First published 1986
This collection brings together ten stories that span from 1983 to 1986, each examining the strange currents that run beneath ordinary life. Kennedy moves between characters facing unexplained phenomena and family crises. A woman encounters something unsettling about her partner's appearance in "Her Furry Face." Parents confront loss in "The Silent Cradle." A child experiences seizures that may reveal hidden truths in "Petit Mal." The stories range from "River Baby" and "The Fisherman" to "Belling Martha" and "Greek," each finding the uncanny within domestic settings. Kennedy writes with attention to how people respond when reality shifts around them. The collection shows families under pressure, relationships tested by forces they cannot fully understand, and individuals trying to make sense of experiences that defy explanation. These are stories about connection and isolation, about the moments when the familiar becomes strange.
Genres: short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: connection-and-isolation, the-uncanny
Period: 1983-1986
Hardcover · Vintage/Ebury