THE BODY FARM

Geni’s second collection of short stories, following two novels, is perhaps her widest-ranging work yet.

“The Rapture of the Deep,” the first story in this collection, is classic Geni—energized by the animal world which, to its protagonist, is preferable to the human one. And why wouldn’t it be, when humans do things like succumb to alcoholism (“Starlike”), leave their families (“Mother, Sister, Wife, Daughter”), or ensnare other humans in a nefarious web (“A Spell for Disappearing”)? Though there are fewer animals in the rest of these stories, they are embroidered with threads from the natural, scientific, or mythical worlds, which provide gorgeous specificity to the writing by giving the characters a framework for their experiences. This is useful, because Geni’s stories all teeter on the edge of horror. By revealing, in her incisive prose, the mundane horrors of being human (add to the above list, Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, stalking, and abuse), she opens the door to the possibilities of something more strange, more awful, more uncanny. Occasionally the balance tips. Yet most of these, through the hope and resilience of their protagonists, end with a measured sigh of relief or at least the small comfort of someone having marshaled their better nature in a thorny situation. Except for the last—anyone thinking there might be a noncreepy explanation for a story titled “The Body Farm” will have their hopes dashed. It’s almost enough to upend the more optimistic conclusions of the rest of the collection.

Destabilizing and beautiful. A rich experience.