Author: Anneliese Poelsma 
Release Date: January 12, 2015 
Series: None
Genre: Short Stories |Dark Fiction | Psychological Fiction | Adult
Edition: E-Book (mobi) 
Pages: 68
Publisher: Self-Published 
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon

Blurb

A book of six short stories.

Winner of the 2014 Ada Cambridge Prose Prize, ‘fly’ tells the story about a power struggle between two women whose relationship is doomed from the start yet neither can let go, one because of a desire for power and control, the other because of an inability to let go of her need for escapism and change.

‘I live in the bathroom. My husband locked me in here in a fit of rage…’
Winner of the 2002 Verandah Literary Award for fiction, ‘I Live in the Bathroom’ is an unsettling psychological tale about a woman’s disturbing fight to retain her sanity in a domestic setting gone awry. After being locked up by her grieving husband, she takes us on a dangerous journey into the bugs and viruses of the human mind as she struggles to make sense of her reality and the consequences of her dark feelings of jealousy and rejection.

Jennifer… an innocent, socially awkward woman being bullied by her chic office colleagues, or an obsessed, narcissistic stalker capable of the darkest of deeds?

‘Where Maisy Went’
Longlisted for the 2014 Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize.
Desperate for a baby of her own, a stroll through the inner city gardens turns into an impromptu kidnapping for middle-aged, mentally challenged Georgia. Ill equipped for the sudden demands of motherhood and with the mind of a child herself, Georgia unwittingly embarks on a journey towards infanticide.

The food the food the food…
‘Skin’ tells the story about the role food can play in the struggle against self-loathing, the fear of rejection and the fight for control and preservation of self in the face of psychological manipulation and abuse. Skin outlines one lesbian woman’s battle to free herself not only from the power of false love but the demands of a society and its concepts of what constitutes feminine beauty.

‘Jump’
One man’s search for his family in a busy shopping center becomes a search for meaning and purpose in his life. As he loses hope at every wrong turn and the resulting disasters continually test his lacking confidence, the man must decide if his life is worth the continued struggle against disappointment, disapproval and death.

‘fly and other stories’ explores human strength and fallibility in the face of failed emotional connections. It investigates the fragility of sanity and the desire to hold onto hope, sometimes where there is none. Each character seeks to achieve a sense of self-improvement, freedom and happiness, sometimes successfully, sometimes misguided, sometimes with horrific consequences as they struggle to force their worlds to make sense.

Rating

Review

Fly And Other Short Stories is a short-stories collection of 6 brilliantly written short stories. The main theme of the story is exploring the dark rooms inside a person and the author has done it to perfection.

I enjoyed each and every story and was left craving for more. All the stories were short, to-the-point and smart. I really liked reading them and they really creeped the hell out of me (yeah, I just made that up. But you get the drift, right?)

To be honest, when I first saw this book on Goodreads, I had no idea what to expect from it. I mean the name itself felt bizarre and then as soon as I read the blurb, I was sold! I immediately accepted the review request and now, that I’ve read it, I’m really happy that I read it.

If you like the works of Stephen King and Gillian Flynn then this book is a must read. It’s a novella, but it packs a serious punch. All the stories are 5/5. In fact, they are so good that I can’t even pick a favorite one.

I’d recommend this book to all the readers of dark fiction, especially those who have a thing for creepy stuff and don’t mind the negative side of things.

You can also read this review at:
Goodreads and Amazon

Other Stuff

Opening Line: I sit on the edge of the couch, perched and stiff.

Highlights: Brilliant storytelling.

Lowlights: None.

Final Thoughts: A brilliant short story collection.