Reviews
amazon.com / amazon.co.uk
“A satisfying scare, an education in how to ski, a bit of world travel, insightful humor and - when I least expected it - a chance to ponder the human condition. This collection serves up faith, hope and love in surprising ways. I expect my copy to be worn out from use soon.” — N. Dunham.
“These stories raise deeper philosophical, epistemological, and in many cases, theological questions. So there are mysteries within mysteries here, and I am thus still thinking about many of these stories (just because they are great stories) and still reflecting on the deeper mysteries they raise (because they are such haunting questions in humanity's bigger search for answers). Highly recommended!” — L.J. Erste.
“I found some of the stories disturbing enough even when read in the comfort of my bed. The thing about short stories, especially ones that deal with ghosts, is that you can read a couple just before falling asleep and the images from the story will most likely accompany you in your dreams... What I enjoyed most was Kochanski's habit of inserting a sentence, or a short paragraph, that didn't really contribute much to the story line, but were wonderfully cynical or funny. Most of them made me do a double take, just to make sure I got the meaning correctly, and quite often they made me laugh.” — Asher Gabbay (blog).
librarything.com
“I really enjoyed this book. The 13 stories are very short, easy to read and reminded me a little of Roald Dahl. Each story has some aspect that's not quiet terror but a bit on the scary side coupled with a touch of humour.”
“They remind me of Roald Dahl or James Collier. If you read this looking for ghost stories, you will find ghosts galore... If you are looking for the atmosphere of alpine ski resorts and winter holidays, you´ll find it, if you are looking for often humorous and funny short reads for the bus ride, you´ll find them too. The stories are a mixture of often witty Dahl-style prose and modern alpine legends for the camp fire.”
“There is always a subtle transition between the real and the surreal that leads me to believe that somehow the surreal is real.”
“If you like ghost stories, do not miss this book.”
“The stories are easy to read, even if English is not your native language, and are generally interesting. For me, The Snow Cow, Not This Time, They, and All Souls' Day stand out because of the balance between the supernatural and the "normal life" and because the humorous tone in these stories is so true.”
“Far from the tales of horror and terror that might lead you to expect. Instead Kochanski largely goes for an unsettling vibe, often being more fairy tale or skiing equivalent of urban legend. Predator is an excellent evocation of the solitude of skiing and Eve is a fine and spooky character study. And All Souls' Day is an effective closing story, being the story that captures the unsettling vibe of the book best... A promising first collection, with strong prose and ideas.”