Review
A mysterious voice, an unknown creature, a notorious mass murderer, history repeating itself, and thugs claiming lives for unpaid dues. Strangely: A Collection of Short Stories by Francisco Ojeda depicts mysterious happenings in this thrilling short story anthology. Every story has the same mysterious tone that put me on the edge of my seat, yet each story showcases a different kind of charm.
Williams, the first story, is a psychological thriller. It instantly set my mood as the character battled with schizophrenia. It’s the kind of story that I’d love to see in the big screen because of how flawlessly the flawed character was portrayed, showing symptoms of a chronic brain disorder.
Jazmine, the second story, is a mystery thriller. The main characters, a boy and a dog, gave this story an adorable charm. The kind of innocent bravery that could’ve ended up a disaster as they approached imminent danger because of an unknown creature.
Simon, the third story, is a drama thriller that inculcates humanity towards the inhumane. It’s one that made me question myself, of how I strongly didn’t want to give even a bit of sympathy towards a mass murderer, for I didn’t feel that such human can be referred to as human. This story is the kind that would spark a debate relating to human values and mythology, so if I were to recommend a short story that could be discussed in a book club, it would be Simon.
Vegan, the fourth story, is a horror thriller depicting events that led to history repeating itself. It’s my second favorite next to Williams based on the intensity level of its conflict and climax.
The fifth and last story, A Far Cry in the Night, is an action thriller. It’s my 3rd favorite short story which is again based on the intensity level of its conflict and climax. It’s also something that I want to see in the big screen because of its chase scenes. The well-depicted setting and action scenes where Dora continuously fights for her life through a grueling and nonstop attempt to escape from thugs made this such an entertaining read.
Overall, I’m giving this book 5 out of 5 stars for its unique style of writing and for its peculiarity. Each story was intriguing, all characters were fascinating, the setting and narrative were well depicted, and there were no dull moments. I’ve had fun reading this very entertaining collection of short stories and I highly recommend it to readers who are into all types of thriller.
https://www.amazon.com/strangely-Collection-Stories-Francisco-Ojeda/dp/B0CH26LQXQ/ref