Below Ground
by Sandra Arnold
Below Ground is a collection of flash fiction pieces uncovering the lives, feelings, actions and interactions of a variety of New Zealanders. While every story is entire unto itself, some stories link to others, which you discover as you read through the series. Flash fiction makes for a very easy and entertaining bedtime read – one or more, depending on the heaviness of your eyelids, with no requirement to read in any particular order.
My favourite story could be titled, ‘Revenge of the Worm’, but is actually called ‘Ka mua, ka muri – walking backwards into the future’. In it, a bullied schoolgirl (bullying is a repeated theme through the stories) becomes brave in multiple ways to overcome her tormentors.
Don’t be put off by the cover of Below Ground. The truth is, if I saw this book in a store I would be unlikely to pick it up as the cover conveys magical realism. The stories are, however, all too real as they cover the many ways people relate to one another in fictional settings.
Sandra Arnold has a great eye for detail of people and their behaviours which she combines, apparently effortlessly, with a smooth and humorous approach to language. Once you start reading, as another reviewer said, “…you will want to read one more story, and then another, and then another…” all the way through.
by Sandra Arnold
Below Ground is a collection of flash fiction pieces uncovering the lives, feelings, actions and interactions of a variety of New Zealanders. While every story is entire unto itself, some stories link to others, which you discover as you read through the series. Flash fiction makes for a very easy and entertaining bedtime read – one or more, depending on the heaviness of your eyelids, with no requirement to read in any particular order.
My favourite story could be titled, ‘Revenge of the Worm’, but is actually called ‘Ka mua, ka muri – walking backwards into the future’. In it, a bullied schoolgirl (bullying is a repeated theme through the stories) becomes brave in multiple ways to overcome her tormentors.
Don’t be put off by the cover of Below Ground. The truth is, if I saw this book in a store I would be unlikely to pick it up as the cover conveys magical realism. The stories are, however, all too real as they cover the many ways people relate to one another in fictional settings.
Sandra Arnold has a great eye for detail of people and their behaviours which she combines, apparently effortlessly, with a smooth and humorous approach to language. Once you start reading, as another reviewer said, “…you will want to read one more story, and then another, and then another…” all the way through.
Review by Jane Shearer
Title: Below Ground
Author: Sandra Arnold
Publisher: Impspired
ISBN: 9781915819932
RRP: $25
Available: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1915819938; Scorpio Books, Christchurch
Author: Sandra Arnold
Publisher: Impspired
ISBN: 9781915819932
RRP: $25
Available: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1915819938; Scorpio Books, Christchurch
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