Book Review: Accounts of Ephemeral Oddities
By Elizabeth Suggs
Accounts of Ephemeral Oddities: A Collection of Short Stories by K.P. Hallow is a 21-page collection of tales on the ethereal, the impermanence, and one character experiencing borderline ludicrous urban paranormal phenomena.
Hallow has a unique way of writing, more akin to something poetic and ancient. Certain sections are abstract, possibly a little too abstract for clarity. While the book is very short, and I was able to get through it in less than an hour, I did have to reread a few of the stories to fully grasp what was written, so it may have taken me a little longer to read than something normal would of this length.
I believe with a little more work, Hallow’s writing could have been very strong. I like the style. It’s almost like a diary into the author’s mind. It’s different, there’s a lot of attention to detail, and it has a distinct voice. Plus, it makes you sit back and think.
Some of my favorite quotes are from the story “Crevices”:
Truly a commendation was an order for my imagination.
Late one tranquil night while staring at the ceiling as I often did, my wandering attention happened upon a precarious divot at the intersection of the wall and my subject of interest.
And I really enjoyed two of Hallow’s stories: “Hostage” and “Out of Support.”
In “Out of Support,” our protagonist is haunted by a sound in his inner ear while he showers. Hallow’s writing really came to life in this tale. For instance, here’s a cool quote: A shiver ran down my naked frame, an unseen threat felt along with a sense of dread hung on my person like a legend cloak.
“Hostage” focuses around a prisoner who’s deadened by daily torture. Daily I am forced upon my legs to bear the weight of these self-proclaimed gods.
This collection is fun and short and works well for busy schedules. I like the bite-sizeable quality of this anthology, and this may work for some, especially those who don’t have time for much reading, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com