The High Places

The High Places is a collection of thirteen short stories set across Australia and beyond, spanning different time periods from the colonial era to the present day. The stories feature characters facing moments of decision, change, or revelation. Each tale stands independently but shares McFarlane's focus on the intersection between ordinary life and extraordinary circumstances. The narratives range from a woman obsessed with pet snails to a family dealing with drought on their farm, and from a professor studying a volcanic island to newlyweds navigating married life. The settings shift between rural Australian landscapes, suburban neighborhoods, and international locations, creating a varied backdrop for the characters' experiences. The stories maintain a consistent psychological realism while incorporating elements of the uncanny and unexpected. These stories explore themes of faith, isolation, and human connection through characters who find themselves at personal crossroads. The collection examines how people respond when confronted with situations that challenge their understanding of themselves and their place in the world.

Readers found this short story collection uneven, with some stories resonating deeply while others fell flat. Common feedback notes McFarlane's skill with atmospheric descriptions and building psychological tension. Readers liked: - The title story "The High Places" - Precise, detailed writing style - Complex character studies - Australian settings and cultural elements - Exploration of faith and morality Readers disliked: - Several stories end abruptly without resolution - Pacing issues in longer stories - Some characters feel distant and hard to connect with - Literary style can be overly dense Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 3.9/5 (50+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Beautiful prose but the stories often leave you hanging" - Goodreads reviewer "Her descriptions transport you completely" - Amazon reviewer "Some gems mixed with stories that don't quite land" - LibraryThing reviewer

What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi This collection of stories blends folklore and reality through interconnected tales about keys, doors, and the boundaries between worlds.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip A fantasy novel weaves mythological creatures and human relationships into a tale about power, isolation, and the consequences of desire.

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez These dark stories set in contemporary Argentina merge supernatural elements with social realism to explore themes of fear, violence, and transformation.

Revenge by Yoko Ogawa Eleven interconnected tales link seemingly ordinary moments to deeper currents of loss, obsession, and the uncanny through precise, measured prose.

The House of Paper by Carlos María Domínguez This novella follows the path of a mysterious book through multiple lives while examining the nature of obsession and the power of literature to transform reality.

🌟 The High Places won the International Dylan Thomas Prize in 2017, one of the world's largest literary prizes for young writers. 🌿 Many stories in the collection explore the relationship between humans and animals, including a tale about a family who believes their dog might be a saint. 🌊 Fiona McFarlane drew inspiration from her home country of Australia's landscapes, particularly its coastal regions and vast rural spaces. 📚 The book contains 13 short stories written over a span of ten years, with each story exploring themes of faith, fear, and the unexpected. 🎓 McFarlane wrote part of the collection while completing her PhD in English at Cambridge University, where she studied the impact of fear in contemporary fiction.