Stone Mattress was published in 2014. It’s nine wicked tales are just that, tales. They are much more than short stories.
Short story: a story with a fully developed theme but significantly shorter and less elaborate than a novel.
Tale: a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted.
These nine wicked tales include three interconnected narratives and six standalone fables. All have wickedness in them and it doesn’t take much to imagine the sly smiles of the characters, and likely the author.
You probably want me to compare this collection to something you’ve read before or another author. Seriously? Do you even know who Margaret Atwood is? She is the author you try (weakly) to compare other authors TO. You’ve read The Handmaid’s Tale haven’t you? If you are watching the series on Hulu, that’s all fine, but if you haven’t read the book, well, shame on you. And you are missing the most amazing writing… I’m getting upset just thinking about you watching the show and not reading the book. I can’t go on…
Read Stone Mattress if can’t commit to a full novel for whatever lame reason you have because everyone should read every single day even if it is only for a few minutes and this is just going to go into a tirade about reading and has already set off my run on sentences so just read it. The book. Now.