A review by literarybutterfly
Stim: An Autistic Anthology by Lizzie Huxley-Jones

4.0

Stim is a collection of short stories, essays, and graphic artwork by 18 diverse autistic writers and authors. While this collection is intriguing for what it is, I found the title to be misleading. Huxley-Jones explains her thought process behind choosing the title at the end of the book, but it still doesn’t make sense to me. None of the entries in this anthology have to do with stimming. But that just kind of sums up my reading experience as a whole. It might just be the writing style used in most of the short stories, but I often found myself confused. I largely prefer the essays and graphic artwork over the short stories. My two favorite essays are “Stripping While Autistic” and “Handling the Bones.” Both are written by autistic women and document their struggles in maneuvering social situations. My favorite graphic is “Information Superhighway;” I thought it was really creative visual representation of overstimulation and I’d love to see it as a large print. My favorite short story is “The Strangers,” although I’m not sure there’s a parallel to autism there; I think it’s just a story about lions. Overall, Stim was a mixed bag. Upon first finishing this collection, I was a bit disappointed for the amount of entries I didn’t like. I don’t think Stim was intended for me anyways; it seems more targeted at a nuerotypical audience. However, upon reflection, I’m more appreciative for the exposure to the pieces that did resonate with me. Even thought this wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I highly encourage others to check Stim out and discover the diverse experience of many different autistic writers and artists.
3.5/5⭐️