Pretty Monsters [ペーパーバック]

I have a confession - I'm an adult who loves so-called YA novels, and especially tales of the supernatural and macabre. Kelly Link 's "Pretty Monsters' seems to be borderline between YA and adult fiction. The stories within this collection of dark, fantastical tales are truly unique and what makes them stand out, besides the imaginative plots and unusual characters are the fact that the stories themselves don't usually resolve themselves in a conventional manner.

Among the stories I liked were "Monster", in which a ravenous beast preys on boys at summer camp - and this is an unusual creature indeed, it uses a cell phone. There's the story "The Faerie Handbag"of a girl whose grandma's purse happens to be the living quarters of a fairy village. "The Wrong Grave" is another one that is creepy yet humorous - of a boy named Miles who regrets burying the sole copy of his collection of poems in his deceased girlfriend's casket. These are among the tales that sucked me into a weird,terrifying, and yet humor-tinged world.

The other stories in this collection are "Magic for Beginners" in which a teenager finds himself questioning the 'reality' of the TV show he's addicted to, "The Surfer", "The Wizards of Perfil", "The Constable of Able", "The Specialist's Hat" and "Pretty Monsters".

This is Kelly Link's third collection of stories, after "Magic for Beginners", and "Stranger Things Happen", and the first collection for young adults. The protagonists in these stories are all teens and despite the strange premises of the stories, the characters themselves seem very real and the emotions they experience as they face their 'realities' are very much human. Highly recommended!

In a recent interview, Michael Chabon recommended reading Kelly Link. His suggestion was good enough for me, and so I quickly got a copy of the short story collection Pretty Monsters from my local library.

I think the first thing I need to note is that Pretty Monsters is a young adult novel. Meaning that, while there is some profanity and adult circumstances, the stories largely focus upon young adult protagonists and largely investigate themes important to young adults.

However, that is not to say that you should turn your nose up at this book if you are an old adult as opposed to a young adult. (I'm 32, where does that put me?) Link has one of the most imaginative minds I've ever run across. While her stories dealt with aspects of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, each was completely original and refreshingly weird. I mean that as a total compliment, by the way. Oftentimes, I feel like authors aren't willing to get flat-out weird enough. I'm not talking perverse--I'm just talking weird in a fun and provocative way. Link often took her stories in unexpected directions, and if you do manage to predict an outcome to one of her stories, be assured that she meant for you to do so.

My only complaint about Pretty Monsters, though, is the fact that each story tended to end on a rather abrupt, inconclusive note. Some people really enjoy this, but I personally prefer more decisive endings. Link charmed me, consequently, when she addressed this issue in--appropriately enough--the final story in the collection. Somehow the fact that she's cognizant of her trends makes it less irritating for me.

In particular, I recommend "The Faery Handbag," "Magic for Beginners," "Pretty Monsters," and, by far one of the best short stories I've ever read, "The Surfer."

~Scott William Foley, author of Souls Triumphant

In a dual review of her previous collections, Stranger Things Happen and Magic for Beginners a couple of years ago, I wrote the following about Kelly Link:

"...for the last decade, [Link] has demonstrated an unparalleled mastery of the short story form in every sense of that word. In retrospect, to say she has mastered the form is perhaps an understatement: not only has she tamed this particular beast, she's taught it a few new tricks. Her talent and dedication shine through in each and every tale.

Link's collections are treasure troves of creative storytelling, each volume a celebration of the power of the imagination, each story a unique, glittering gem worthy of careful and repeated inspection. Combining fantastic concepts with familiar elements of the real world, Link's works reveal there are myriad ways of interpreting and portraying "reality". You'll rarely encounter a writer as warm, adventurous, eclectic and sharp witted as Link. Fearless, there is no place she won't go; empathic, she effortlessly conveys to her audience the nuances of her characters' pain, bewilderment, joy and understanding."

I'm pleased to report that Link's latest collection, Pretty Monsters, bears out these words, providing incontrovertible evidence that she is, as Peter Straub once said, "the most impressive writer of her generation."

Aimed at the so-called young adult audience, Monsters is a happy blend of older, previously collected tales ("Magic for Beginners," "The Faery Handbag," and "The Specialist's Hat") and other, newer stories written for various theme anthologies which are collected here for the first time ("The Wrong Grave" from The Restless Dead, "The Wizards of Perfil" from Firebirds Rising, "Monster" from Noisy Outlaws, "The Surfer" from The Starry Rift, and "The Constable of Abal" from The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales). All though all are entertaining and rewarding on numerous levels, none compare to the title story, "Pretty Monsters," a bit of literary slight of hand which simultaneously manages to evoke the movies Mean Girls and Ginger Snaps while delivering some authentic chills.

As stated in the promotional materials accompanying the uncorrected proof, Link's stories have been Nebula, Locus, British Science Fiction Association, World Fantasy, and Bram Stoker award winners. Her last book, Magic for Beginners, was given Book of the Year Awards from Time Magazine, The San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, and The Village Voice, and was also a Best of BookSense pick for 2005. If you've read her previous collections, or experienced one or more of her stories in their original venues, or in a Year's Best collection, you know why they were so honored. If you have yet to sample any of Link's work, you need to get busy and start enjoying the products of her vivid and expansive imagination. Pretty Monsters would be a great place to start.