About the book
Author: Kimberly Blaeser
Publisher: Counterpoint
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
Buy and support indie bookstores (+ I earn a small commission):
Bookshop.org (print or ebook) | Libro.fm (audio)
My review
The world simply cannot have enough poets publishing fiction!! Or small presses publishing important narratives (RIP Counterpoint!!).
Red Ants is a super-solid short story collection focused on Anishinaabe characters, and I’m so glad the National Book Award longlist put it on my radar. Blaeser plays with genre and length and POV in ways that kept it from ever feeling one-note. And the prose is really well done.
As others have noted, some stories were definitely stronger than others, but that’s pretty par for the course with collections, in my opinion. I think the title story was my favorite.
The audiobook was also really well done. There are two talented narrators, which worked well for the collection.
Pick this up if it’s calling you; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
Content and trigger warnings
Addiction/alcoholism
Animal cruelty
