As a short story writer, I LOVE a good short story collection. There’s just something about the short story. They pack a punch in just a few pages. And the beauty of well chosen collection is the thematic connection they can offer. You explore the idea from many angles. I recently finished David Beaumier’s short story collection, The Mourning Fields. It’s a powerful exploration of human trauma. Each short piece contributes and satisfies.
The title is a reference to part of the Greek underworld where the dead remember their grief and their unrequited love.
Beaumier’s stories are inspired by many familiar, and some unfamiliar, Greek myths, but he places most of them in and around the contemporary setting of Bellingham, WA. They resonate like the original myths, but they are completely fresh and unique takes.
I found all of them to be intense, thought provoking, and above all, real.
Some feature a paranormal twist that is a nod to the Olympians. I particularly enjoyed ‘The White Pine,’ which reimagines the myth of Daphne escaping Apollo, because magical realism creeps in. Other stories I found compelling for the same reason include ‘Charon’s Crossing’ and ‘Medusa.’ With ‘Charon’s Crossing’ we get a semi instead of a ferry. In ‘Medusa,’ we get a mutation instead of a curse.
Some stories are as earthy and gritty as humans can get. Beaumier’s version of ‘Narcissus,’ ‘The College Experience,’ and ‘Siren’ come to mind. But ultimately, these stories are compassionate and an ode to trauma victims of all stripes.
I have to give kudos to the Beaumier for such richly and sensitively crafted characters. Many of the stories have a literary feel as a result.
Who is this book for? You’ll enjoy Beaumier’s work if you like the themes explored in Greek myth, Greek myth retellings, literary fiction with a focus on character exploration, or stories that explore the trauma in human relationships.
To order the book, follow this link.
To read the Chanticleer book review, follow this link.
To learn more about the author, visit this link.
Thanks for reading!
