Skin: Short Fiction (edition 2011)

Three very different short stories about skin: The Tattooist about a newly turned Vampire getting her first tattoo. The Terminal: Nurse reflecting on her patient as she prepares her for bed. The Tanner: a tanner who takes his skin obsession to the next level. All three stories are well written and pleasant reads but the third story is fascinatingly disturbing. An Excellent way to spend the afternoon in the sun!!! ( )

This is a Reading Good Books review.

* In compliance with FTC guidelines, it should be noted that I received the book for free through LibraryThing Member Giveaways.

Okay, I managed to squeeze in a short one on my vacation. It’s not much – about 9,000 words – but it’s still one off my reading list.

These three short stories revolves around the topic of skin, as the title suggests. Unlike the other short stories that I’ve reviewed so far, this collection spans different genres from paranormal to mystery. As always, it’s hit or miss but they’re still pretty good, a very rounded collection.

“That Tattooist” serves as a preview piece for the author’s upcoming novel. It is about a woman named Claire who goes to get a tattoo to commemorate her time in the city. But it’s not only that, she’s a newly turned vampire. I didn’t like it as much as I did the other two. It had a chick lit feel to it, a genre that I don’t particularly like. It says as a note that this short story happens after the novel. If this was meant as a preview to the longer work, I don’t think it was very effective. There was no introduction to Claire, no development, thus, I did not care for her. This piece needed the novel to be effective. Sure, it was trying to be sassy and sexy but it fell flat because no one knew what was going on.

“The Terminal” is told from the eyes of a CNA working at a nursing home. She observes how fragile the skins of the old people are, how the skin deteriorates in time. It is a good monologue piece and I really liked it.

The final one is “The Tanner”, my favorite of the three. Ari works as a taxidermist and… a tanner. He skins dead animal and turns them into accessories. After years of working with animals, he decides to try out a new medium. Human skin. This one was definitely freaky. He’s like a serial killer in the making. I wanted more of this one. It was quite graphic and I loved it.

Rating: 3.5/5.

Recommendation: Got a few minutes to spare? If you can read a multi-chapter fanfiction in one sitting, this will be no problem for you. ( )

3 stories related to skin, all with a disturbing undertone. I didn't enjoy The Tattooist, but I am not a vampire fan, so I believe this was personal preference. The story is an appetiser for the author's full length novel. The Terminal is about a carer's observations of the human skin whilst washing an elderly lady. This was my favourite as it is an unusual topic, complicated by the fact that the lady makes sexual remarks to the carer. The third, The Tanner, is about a lonely tanner who turns to crime. It is twisted, yet interesting. ( )

Short stories, all connected by a common theme - skin. The stories are well written and the intricate details allow the reader to picture the stories as they unfold. ( )

Skin features three short stories, all well-written. The author has a definite talent. The work has few typographical/editorial errors. The third story did not maintain its tense throughout, shifting occasionally from present to past tense in its wording, which is an easy problem to overlook during the proofreading process. However, I must say this is an author who shows great promise. Skin allows a reader to sample the works of this author before committing to a full-sized book. I think it is an excellent idea.

Even the few missteps in the delivery of this work cannot disguise the author's talent, for it shines through. I predict great success for Alex Owens, a genuine storyteller in the best traditions of the art form. ( )