These Bodies
These Bodies by Morgan Christie
Morgan Christie’s These Bodies is a fascinating debut of twelve short stories suffused with culture, love, pain, and every other beautifully horrific thing that comprises humanity. Each story features underrepresented protagonists and plot lines that differ drastically from the (often slightly speculative) norms of literary fiction.
In “Cromartie Street” Rayon seeks salt and acceptance in her sexual identity; in “Sonic Boom” the thunder of a jet flying faster than the speed of sound bridges a gap between two cringingly different women; in “Stone Fishing” a little boy wishes he’d fished for stones instead of throwing them; in “Monkey Paws” Alfred hides his baby chimp, we think, from his partner Win.
Morgan Christie, author of These Bodies
These decoratively rich stories engross the reader in distinct imagery, deceptively straightforward plotlines, and subtle undertones. These narratives constantly ask us to think, not only about what they are telling, but how they unfold; every part of them is vital.
In the last scene of Christie’s final story, “The Abada,” a young man stares into the eyes of the mythological Abada, a creature we’ve come to understand as prejudice, personified. Abada, sad yet resilient, beaten, vilified, and shamed for existing, has accompanied the young man throughout his life. This terrible, magical, and gritty depiction offers a surprisingly grounded understanding of the existence of many.
Although many of the stories, including “The Abada” (which earned Christie a Pushcart nomination), interweave fantastical elements, we never lose track of the real, the bled and felt realities eloquently presented in the text. There is something happening in these blistering pages, something fiercely alarming and frigidly satisfying. Something the world needs deeply, now more than ever.
Matt Hamming is a dedicated reader and tentative writer. He can usually be found herding goats or reading short stories.