stories in the minor key

The title of Regan's second collection works on at least two levels. First, as stated by Regan, these are inspired by other (sometimes better known) works or sources. Second, and in my mind more appropriately, much like music in minor key these stories bring an understated sense of sadness, melancholy, yearning and regret. They try to take us to a place with words where we are normally carried by pure sound.
Perhaps as a consequence of this, or through some other intention, the majority of these stories feel dream like, with broken narrative or curious structures built from thick, weighty language. With recurring themes both emotional and physical (plants and plant related imagery come back to us again and again), the book as a whole show more feels like a shephard tone for the mind.
Maybe because its the climax, the culmination, of the book...maybe because it really does seem to have one of the more straightforward story structures, or maybe because I have always loved the tales of Gilgamesh and Enkidu (though never as much as they could love one another), but the thirteenth and final story, 'catacombs,' was a personal favorite.
Regan was also nominated for a stoker award for part of this collection, so it comes highly recommended. show less