A Man Made Entirely of Bats (Patrick Lenton, Spineless Wonders)

In this collection of short stories and flash fiction, Patrick Lenton careens wildly across genres and draws on elements of surrealism, horror, fairytale, stand-up comedy and pulp fiction to generate tiny worlds that are surprising, original and frequently hilarious. Themes and character tropes recur—metamorphoses, amoral or slightly underwhelming superheroes—and there are cameo appearances from various 90s pop cultural icons, including Scooby Doo and characters from ‘Friends’. Lenton’s stories take a playful approach to narrative and are filled with bizarre wordplay, but even the most cringeworthy puns become endearing thanks to his clearly evident delight in experimentation. In some stories, familiar metaphorical concepts are taken to literal and (il)logical conclusions. Seeking an irresistible romantic attraction, one character carries around a fistful of tiny magnets, ultimately leading her to marry the most magnetic of candidates—a fridge. Some of the shorter pieces are unsatisfying, reading like character sketches or elaborate jokes that stop short of the punchline. Generally though, the stories are propulsive and readable, buoyed by a sharp and generous wit. There are echoes of David Sedaris’ surreal animal fables Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. Like Sedaris, Lenton is hugely entertaining, which renders occasional moments of emotional tenderness all the more poignant.

Veronica Sullivan is online editor of Kill Your Darlings

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Category: Reviews