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A review by lovelymisanthrope
Out There by Kate Folk
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I picked this up because my husband got me a copy of this book on a work trip, and I selected it as a book club pick for a friend and me.
"Out There" is a collection of short stories that are..."out there". The stories all follow different characters as they experience different ailments to being human.
Probably my favorite short story in this collection was "The Bone Ward". This story follows the only woman in the bone ward, until a new woman, Lily shows up. The Bone Ward is a place for people whose bones disintegrate at night. Through proper treatment, they can live pretty normal lives, but they do need constant medical attention. The narrator enjoys being the only object of the other male patient's attention, so when Lily shows up, she is jealous. This story was such a great exploration of self and how people can often make us feel ways that we do not want. It was also so visual, and such a unique idea. I have never read a story that was quite like this.
Another story that really stuck out to me and I have not stopped thinking about was "Moist House". In this story a man takes on a job to keep a house moist by applying lotion to it daily. He soon discovers that he has become linked to the house, and if he does not keep the house well hydrated, he has his own consequences to face. This story was beautiful, and I loved seeing how the man evolved into caring for the house and the effects it in turn had on him. It was also just super strange to read about and left a really lasting impression.
Overall, I really loved this collection, and I have not stopped thinking about some of the stories since I finished.
"Out There" is a collection of short stories that are..."out there". The stories all follow different characters as they experience different ailments to being human.
Probably my favorite short story in this collection was "The Bone Ward". This story follows the only woman in the bone ward, until a new woman, Lily shows up. The Bone Ward is a place for people whose bones disintegrate at night. Through proper treatment, they can live pretty normal lives, but they do need constant medical attention. The narrator enjoys being the only object of the other male patient's attention, so when Lily shows up, she is jealous. This story was such a great exploration of self and how people can often make us feel ways that we do not want. It was also so visual, and such a unique idea. I have never read a story that was quite like this.
Another story that really stuck out to me and I have not stopped thinking about was "Moist House". In this story a man takes on a job to keep a house moist by applying lotion to it daily. He soon discovers that he has become linked to the house, and if he does not keep the house well hydrated, he has his own consequences to face. This story was beautiful, and I loved seeing how the man evolved into caring for the house and the effects it in turn had on him. It was also just super strange to read about and left a really lasting impression.
Overall, I really loved this collection, and I have not stopped thinking about some of the stories since I finished.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Toxic friendship