The Naming of Moths - Tracy Fells

 I often feel that the short story is an underrated genre. But for me it’s a very satisfying one. The comparative brevity of a story gives you an assurance that you will finish it sooner rather than later whereas with a novel you know that you’ve several hours, at the very least, before you reach a conclusion. I also enjoy the fact that even the most complex of ideas can be concentrated into a story that can sometimes offer a more intense experience than if it was spread out over an entire novel.

Which brings me to this intriguing collection of short stories by Tracy Fells. There’s an almost ethereal quality running through these tales which seem to be part myth, part fairytale, part magic but I guess a unifying theme is that of transformation in the broadest of senses. Some stories had  a contemporary setting and others were set in an alternative reality like  a fairytale and I chuckled at one of the stories called Gretel and the Chocolate Wolf. 

There is a darkness riddling through the stories with subtle implications that give the reader plenty to think about. But there’s also beauty and a degree of humour. I think this author is a practised observer of human behaviour, interaction and reaction.

As with all story collections, there are favourites, I particularly enjoyed the opening story, Ten Good Reasons, which gives a whole new dimension to the ubiquitous bucket list! Another favourite was Ancient Wing a transformation tale with an exquisite conclusion. Coping Mechanism was like one of those psychological thrillers all condensed into one compact tale! 

I enjoyed the writing style, very much in the tradition of story telling with flowing narratives that lead the reader willingly to the stories’ conclusions. There was an otherworldly feel to many of the stories, no matter if the setting was contemporary there was often a sense of being off kilter. 

As a collection I found the stories immersive and captivating. Threads ran though the stories and some even had the same characters which gave a cohesive feel to the book as a whole. And that doesn’t always happen in a short story collection.

My thanks to Isabelle Kenyon at Fly on the Wall Press for a gifted copy.