Welcome to Litsy!

This short story collection was as amazing as “everyone” said it was. Traveling from the jails in the Wild West to a meeting with Queen Victoria, from the isolated farms in Australia to a snowy Siberia.

More importantly is the way she sets up the stories and you think they are going in a certain way, for Davies to take them in a different direction, playing with our prejudices and so they never gets boring

1st finish for #AwesomeApril

A cracking little set of short stories. Davies crafts puzzles with gradual and some jaw dropping reveals. There is an impressive selection of settings and the writing skillfully transports you to these locations and time periods with a sparsity of words.

This was a brilliant collection of short stories that has been sitting on my shelf for far too long. These very sharp stories are exactly what you need if you crave the unexpected. Exquisitely written with a great economy of words, each story was brilliantly executed. Even when I thought “What did I just read?”, I loved it! Can hardly wait to read more from Davies!

Some of these stories are spectacular - they're twisted, dark, passionate, surprising and a touch weird. Characters are enveloped by the landscapes they inhabit. A queen and a literary icon make an appearance, we move across time zone, histories - just to add to the unsettling nature of these stories! They're short, but mighty!

From the back cover ‘ As I‘d Mark Twain and Annie Proulx had sat down to a desk together‘ - perfect ! And this book is in close contention for my favourite cover of the year so far. Thanks so much @BookNAround for this new discovery 😘

I love commuting in the opposite direction to everyone else - a train carriage to myself during rush hour and a new book! Happy Monday!

The last time it happened, I packed my bags and left. I got on a train at Birmingham New street and then on another and another and another and I didn't get off until I reached Siberia.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 These stories pack a punch. My only complaint is that this book is too short!

BEST READ Of 2017: I read this slim collection back in February or March and knew I‘d had my best read of the year. It‘s still true. 🤩 I‘m hoarding her other two collections I bought before even finishing Galen and will allow myself to start one in January. (So weird right??) I‘ve so enjoyed reading about everyone else‘s best reads!

I didn't read many short story collections this year, but these three were AMAZING (although none of them were actually published this year 🤷🏼‍♀️)

#BestOf2017

#AllTheBooksOf2017 #newtoyoufavoriteauthors

Authors I "discovered" and loved this year - very very late to the party on some of these! Can't wait to read more of their work.

?❤️?❤️?❤️

..a short story before bedtime

I have been reading these short stories on the train in the mornings and find that they follow me around for the rest of the day.Each story is so different but still manages to build suspense and leave you hanging to see how it ends. There are some real gems in here! My favourites are the title story, The Quiet, Creed and The Travellers.

I loved the stories in Redemption of Galen Pike so much I left the book sitting on my nightstand where I could see it. 😍 I bought her other collections, but I've been reluctant to read them because I don't want to finish!

5/5⭐️. It rocked my socks off 😁

Is it just me or is this cover a little grim? I'm reading it anyway, but...

Great little batch of 17 short stories and I mean short. Longest is maybe 10 pages. Each is compact, quick, and has one or two lines that will change your perspective on the story. Really fantastic and also strange.

Wow! This was a @Liberty recommendation on #allthebooks podcast and it did not disappoint. Every single story had some element that shocked and surprised me in some way. It made me think of O. Henry's short stories. Great read for a warm sunny porch day! #summerreading2017

This collection of short stories was excellent...just when you think you know where the author is leading you she says, oh no, my reader, our destination is down another path, but, stick with me, you won't regret it. 🤓

Oh man, this short story collection by Carys Davies is freaking amazing!!!🤓
Thank you to Jenny of the @ReadingEnvy podcast for bringing it to my attention. And, good news, All. It's just been added to Hoopla👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Up next: some Short Stories

Wow, March was a dark month from the look of this! 👻☠️👽

So many terrific books this month! My fave for March goes to The Redemption of Galen Pike, it is very short but just perfection.

#bestofmarch #marchintoreading

I often find that the title story in a collection is not my favorite, but I definitely loved the title story of this wonderful collection the best. What a unique selection of tales! ❤️📚

Now reading. ❤️🖤💛

Fantastic news!! Can't wait!
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/mesmerising-novel-granta-503596

You know how sometimes short stories can feel like the pinnacle of storytelling, all perfectly honed and alive and able to leave you reeling after just ten pages? This book is like that.

I am afraid I've already had my best read of 2017! I was bowled over by the writing: spare, immersive, surprising, capturing feeling & character so quickly in each very short story. In one I was so involved with the characters I didn't realize the crime committed wasn't revealed until the end, and even then it's more of an aside. Can't say enough! I am likely to hoard her other collections of short stories, not wanting the anticipation to end.

Just WOW! I have a "thing" about starting a new book immediately after finishing one when I'm reading in bed. So, I was sleepy when I started this collection, but the first short story was such a surprise punch that I was wide awake! ? I must have said "wow" aloud 4-5 times, then I had to recap to my husband. It's such a short story I don't know how to describe without spoiling it. Eager to continue on!

Most of these stories were delightfully twisted. Carys Davies loves to pull the rug out from under your narrative expectations. If jaw-dropping embarrasses you, my advice would be not to read these stories in public. A few of them that included historical personages - Queen Victoria, etc. - or were set amid real life events - 9-11 - fell flat for me, as if reality constrained Davies' zany imagination. But wow, the bulk of these are just stunning!

The opening line of the third story in this collection. Can you say 'in medias res,' boys and girls? These stories are knocking my socks off!

I can't remember ever encountering such vague hinting, foreshadowing, narrative gesturing, before. Not quite like this. It's incredibly compelling!

I'm excited to finally be starting in on this collection of short stories, which I heard @ReadingEnvy rave about on her podcast months ago!

"She's buried under the beets."

This is one of the best, if not THE best short story collection I've ever read. I found myself whispering an awed "wow" at the end of each one. I could not help myself from barrelling through them - each an addicting and delicious piece of candy to this reader.