HOUSE GONE QUIET

A debut collection of imaginative, dark, and haunting stories tied loosely to themes of community, violence, and belonging.

These 10 magnetic stories range from otherworldly to intimate, dealing with a trio of depressive radio hosts, a kooky relative hoarding miniature dolls, and a group of women forced to marry enemy soldiers. Many stories take clear inspiration from the real world, such as in “Decency Rule,” when a power-hungry politician uses vulgarity and clownish humor to improve the lives of “people who were exactly like him.” But these stories spin familiar premises toward the absurd and comic. In “Such Great Height and Consequence,” a town reckons with the removal of a Confederate monument. Shenanigans ensue when the empty platform becomes a space for citizens to stand, sunbathe, practice violin, and spill secrets. Many of Norris’ stories find moments of stunning beauty in bleak and grizzly events. In “Certain Truths and Miracles,” a boy swallows mouthfuls of twinkling, poisonous plankton that will eventually kill him, but for a moment transform him into “a shimmering conduit of the sea’s bright light.” Often narrated by an omniscient “we” and usually featuring a cast of characters rather than an individual narrator, these stories build a lush sense of place through a chorus of voices. While Norris’ lyric prose often creates a thorough and detailed environment, several stories fizzle out, missing the propulsion of a narrative arc, character development, or plot movement. They occasionally struggle to build momentum beyond elegiac and clever descriptions.

Moments of striking prose, sudden humor, and sharp analysis of social groups shine in this uneven collection.