Fat Girl in a Strange Land

Fat Girl in a Strange Land**

Crossed Genres Publications

Edited: Kay T. Holt, Bart R Leib.

Cover: Lili Ibrahim

Fat Girl in a Strange Land does something that I’ve seen escape other anthologies: it starts and ends on strong notes. The opening story, “La Gorda and the City of Silver,” by Sabrina Vourvoulias, moved me to tears. It starts with a first line as fierce as the punch of a luchadora, and never lets up.

Not every story made the same killer landing. “The Tradeoff,” by Lauren C. Teffeau, was impeccably written, yet emotionally flat. “The Right Stuffed,” from Brian Jungwiwattanaporn, was hurried and uneven, though there’s a very real sense of writing chops waiting to be honed. “How Do You Want To Die?” from Rick Silva, and “Sharks & Seals,” Jennifer Brozek’s contribution, both suffered from the same ailment. Silva and Brozek can be counted on for a good read, but neither story reads as a short story. Silva’s read like something from a longer work. Brozek’s visit to Kendrick is an enjoyable one, but it reads as a trip that needs follow-up, not a stand-alone.

As a fan of horror, the anthology snuck in two I’d classify as part of the genre. Bonnie Ferrante’s ”Flesh of my Flesh” and “Davy,” by Anna Dickinson. Ferrante’s story was a short, deeply disturbing foray into science-fiction. It’s excellently written, but dark enough to leave a mark if you have issues concerning physical or emotional violence. Dickinson’s story was both delightful and fucking scary. She not only channels the day to day horror of postpartum depression, but employs the sort of nightmarish landscapes I usually only find in the role-playing game Don’t Rest Your Head.

The rest of the stories are a grab-bag of fantasy and science fiction.

“Cartography, and the Death of Shoes,” from AJ Fitzwater is quirky: the writing is a bit uneven, but it gives it character instead of a sense of technical instability. It’s one of the better pieces of fantasy I’ve read lately.  Katherine Elmer’s “Tangwystl the Unwanted” rings as true as one of the Russian faerie tales I grew up on, it’s a refreshingly well-crafted story. “Marilee and the S.O.B.” is a romp through fantasy from Barbara Krasnoff; totally unapologetic about marrying faerie tales with modern setting, I would happily read it again. “Blueprints,” by Anna Caro, is by turns a bright and somber read about what happens after the end of everything we’ve ever known.

Some of the other stories that hit real high notes for me include Josh Roseman’s  ”Survivor,” because he fucking kills it in that story.  His protagonist Wen is a believable teenage girl. Sometimes whiny, sometimes brave, Wen is faced with a fight for survival on her own that could cripple an adult, and meets it head on. I threw the horns with both hands at the end. Nicole Prestin’s “Nemesis” got past my usual dislike for the superhero genre, providing readers with the protagonist Flux, the ‘Midwestern Soccer Mom’ I could identify with. “Nemesis” occupies the same mental shelf for me as Seanan McGuire’s “Velveteen vs.” stories, and I hope we see more of both Nicole Prestin and Flux. The anthology ends with “Lift” by Pete “Patch” Alberti, and this story would be worth the price of admission alone. This is for everyone who wanted a smart, determined female protagonist as teenagers. It is so fucking good. I sincerely hope we see more from him in the future, particularly YA. Mary Beth is the girl I would have looked up to as a teenager.

Or right about now.

* Review copy provided by publisher

* Disclosure: I work with author Jennifer Brozek on a regular basis.

P.S. Go check out cover artist Lili Ibrahim’s work. Well worth losing some of your productivity today.