This House of Wounds

Georgina Bruce. Undertow, $17.99 trade paper (248p) ISBN 978-1-988964-10-2

Bruce’s collection of feminist, fantastical short stories has something to please nearly every taste. Lovers of dark fantasy and fairy tales will enjoy “The Shadow Men,” while “The Book of Dreems” is an excellent choice for the sci-fi fan, and“Red Queening” provides a dark and eerie take on Alice in Wonderland. Readers of dystopian fiction will relish “Wake Up, Phil,” which carries a feeling of disquiet and an uncertainty of both time and place. Though most of the stories end tragically, they are also designed to be hopeful on a deeper level, as in “Her Bones the Trees” and “Cat World,” stories of sexual violence and reawakenings. The prose is exquisite throughout, but the otherworldliness of the tales and unflinching inclusion of violence and abuse can make this collection a challenge. Bruce’s knack for ethereal tales that cut straight to the core of what it means to be a human (and specifically a woman) will delight readers who enjoy a smattering of the supernatural and blurred edges of reality. (June)