawed characters. ⁣
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Highly recommended to fans of speculative fiction, magical realism/fabulism, horror, and/or queer and trans literature. ⁣