A review by kieralesley
Caution: Contains Small Parts by Kij Johnson, Kirstyn McDermott
4.0
A great small collection by a new-to-me Australian writer: contemporary horror that focuses as much on the internal psychology of its characters as it does on the external dark and creepy elements.
Each story in the collection takes a different angle on violence against or involving women. While this makes some of the scenes and material confronting it’s not gratuitous and delves into the natural horror in the ideas and themes McDermott is using as the basis for these stories. She’s not afraid to make you really look at what is more commonly overlooked or dismissed.
The stories are also all adept at zigging when you expect them to zag and in completely different tonal and content directions to what had been signalled and set up. The stories are sad, lonely, angry, cruel, hopeful and lonely and the unexpected shifts between these really make the collection.
It was a short collection, so I feel I can make a quick comment on each of the stories individually (somewhat vaguely to avoid spoilers – I’d recommend coming into all of these as blind as you can).
What Amanda Wants – The best sort of surprise and a really strong opening piece. The mystery provides a good hook that leads you to a vicious little heart.
Horn – This one was probably my least favourite of the collection. Dealing with unicorns, loss and the life of a successful writer, I found it really bleak.
Caution: Contains Small Parts – Creepy – possessed toys always are! – this one has a really lonely feel to it, looks at an often overlooked type of abuse within relationships, and includes one of the most interesting emotional turns in the whole book.
The Home For Broken Dolls – The longest piece in the collection offering a nuanced look at women’s bodies in society (how they’re treated, inhabited, discarded, seen and not seen) and the associated emotional responses and coping mechanisms from hiding within expectations, to avoidance, to flat-out rage.
Worth a look even for those who wouldn’t normally consider a horror collection.
Each story in the collection takes a different angle on violence against or involving women. While this makes some of the scenes and material confronting it’s not gratuitous and delves into the natural horror in the ideas and themes McDermott is using as the basis for these stories. She’s not afraid to make you really look at what is more commonly overlooked or dismissed.
The stories are also all adept at zigging when you expect them to zag and in completely different tonal and content directions to what had been signalled and set up. The stories are sad, lonely, angry, cruel, hopeful and lonely and the unexpected shifts between these really make the collection.
It was a short collection, so I feel I can make a quick comment on each of the stories individually (somewhat vaguely to avoid spoilers – I’d recommend coming into all of these as blind as you can).
What Amanda Wants – The best sort of surprise and a really strong opening piece. The mystery provides a good hook that leads you to a vicious little heart.
Horn – This one was probably my least favourite of the collection. Dealing with unicorns, loss and the life of a successful writer, I found it really bleak.
Caution: Contains Small Parts – Creepy – possessed toys always are! – this one has a really lonely feel to it, looks at an often overlooked type of abuse within relationships, and includes one of the most interesting emotional turns in the whole book.
The Home For Broken Dolls – The longest piece in the collection offering a nuanced look at women’s bodies in society (how they’re treated, inhabited, discarded, seen and not seen) and the associated emotional responses and coping mechanisms from hiding within expectations, to avoidance, to flat-out rage.
Worth a look even for those who wouldn’t normally consider a horror collection.