Book Review: Nothing But the Willows by J. D. Buffington

Title: Nothing But the Willows

Author: J. D. Buffington

 

This is my second time reading and reviewing J. D. Buffington's work. Previously, I read and enjoyed his take on the Medusa myth: Come Hither, No Malice (Review here). So, when he was looking for people to review his short story collection, I happily volunteered, and was not disappointed.

Buffington's stories are unique and varied. Many are told in first person narrative, but he also experiments with screenplay format and second-person. I would classify the stories generally under horror, but many have strong elements of sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and inspire more emotions than fear. Buffington's author bio states, "He seamlessly weaves vivid nightmares and haunting anxiety together to immerse readers into a state of fright and wonder," and I believe that this collection demonstrates that.

The best stories in the collection offer up a sense of wonder along with the fears. A few of my favourites that best showcase Buffington's storytelling skills are Warning Cry, Pane, Nothing But the Willows, and Something in the Way.

Warning Cry: One day, a woman screams but has no memory of it. It's caught on tape and soon goes viral. Eventually, people all over the world start experiencing "The Scream", but no one can remember why they screamed or even doing it at all, until some scientists develop a way to make someone remember. The main character's revelations from experiencing and remembering a Scream are chilling, but also invoke that feeling of wonder I mentioned. This one left me with a shudder.

Pane: This story starts as a simple meet-cute where a young man buys a purse he does not need so he can talk to a cute girl. The scares in this one start slow and caught me off guard, and there is a twist that completely transforms the narrative. I'll leave it for you to discover on your own.

Nothing But the Willows: The titular story follows a ghost haunting the woman who accidentally killed her. With that premise, I expected a revenge story, but what I received instead was a deep reflection on forgiveness of others, one's self, and how to move forward from trauma.

Something in the Way: Poverty plagues our main character, who is doing his best to exist. The world Buffington describes in this story is bleak, but rich and well constructed.

I recommend this collection for anyone who likes a variety of storytelling techniques and enjoys a little awe with their terror.