'Reality and Other Stories' by John Lanchester
So, as the nights are drawing in (just) and autumn is around the corner (more or less), it's time for a spine-chiller! And they don't come more chilling than 'Reality and Other Stories' by John Lanchester.
Short but not so Sweet
'Reality and Other Stories' is a collection of eight tales set in the modern day, but no less unnerving for it. At an eccentric house party, a mysterious mobile phone-carrying stranger puts a protective father on edge. In the fashion of MR James, a scornful academic is tormented by the unknown via ebooks and audio, while a group of philosophers theorise too far. A busy working mother dismisses her curmudgeonly father-in-law and his constant 'emergency' calls, only to regret it later. A sinister reality show is not quite what it seems, and a farming family invest in the ultimate household appliance. Entwining modern fears and themes, each twisted tale encourages us to glance askew at the reality we thought we knew.
Cursed Castles and Haunted Mansions
Despite the best efforts of Stephen King and many other writers, if you think horror story, you probably still think cobwebbed castles, dank dungeons and gloomy graveyards. Perhaps you'll make it as far as zombie attacks in suburbia, but on the whole, such stories still feel a safe step away from the lives we live day-to-day. Lanchester's don't give us that option. He's taken familiar experiences - rubbish phone signals, cold calls, audiobooks, reality TV, self-assembly, charity shop tat - and found ingenious ways to make them frightening.
Fear and Loathing
It's not just the settings that are modern. There are also explorations of contemporary concerns, such as empire and privilege, AI and slavery, torture, and intellectual snobbery. 'Reality and Other Stories' has given me a classic 'book hangover'; I keep thinking about these tales days later, to the extent that I've been unable to start anything new. I've no doubt that this will a be a book that I re-read and get something different from each time.
Fresh Perspectives
Unusually for a short story collection, I don't feel that there are any weak links. I think every story is excellent - memorable, intelligent and sharp. Being as most of them seem to explore modern themes, however, I was a bit surprised that there was nothing on climate change. Also, I think some of the stories are open to interpretation. For example, it's easy to read 'Reality' as a moan about how awfully shallow reality TV is and how participants deserve their comeuppance. Equally, the way contestants are constantly watched and have to serve the 'higher power' of public opinion could be read as an allegory for some religious beliefs. You can see why I can't stop thinking about it!
Overall
For me, 'Reality and Other Stories' is an instant classic. It's contemporary, thought-provoking and clever, and includes some absolutely brilliant storytelling. Its only fault is that it's too short! I desperately want to read more by John Lanchester, and sincerely hope that this is the first of many similar collections. Like the TV series 'Inside Number 9', this book is a must for any fans of intelligent horror.
Now, what next...?
'Reality and Other Stories' by John Lanchester was published in 2020 by Faber & Faber. I read the hardback edition.
