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yeahnaar's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Theres nothing obnoxiously wrong with this collection of short stories, but they’re pretty terrible. The stories feel flat, the writing generic (almost as if it was written by an AI or someone imitating writing), and the characters are unlikeable. It’s a book I was happy to be finished with just so I would never have to read it again
espressoroast's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
nina_reads_books's review
4.0
Permafrost by SJ Norman has just been named on the longlist for the 2022 Stella Prize. I had a feeling it might make the list and read it last week in anticipation and I’m very glad I did. It’s a very accomplished piece of writing. SJ Norman is an artist and writer and they have an impressive list of awards and achievements to their name. I think though that Permafrost is their first collection of short stories.
I found the writing raw and beautiful. The stories move between locations from Australia to Japan to England. From an afterhours tour at Auschwitz to a journey in winter in Japan to find a former lover, these stories focus mostly on young people whose longing and desires and lost loves are often given a queer focus. In fact one of the things that struck me was that each narrator was unnamed and there were blurred lines between genders and sexuality. This gave the stories a dreamy and surreal quality.
Each story also brought in an element of a haunting or being haunted. This meant that within each story there was a tiny supernatural twist – a little bit eerie, a little bit unsettling and often leaving you with more questions than answers. But this is just my kind of writing to be honest!
Permafrost is a hard yes from me and I’m completely unsurprised it has made #thestellaprizelonglist2022. Get reading if you haven’t picked this up yet.
4 and a half stars
I found the writing raw and beautiful. The stories move between locations from Australia to Japan to England. From an afterhours tour at Auschwitz to a journey in winter in Japan to find a former lover, these stories focus mostly on young people whose longing and desires and lost loves are often given a queer focus. In fact one of the things that struck me was that each narrator was unnamed and there were blurred lines between genders and sexuality. This gave the stories a dreamy and surreal quality.
Each story also brought in an element of a haunting or being haunted. This meant that within each story there was a tiny supernatural twist – a little bit eerie, a little bit unsettling and often leaving you with more questions than answers. But this is just my kind of writing to be honest!
Permafrost is a hard yes from me and I’m completely unsurprised it has made #thestellaprizelonglist2022. Get reading if you haven’t picked this up yet.
4 and a half stars
readheadreads's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Absolutely devoured this one! Its dark, mysterious, queer, eerie and erotic.
Norman has such a striking strong style, I wish they would write more books! This is a wonderful debut and I hope Norman continues to publish more work (I will read it all!)
Although each story varies widely in pov and setting, I thought Norman masterfully wove them together somehow - each story containing a small thread of something like that of feeling haunted. The collection therefore felt cohesive and satisfying.
Standouts for me included: Permafrost, Unspeakable, Secondhand & Playback.
Norman has such a striking strong style, I wish they would write more books! This is a wonderful debut and I hope Norman continues to publish more work (I will read it all!)
Although each story varies widely in pov and setting, I thought Norman masterfully wove them together somehow - each story containing a small thread of something like that of feeling haunted. The collection therefore felt cohesive and satisfying.
Standouts for me included: Permafrost, Unspeakable, Secondhand & Playback.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
desterman's review
4.0
Permafrost consists of seven short stories, each of which explore the concept of haunting or being haunted. This is examined from a range of positions, with nods to the gothic and romantic genres. The stories are told from different narrative perspectives and voices, from a variety of different locations, including Australia, Japan, and Europe. The stories are all dark, but not without humour, with many preoccupied with the power of place and those who lay claim place even after they have physically gone from it, so often a core feature of the gothic and horror genres. The writing is sharp, enticing, and exact. Norman has an incredibly ability to use sensory imagery to bring place and the experiences within that place to life for the reader. The direction of the narratives is always unpredictable, conveying a wide range of themes within the confines of “haunting” including family, love, travel, identity, power, and grief.
My favourite from this collection is the simple 'Secondhand' about a character’s account of the interesting items and people they encounter working in a secondhand bookshop. The story was perfectly paced and the twist at the end a little masterstroke paying homage to so many great ghost stories. I also enjoyed 'Unspeakable' about a tourist’s trip to Auschwitz after hours in winter time. This offered a disturbing yet thoughtful mediation on history and the importance of bearing witness. The final story, the lengthy 'Playback', contains threads of all the stories, uniting them in one gorgeous reflection on both haunting and being haunted. The aural imagery in this piece was particularly moving.
An engrossing read from cover to cover!
My favourite from this collection is the simple 'Secondhand' about a character’s account of the interesting items and people they encounter working in a secondhand bookshop. The story was perfectly paced and the twist at the end a little masterstroke paying homage to so many great ghost stories. I also enjoyed 'Unspeakable' about a tourist’s trip to Auschwitz after hours in winter time. This offered a disturbing yet thoughtful mediation on history and the importance of bearing witness. The final story, the lengthy 'Playback', contains threads of all the stories, uniting them in one gorgeous reflection on both haunting and being haunted. The aural imagery in this piece was particularly moving.
An engrossing read from cover to cover!
denw's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tevreads's review
5.0
This short story collection by SJ Norman is unsettling brilliant. Each story reads like you’re in a dreamlike stasis, chilling and gothic in nature. ‘Permafrost’ has moments of startling narration that dazzles, literary skill clear from Norman and their debut collection. From addiction to love, longing and loss, ‘Permafrost’ is an exceptional short story collection that will haunt you after reading in the best way.
lilyliketheflower's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
babblingbooks's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5