Emily B. Cataneo

Emily B. Cataneo's Speaking to Skull Kings is full of stories for weird kids who grew up into weird adults -- or for fans of Kelly Link, Karen Russell, Shirley Jackson, and Angela Carter. Every story transports the reader perfectly into a fully realized and often terrifying world, from the gothic horror of "A Guide to Etiquette and Comportment for the Sisters of Henley House" to the post-revolution steampunk Russia of "The Firebird" and the dystopian, portal-filled Boston that unfolds in "Purple Lemons." Despite the fact that the settings vary so widely across the book, they feel cohesive in their themes: grief, loss, regret, and the intensity of female friendship and family ties. If you've ever lost someone, you will see yourself in these stories, even as they deal with hair-eating ghosts and children raised by a bird. This is an exciting and imaginative debut collection, and I can't wait to see what Cataneo does next.… (mais)