I’m a sucker for the strange, weird, and bizarre. So when StangeBooks reached out to me to review Mike Russel’s ‘Nothing Is Strange,’ I couldn’t resist. It’s a collection of short stories from UK author Mike Russell. He’s a full-time author, who’s made his home at StrangeBooks. Through independently publishing, Mike Russell can bring books to readers that are beyond the mainstream. In these twenty short stories, everything is strange, and they offer something you have to experience for yourself. So let’s take a deeper look inside the pages of Mike Russell’s ‘Nothing Is Strange.’
In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Book Review: Nothing is Strange by Mike Russell
The author’s stories are humorous, engaging, and prompt the reader to ponder deeper topics. His characters and settings are simple. The stories take place in places like Sun City, a city inside a concrete building in the shape of a sun or houses painted red and blue. The characters aren’t complex and are only referred to by their first names. So the reader isn’t distracted by focusing on details, but instead, what’s behind each story.
While the stories are strange, these bizarre tales offer more. Each story is like looking at a cubism painting when you look at it up close and analyze each section, the less sense the painting makes. But when you look at it as a whole, everything starts to come together, and you can make sense of it. Each story is intriguing with different dimensions and directions. But as a whole, they urge the reader to stop and think deeper and question their outlook on life.
In the story ‘The Living Crown,’ no one looks up, they bow their head in fear of a huge crown of living flesh and bone that hovers above the city. They only do what’s expected of them and never express dissent. But there is a man who has grown tired of the oppression of the Living Crown and seeks to destroy with the help of a person who’s rumored to have looked up as survived.
‘The Living Crown’ quickly became one of my favorite stories from the book. It prompts the reader to explore the oppressive ideas that have been ingrained in us as well as question them. The author does a great job of balancing existentialist themes with preposterous imagery.
Each story is surreal, absurd, and simple with a poetic tone. So it’s a quick and enjoyable read. Overall I enjoyed reading ‘Nothing Is Strange,’ and exploring the themes of each story. If you’re looking for something unusual to read, then check out Mike Russell’s ‘Nothing Is Strange.’ You can grab a copy here. And if you’d like to learn more about Mike Russell and his other books, then check out the links below.
StangeBooks | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter
Thank you Strange Books, for a copy of this strange, yet enjoyable book.
Related post: Paper Mache Bookshelf Sign DIY
Pin me!
