This month’s book club selection can only be described in one word:
Weird.
Jenny warned me, but I don’t think that her comment, “just so you know, this one is weeeeeeeird,” as I picked up my copy from her could have adequately prepared me for the level of oddity this book maintained throughout.
I guess I should have listened more closely when our book concierge at BookBar told us about the science fiction/fantasy bits. I’ve never really done well with either of those genres. I guess I’m just too much or a realist.
It also had a whole lot of sex that I wasn’t expecting. And I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize how uncomfortable reading about sex feels to me (and I drudged through the entire 50 Shades of Gray series).
There were a couple of stories that I really enjoyed, however. Stop reading if you don’t want any details of what happens in some of these stories.
“The Resident” was a good one where this writer ends up in the mountains at an old hotel that reminds me of The Stanley Hotel (along with the creepy overtones of crazy shit about to go down at any moment). Although I still want to know about the boils on her body.
Strangely, I also liked “Real Women Have Bodies”. Although I expected it to be more about how we should appreciate women with curves, I rather delighted in the idea that women are fading out of visibility, but continue to exist by being sown into beautiful ball gowns. Personally, I feel like women are far from fading, but the commentary on our role in society was apt.
I did not like “Especially Heinous.” It was boring as shit. But it did make me want to watch Law & Order: SVU. So there’s that.
Also, “The Husband Stitch” was a little predictable – yep, her head falls off.