I found the book “So Absurd It Must Be True” via the author’s profile on Twitter. Just the fact that it was a collection of bizarre short-stories was enough to get me interested.
Let me start the review with what I really liked about the book – Victoria Ray (the author) seems to have had a lot of fun writing this one. I might be wrong, but that’s just the sense I got while reading some of the stories. “Wow, she really did go full absurd,” I would chuckle and think to myself at several points.
If you are the sorts that likes reading realist stuff or Victorian classics – This book is not for you. If you are looking for some dirty/kinky/fun/weird read for the weekend, you have found your match in this one!
Ray packs in a lot of pop culture and literary references that casual readers will not get. The names of some of the characters is hilariously good. I really enjoyed reading the one with Anna Karenina & Leo Tolstoy, it was short, absurd and funny. I haven’t really read any book of this sort (absurdist elements with erotica), so it was an interesting experience.
There were two-three stories that I didn’t quite see any point in. But some things in life don’t have a point, do they? Feel like Ray should have probably led with a different first story, because it’s not as fun as the others, predictable even. So don’t give up on the book if you don’t like the first short story. Plus points for the sheer ingenuity of some of the plots! Totally works for some weekend reading.
P.S – On an unrelated note – I published my second book ‘Love, Loss, Lockdown’. It’s a collection of short stories, so check it out.