I am not exaggerating when I say about five stories into this collection, I reached out to the writer, Gianni Washington, and told her the stories in Flowers from the Void were “Stephen King-level great”. This is one collection worth getting excited about, my fellow short story lovers.
One of the many things I loved about this book is there is a prologue, providing a context to these dark tales. As a lifelong lover of the Twilight Zone, this terrifying intro quickly let me know that I was in safe, deft hands.
Redemption Express involves a stoned grim reaper, bringing explosive vengeance. Go, It Is the Sending is a long, lush tale of grief and community, that ends in unexpected triumph.
Under Your Skin is a story with strong Stephen King vibes. A boy makes a strange pact with his bully, and things take an incredibly weird turn. The quality of writing in this story is incredible; Washington perfectly captures the uncanniness of teenage relationships.
Hold Still is another beautifully unconventional story. A man returns to his family home in a wheelchair after spending months in a coma, where he finds his mother-in-law has taken up residence. The dynamic gets very strange, and that’s just the start of the weirdness…
When I Cry, It’s Somebody Else’s Blood features a creature overlooking a village, growing curious about the inhabitants therein. We also have a girl without a shadow in In Between. And people literally lose pieces of themselves through sadness in Take It From Me.
The quality and variety of these stories is outstanding. I am very excited about Gianni Washington.
Flowers from the Void is out now, and you should absolutely buy it directly from Clash Books.
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