Fire: An Anthology is a collection of short stories about fire (what else?). Although they’re unified by this common theme, they span multiple genres and writing styles.
Some are pure fun, like Kris Loomis?s “The Flame Games.” It revolves around a dragon Olympics and features one of Loomis?s signature twist endings.
Others, like Louise Foerster?s “Flaming Cassandra, Or I Hate Being Right,” about a woman with a special but unwanted gift, take on a more melancholy tone.
No matter your taste, this anthology is sure to have a story that resonates with you.
Highlights
One story I really connected with was Zarina Braybrooke?s “Kali Dancing,” about an Australian woman who travels to India. Like the protagonist, I’m not a huge fan of “roughing it.” But I do my best to keep up a cheerful front in these situations so I won’t be a ?stick in the mud.?
The story’s filled with evocative sensory descriptions: “Stalls everywhere, people calling, reaching out to her, the overpowering stench of human sweat and faeces and rotting food; passersby brushing, bumping against her.”
In “Kali Dancing,” fire takes on a metaphoric significance, symbolizing rebirth. The ending feels satisfyingly cathartic.
Then there’s ?Bringing God to School? by Seth Moriarty, a chilling story about a teacher who?s had enough: ?The children in the institution are feral, angry creatures. They hit, and push and swear in the corridors making the walk from the safety of the staffroom to my classroom reminiscent of a nighttime brawl?God weeps.?
So what does this have to do with fire? I?ll let you find out?
Why Should I Read This?
If you like stories that twist and turn into all sorts of surprising directions, this anthology is for you. Each story is wildly different, running the gamut from comedic to tragic to fantastical and everything in between.
You can get the story below.
I have added this book to my list 🙂 You described it very attractive. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Ye! Yes, it’s a fun read.
Sounds like something I’d like to read! Thanks for suggesting it!
Thanks, Melanie!
I am always looking for a good book to add to my reading list. This one surely sounds like a page turner! Thanks for the suggestion!!
Thank you for reading and for your comment, Albany. Yes, I feel kind of bad saying this as an English teacher, but I spend so much time reading blog posts now that it’s hard for a book to maintain my attention, but this book definitely kept me turning the pages and I read nearly the whole thing on the plane!
I love stories that twist and turn so this definitely sounds like it could be for me, I don’t really think about short stories too much either so it could be a great change. Thanks for the recommendation!
Soph – https://sophhearts.com x
Yes, Soph, short stories are the best! It’s great because it’s not a huge time commitment. You can easily read one in a single sitting.
Great insite, I need to get a copy.
Thanks for reading, Nat! It’s definitely worth checking out.
Great post! I never heard of this anthology before, but I’ll have to check it out!
Thanks, Bee! It’s worth checking out for sure.