Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman

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Goodreads Syopsis:

In this new anthology, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction–stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013–as well “Black Dog,” a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods, exclusive to this collection.

Trigger Warning explores the masks we all wear and the people we are beneath them to reveal our vulnerabilities and our truest selves. Here is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghost stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism, and poetry that explore the realm of experience and emotion. In “Adventure Story”–a thematic companion to The Ocean at the End of the Lane–Gaiman ponders death and the way people take their stories with them when they die. His social media experience “A Calendar of Tales” are short takes inspired by replies to fan tweets about the months of the year–stories of pirates and the March winds, an igloo made of books, and a Mother’s Day card that portends disturbances in the universe. Gaiman offers his own ingenious spin on Sherlock Holmes in his award-nominated mystery tale “The Case of Death and Honey.” And “Click-Clack the Rattlebag” explains the creaks and clatter we hear when we’re all alone in the darkness.

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My Thoughts

Trigger Warning:  Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman falls under different genres as it’s a collection of short stories and poems. Trigger Warning includes short stories that range from science fiction to poetry and standalone stories. The theme that all these stories and poems have in common is that they have included “trigger warnings.” Trigger warnings are something that is unusual and reveals what goes unseen within short fiction. Some of the trigger warnings in each short story are more obvious than in others. While each work of fiction doesn’t always work together in this overarching theme, they are all excellent pieces of writing by Gaiman.

To be honest, this is the first time that I have read anything from Gaiman, and I was very impressed with his writing style and choice of words. I’ve had friends who have given him high praises and told me for many years that I would enjoy reading his books. I read this book while taking a vacation in Greece, and I found myself stopping every couple of pages and marveling at his use of syntax, and how each word effortlessly flowed into the next. Maybe I’ve just been stuck reading really bad novels, but my love for writing and books was reignited each time I read another short story found in the collection.

I found other stories within the collection to be more interesting than others. I enjoyed how the short stories left me wanting more at the end of each one. Some gave me goosebumps and others gave me pause, while others left me feeling indifferent. My favourite short stories were ones that stuck with me long after I was done with the book. These include Click-Clack the Rattlebag which is a spooky story and made me think and re-read it a couple of times because I kept missing little details the first time. The second story which I enjoyed was The Sleeper and the Spindle as I love a good fairy tale re-telling especially one with a twist. The last story which I enjoyed immensely was ­Nothing O’Clock. This read exactly like an episode of Doctor Who and I loved every moment of it. It brought me back to all the reasons why I loved the show, and why I loved Matt Smith as the Doctor. It had a mixture of humour and darkness intertwined.

Out of 5 cups of tea, I would give this collection of short stories a 4. I really enjoyed reading most of them, and they left me wanting more. Gaiman’s writing style has me longing for more. I can’t wait until I can read one of his books again.

Let me know your thoughts below!