Jigs and Reels by Joanne Harris

Recently, I was looking to offload a Joanne Harris novel that had not clicked with me and I noticed that a new friend is a big admirer of her work – based on the number of Harris books on her shelves. Unfortunately, she already had a copy of my book, so the gift bounced straight back, but she did then loan me this anthology, which I have really enjoyed.

It features 22 short stories. Some soft, some dark, some mundane, some fantastical, most with a punchy twist at the end. All offering a new perspective on the world.

Some of the ones that sat strongest with me:

Faith and Hope Go Shopping – what a tear-jerking conclusion

The Ugly Sister – where indeed do the villains go when the story ends?

Al and Christine’s World of Leather – I loved Christine’s voice and the way she comes into her own at the end

Breakfast at Tesco’s – not the most satisfying ending, but I enjoyed the vividness of the characters

Waiting for Gandalf – a real twist ending that makes you question everything that came before

The Little Mermaid – man this was chilling.
It really captures the hopeless feeling of watching people make terrible decisions, when you can’t stop them.

Eau de Toilette – gross, but I’m laughing all the way. You really feel the period details seep through and give it character.

I think what I liked most about this anthology is that the stories are all very different. It made me think about what an author’s body of work “should” look like. There are ideas being marketed that you have to stick in your lane and write one kind of thing for one kind of audience. But I think this anthology, and Harris’ success, show that is not necessarily the case. You write what is right for you. Worry about the audience later (or never).

I’m so glad to have the opportunity to read this. It has given me a new perspective on the author and on my own writing