A review by philosophie
Loopholes: Microfiction by Susan McCreery

4.0

He opened his mouth to tell her he didn't love her, but instead what he said was, You look amazing in that outfit and what have you done to your hair! It's so shiny and full of body. And when she began to melt, the wax creeping lava-like across the floor, he was forced to hop clear of the flames, the popping bubbles. He thought, maybe I should snuff her out while she's burning brightly, but he was pain-averse and by then in any case her entire body had softened and drooped into a vast puddle of gratitude. He had no trouble clearing it.

Η McCreery μπορεί να ζωγραφίσει άρτια μια εικόνα χωρίς να λέει πολλά, χωρίς να πλατειάζει. Η πρόζα της είναι κοφτή μεν ποιητική δε, κι οι ιστορίες καθεαυτές εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρουσες.

The moon rests on a gum's withered limb. A mopoke hoots under cover of dark. A cat stalks a rodent, barely disturbing the grass. One light at a window. One hand at a blind. One smash of a glass. One yell. One whack. One cry of a child. The mopoke's wings are black flags, tipped with light. The moon has risen, grown smaller.

This copy was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley.