"Tremble" is a collection of short stories written by Tobsha Learner. The cover art completely captured my attention at the secondhand bookstore: a sensuous red-headed mermaid discreetly covering herself with her shimmering green tail. The image is inspired by "Diver," about a modern-day underwater welder and his experience on an oil rig off the coast of Scotland.
What I enjoyed most about Learner's work were the strange twists and turns that unfold as you read. She keeps you guessing, wondering how it's all going to end. Even the endings give little nuggets that go back to the beginning, making you want to reread the story again to catch all the little hints and references. One of my favorites is in the ending of "Custodian." The tableau is staged and set, but what is the final outcome... and why?
She also does a terrific job of making the characters very vivid in such a short span of time: the nun who has lost her faith seeking answers in a reclusive island, a rainmaker who creates magic through sexual energy, a Jewish wife whose husband snores loud enough to vibrate the room, etc. Many of the characters are truly disturbing, following the gothic characteristics of Edgar Allen Poe. "Hair Shirt" is told from the perspective of an obsessive mistress that makes "Fatal Attraction" look tame. The aforementioned mermaid is unlike any other and as far removed from Disney's Ariel as possible.
What I enjoyed most about Learner's work were the strange twists and turns that unfold as you read. She keeps you guessing, wondering how it's all going to end. Even the endings give little nuggets that go back to the beginning, making you want to reread the story again to catch all the little hints and references. One of my favorites is in the ending of "Custodian." The tableau is staged and set, but what is the final outcome... and why?
She also does a terrific job of making the characters very vivid in such a short span of time: the nun who has lost her faith seeking answers in a reclusive island, a rainmaker who creates magic through sexual energy, a Jewish wife whose husband snores loud enough to vibrate the room, etc. Many of the characters are truly disturbing, following the gothic characteristics of Edgar Allen Poe. "Hair Shirt" is told from the perspective of an obsessive mistress that makes "Fatal Attraction" look tame. The aforementioned mermaid is unlike any other and as far removed from Disney's Ariel as possible.
