It’s no secret that I love weird fiction. I like stories that go against convention, that are experimental, make me think, and make me look at the world in a different way. So when I was asked if I’d be interested in reviewing Jamie Kort’s short story, “A Puppet Scorned”, I had to say yes.
I sat down to read this with an open mind and no expectations. I’ve never read anything by Kort and don’t know anything about them in general. However, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the tale.
Being as this is a short story, I can’t say too much without spoiling things, so I’ll tread carefully here. The basic premise is a love story about two sock puppets. They are, for the most part, self-aware. They know they are puppets locked away in an attic and they understand love. I think Kort does a fair job of setting up the premise in the beginning, but the story really begins to build up steam. Think of it as a slow burn.
The story is a fun, but short, rollercoaster ride. There’s obviously romance, but there’s also so much more. The story runs from silly love affair to dark obsession. There’s tension, a good bit of humor, and surprisingly, a fair amount of weirdly erotic lovemaking.
I found that although the story begins slowly, it picks up the pace as it progresses, leading to a very weird, very dark, and very satisfying conclusion.
I appreciate it when a writer tries something different. Experiments don’t always work out, but when they do, the result is something memorable. “A Puppet Scorned” is a good example of this. Kort takes an interesting premise, and one probably more suited for a children’s book, and turns it into a dark, twisted, and entertaining bit of fiction.
For the weird fiction aficionados out there, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this short story. You’ll have a fun piece of fiction to keep yourself entertained and you’ll be supporting an independent writer.
RB