April Book Recommendation
By Tavi Lorelle Carpenter
I am so excited to share this month’s book recommendation. I had spotted this book several times on other people’s recommendation lists and am happy to continue that trend. I have always appreciated anthologies, but I am a huge fan of fiction anthologies. The short story is a much more difficult task than we often realize. A great short-story has to have a dynamic plot and well fleshed out characters, a challenging thing to do in a short amount of space. I am pleased to include this book on my list of reads and hope you all enjoy it as well!
Never Whistle At Night, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr., is an anthology of dark fiction by twenty-six indigenous authors. According to an interview with Theodore C. Van Alst, Hawk and Alst worked hard to include new voices alongside some familiar, already-established authors. With Indigenous voices being amongst the lowest represented in publishing, this allows readers to be introduced to new voices. In addition, this allowed for the vast diversity across Native America to shine through. While reading through the anthology, I found it fascinating how each author weaved their worldview into their stories.
Each author utilizes the short story format expertly. You know it’s a good story when, at the end, you are a little sad it’s finished. This speaks to all of the author’s ability in writing well-crafted stories. Horror is often best told in the short-story format, as it gives the reader the perfect amount of suspense, but I found myself, after each story, wanting a little more. Not because the stories felt incomplete but because I was successfully brought into each story’s world. In truth, Never Whistle At Night is a genre beyond horror; it deals with the spooky scary, but on a deeper note, it explores human psychology.
I found myself most engaged by stories that seemed to question what fear is, what it truly looks like, and what it takes to survive fear and come out on the other side. Without giving too much away, it’s safe to say that Never Whistle At Night successfully transports its readers into the darkest depths of the spooky scaring while centering the exploration of the human psyche through an indigenous lens.
I also appreciated that each author is given space after their stories to be introduced. I noted that other readers in reviews appreciated this as well. I know for myself, it helped me contextualize the stories and add another level of depth. But it also allows for readers to find out more about the writers and support the other things they’ve written.
If you are a fan of thrilling and suspenseful fiction, it should certainly be on your to-read list!
I purchased my copy on kindle through amazon (I had some free credits), but I’ve noted that quite a few retailers are selling this book, so it’s possible that it is at your local bookstore.
