Saturday 25 February 2017

Weltanschauung by Vikki Patis


Weltanschauung by Vikki Patis
Self published in November 2016.

Where to buy this book:
Buy from independent booksellers via Abebooks
Buy the ebook from Amazon.comAmazon.co.uk
Buy the paperback from The Book Depository

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The harbinger, the oddball, the remaining twin… Weltanschauung seeks to open your eyes to different stories, set in different worlds and at different times, but with the same theme in mind: to make you question your worldview. This collection of short stories traverses genres, introduces a variety of characters, and shines a light on some of our deepest fears. Challenge your perceptions.

Despite its German language title - meaning worldview - this collection of five short stories is firmly rooted in English culture. I liked that several of the offerings are set in the West Country, not so far from my Devon home! Patis explores dark themes, putting her mostly very ordinary characters into extraordinary situations where their mental health and resilience are severely tested. She is not constrained by any specific genre so the tales encompass horror, thriller and dystopian science fiction, all with a chilling psychological aspect that I particularly enjoyed.

I think my favourites are Only If and Grave Oversight. Only If introduces us to a teenage girl who is failing to cope with the death of her twin the previous year. I understood early where the story might be heading and the writing is as compelling as an inevitable accident. Despite willing a change of course to occur, the fates are resolutely set on their path to its heart rending conclusion. Grave Oversight, by contrast, does not reveal its truth until its very last moments and I really should not have read this story so close to bedtime! The final story, Bane, was the only one in which I was a little disappointed because I felt it warranted being a longer and more detailed piece. Otherwise I think Weltanschauung is a strong collection of unexpected and thoughtful stories.


Search Lit Flits for more:
Books by Vikki Patis / Short stories / Books from England

2 comments:

  1. I have never heard of this book, but I will see if I can get it in the U.S. Thank you for visiting my blog, and have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, you can! The Book Depository ships worldwide or Amazon.com has the ebook for download. Links above :-)

      Delete