I would like to thank the author and Newcon Press for an advance copy of this collection in exchange for affair and honest review

Publisher – Newcon Press

Published – Out Now

Price – £13.99 paperback £4.89 Kindle eBook

Debut short story collection from a French author who has been making a name for herself with regular appearances to Interzone and contributions to Clarkesworld, ParSec, and elsewhere. Providing a fresh perspective on things, Cécile's fiction reflects her love of the natural world and concern for its future. Elephants in Bloom contains her finest previously published stories and a number of brand new tales that appear here for the first time.

Science fiction and fantasy often play with nature. The magic and spectacle of nature; how humans can change the natural world for good and ill. As always stories explore our world but in exciting ways. I was massively impressed by the high quality and exquisite beaty of Cecile Cristofari’s short fiction collection Elephants in Bloom. Stories that sweep you around from the future to the ancient past and across the globe and it’s a seriously great collection.

Among the stories I enjoyed were: -

All We Ever Look For – this fascinating story feels initially like a touch of urban fantasy but then the reader gets sucked into a moral dilemma to come down on. Our middle-aged narrator has a window in their Canadian home that endlessly shifts onto other worlds offering fantastic views. This all seems wondrous but then we find our narrator has let people disappear into these other worlds to be seen again. Cristofari makes us weigh the pros and cons and the uncertainty of what happens next allows us to decide what should happen next. It is very impressive and quite a unique tale.

The Fishery – this is a gorgeous story where Cristofari takes us on a tour of an alien civilisation that needs resources, energy and food so is now so desperate it sends fishing fleets out to scavenge resources. This tale mixes the wonder of alien fleets who can capture asteroids and starlight with the more familiar human cost of mass fisheries. There is a strong environmental message as we see the wonder of the universe turned into pure resource sometimes just used for fancy food and corrupt businesses. It’s a very impressive story showing what great SF is capable of exploring.

A Kingdom of Seagrass and Silk – Another stunning tale explores two elderly parents in a time of a new pandemic. Their son to protect them helps them move to a remote island. What though could be a downbeat tale is one of people discovering the wonder of the natural world. Cristofari creates some wondrous fantastical imagery of w world coming back to life now humans are in hiding. But the finale of the tale is also hopeful. A desire to do better. Pandemic tales are often sobering but this is nourishing.

A Stray Cat in The Mountain of the Dead – This fascinating story explores life and death, youth, and age within a retirement home in the South of France. Our narrator works in the home and we get to know the residents, their memories and how a mysterious cat seems to know who may die next. Hopes, relationships health and deciding to take chances get explored in a tale that is very unique even with just the mildest of fantastical elements creeping in.

Que la Grenade est Touchante – A historical tale set in 1920s France focused on a small village and one WW1 widow and her daughter and younger brother. What I loved about this story is the way the village comes to life, multiple nationalities, religions and exploration of dreams, family secrets and impressively the future. The past is never as dull as people think.

The Hangman’s Legacy – We move into a dark folk tale of a witch, ahangman and his lover. Our witch explains the relationships she trades in those who meet the gallows for her magic. Its an unusual tale that goes in different directions and it’s a stylish mix of magic, darkness and revenge creating something quite powerful.

A Diary from the End of the World – An alien observer is touring the Earth when they are notified that their own world is finally ending. This an eloquent tale of endings, futures and how ultimately, we must realise that the universe will carry on regardless. Its rather beautiful and my favourite in the collection.

The Third Time I Saw A Fox – One of the fascinating features of the collection is how Cristofari shifts tones. This story is surreal at the start with a museum guard speaking to various exhibits who answer back. Then skilfully this tale reveals the wider life of the guard and its sobering, sorrowful and really makes an impact I’ll carry for a long time afterwards.

Nine Lives, One To Spare – One Witch and one Astronaut Knight are eternal enemies; but they managed to by accident in their battles to destroy the world. This story is humorous despite the subject matter and explores perhaps there should be more to life than just war and trying to beat someone. Rather charming

Wind, River, Angel Song – the world is being slowly destroyed by a mysterious plague, a mother gives birth to her daughter and in the process, both get infected, but this disease is very random when it will kick in. Again, that should be sinister and in places it is but its also about holding on to those you love, not giving in and enjoying the moments you do have.

Elephants in Bloom – The finale of the collection gives it the title too. It imagines a world where the body of God (possibly) falls to Earth and dies. Scientists investigate it and a religious group is awed by it. This is a tale of religion and science but textured and balanced. It has moments of joy, sorrow and hate and more than a little magic too. I’ve not read many stories like this one and it elegant in its exploration of the subject but in such a unique way.

We also get tales of Wild Hunts on mountain roads, trips to Pluto, dystopian weapons, parallel universe experiments, pre-history, scientific goddesses and every story has a discussion of the inspiration for it. The regular use of nature in stories adds depth and reality that is really effective and often thought-provoking. I am hugely impressed by this collection and strongly recommend it to short fiction fans.