Every Night I Dream I’m a Monk (Every Night I Dream I’m a Monster) it a literary short story collection. It presents the tale of a dysfunctional family from multiple viewpoints, genres, and narrative forms. Like uncovering a box of photos and documents in the attic of an empty house, the reader must piece together the identities, histories, and tragedies of the characters. The book demands the reader actively participate in the narrative. If they do, the unique, if unsettling, storytelling experience will reward them.
Disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) from the author, with no obligation or promise of published review. Shop for it at Amazon, Bookshop.org, and the publisher, Freehand Books.
Story’s Bottom Line. From the Start.
I’m struggling with clever things to say about this excellent book without spoiling it for the reader. Exploring and discovering are at least, if not more, important than understanding the family’s story. So, I think I should just straight forwardly say Every Night I Dream… is an amazing experience that all fans of short literary fiction will want to read. Layers of meaning abound, as do narrative throughlines and tantalizing “Easter eggs” for the observant to spot. You’ll have fun with this book and think of it often after you’re done (even if you don’t have a book review to write). Is it sad? Tragic even? Yes, but also funny and touching.
Mark’s Story: A Monk or a Monster?
At least one of the three Ferguson siblings, Mark, Bella, and Laura, appears in most of “snapshots” that are the book’s stories. We meet their strange parents and see the children grow up in the 1980s. Following them through the successes and heartbreaks of adulthood, we witness their aging into a dystopian future. This book is Mark’s story; he is often the point of view character, and the “author” of several of the stories. We follow him through professional disappointment, failed relationships, and mental health crises.
Bella and Laura are brilliant and tragic, each in her own way. And these apples didn’t fall far from the tree; their parents have huge issues with each other, their children, and themselves.
A Dreamy Puzzle, in a Good Way
But enough with hints and potential spoilers! Each story in the collection is a crafty clue to a bigger tale that the reading audience must puzzle out for themselves. Consider another, perhaps more likely analogy: the book is a corkboard covered in crime scene photos, bits of evidence, and red string with which the reader can tie together the picture of a family’s demise. It’s an interactive and engaging process, and much like a dream, is told in symbolic bits and pieces.
A Monk and a Monster
The reader should be prepared for nonlinear narrative, shifting points of view, and multiple fiction genres and styles. The collection includes a short play and a novelette-length bit of historical fiction. I recommend this collection for readers who appreciate fine writing and complex characters. If they are willing to dive into this immersive tale, they will be rewarded.
If you found this review of Every Night I Dream I’m a Monk (Every Night I Dream I’m a Monster) interesting, you might like to read my review of The Last Days of New Paris.
Sean asks the wrong questions about a kidnapped toddler and missing Native American artifacts and becomes a suspect in his lover’s bludgeoning and a tycoon’s murder. Can he master the paranormal abilities he’s rejected for so long in time to protect the innocent and save his own skin? Click here to order The Big Cinch, a supernatural noir novel from Kathy L. Brown.
And Now a Word from Our Sponsor
Like the blog? Subscribe (form at the bottom of my website) to never miss an issue. Want more? Join the email list to be the first to learn about new releases and personal appearance. And, of course, I’m selling books. Check out all my stories at Amazon.com.
If you prefer Barnes and Noble, you can order my young adult novella, Wolfhearted, here. It is also available as an audiobook, here.
Bookshop.com, a good alternative to Amazon that partners with local bookshops, carries The Big Cinch and The Resurrectionist.
If you’ve enjoyed one of my books, tell the world! Consider leaving a short review at Audible, Amazon, or Goodreads. The direct link to review Wolfhearted on Amazon is here, The Resurrectionist, here , and Water of Life, here, or visit my Shop off the landing page menu to review at Barnes and Noble. Thanks in advance. Twenty-five reviews will put a book in a more prominent position on Amazon.
You’ll find my latest Sean Joye short story in the St. Louis Writers Guild’s 2024 members anthology. Love Letters to St. Louis contains my first science fiction story, “Welcome to Earthport Prime: A Self-Guided Tour.”This adorable letter-shaped volume of short stories, poems, essays, and illustrations. Profits benefit the guild’s young writers’ program.