fiction Archives

Apothecary, The

Author: Maile Meloy It must be annoying to have a famous sibling whom people constantly mention as a reference point for your own work, even if your careers have nothing to do with each other. So I won’t make a big deal out of the fact that Maile Meloy, author of The Apothecary, is the sister of Colin Meloy, of the Decemberists. Totally not relevant! (Although, if you were looking for it, you might detect a certain family affinity for fantasy, magical animals, and the high seas.) The story is set in 1952, right in the middle of the McCarthy [...]

Slap, The

The slap heard round the barbie Author: Christos Tsiolkas Most of us have been there at one time or another. The casual, relaxing get-together with friends that’s interrupted by the shrill misbehavior of someone’s child. As the children bicker the adults inwardly wince, either because the situation is unpleasant or because the child belongs to them and they now have to broker the peace. In the normal course of things the parents glumly perform their duties and have an extra beer and the day shifts back into its pleasant rhythm. But what if it didn’t work that way? What if [...]