The Metempsychosis Collection, by Nicholas Conley

Welcome back to Rainy Day Reviews.
Today, I’m reviewing The Metempsychosis Collection, by Nicholas Conley.

About

The Metempsychosis Collection is a set of seven short stories, each with a memorable and gripping premise. Below, I give a brief outline of each story.


1) He Told Her the Bad News

A wife and mother receives devastating news, facing a paralysing decision regarding whether or not to confess the truth to her loved ones.


2) Powers that Be

A mysterious event leaves some with superpowers. However, there are ‘good’ powers and ‘bad’ powers, as documented by the news. This is a story of pain and the resulting prejudice that it can produce. However, it is also a story of love, betrayal, and forgiveness.


3) Resurrecting the Torn Edge

A man’s work project does not always mirror the reality of what once was. This short tale explores our memories and human tendency to present a more palatable impression of ourselves to others.

4) Trucker

This was one of my favourite stories from the collection.

A trucker contemplates her lost youth, pondering whether to stop and rest with an otherworldly cargo in the back of her vehicle. This story begs the question, 'Can you truly ever run from your past?'


5) Shredded Starlight

A father lives in a medical ward with a rare alien condition which is slowly killing him. However, he finds comfort in his final moments through a surprising turn of events.


6) The Friend

This was another of my favourite stories.

Two teenage friends find a strange otherworldly object and accidentally change the world. But, can their friendship stand the weight of a dark, shared secret?


7) The Comosusaurus

A pregnant woman and her wife are trying to escape the creature they set out to study. This was a touching story of love, fear of loss, and family.

Nicholas Conley: Author

Likes

I enjoyed so many aspects of this short story collection, which I have detailed below:

·        The stories were told in a good amount of detail, focusing on the character’s emotional
experiences, which brought me deeper into their worlds in an intimate and effortless way.

·        The author makes good use of words, creating beautiful images in the mind’s eye.

·        Some of the stories were truly beautiful and pulled at my heart. They made me think deeply about life and death, about the reality of being human, and so much more.

Memorable Quotes

One quote stood out to me throughout this series of stories:

1) ‘Your life was your life. No takebacks. No revisions. It’s published. And if the critics tear it to shreds, well, there are no sequels.’

 

Overview

The Metempsychosis Collection was a wonderful blend of stories, with dark undertones interspersed with heart-warming moments.

My favourite stories were Trucker and The Friend. They kept me guessing all the way through and made me think deeply about what it means to:

1) Exist as an individual

2) Be a friend

My Rating: 5 stars.

Recommended to: lovers of short story collections with dark themes and powerful messages.

Would you like more information?

To learn more about the book, you can visit its Goodreads page.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220982940-the-metempsychosis-collection

Or, to find out more about the author, visit their Amazon author page.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Nicholas-Conley/author/B004M7ITYG

 

Thank you for joining me for today’s review.

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Have a wonderful week,

Ellie.