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Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow | October 23, 2013

by Daniel Nayeri (Candlewick Press, October 2011)

Rarely does one come across a work of limitless imagination, but Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow by Daniel Nayeri is exactly that. It is collection of four novellas, each in a different genre. In “Toy Farm”, a western, there is a showdown between a farmer who grows living toys and a rancher who grows soulless humans. “Our Lady of Villains” is a remarkable science fiction tale that depicts a future where reality and technology have seamlessly blended to the point where nanotech allows people to live in a fantasy world, but at what cost? The amazing “Wish Police” is a detective story set in modern NYC that features the W.I.S.H Police (Wicked Ideas Suddenly Human) a team of investigators that track down evil wishes made by angry children that have the potential to wreak very real—and permanent—damage on the world. And finally, “Doom with a View” is a comedic love story narrated by the handsome and charismatic Death, who relates the tale of a real-life Romeo and Juliet pair, whose parents’ feud isn’t the only barrier to their love; these two can’t even speak the same language.

Nayeri is a masterful wordsmith, and it’s worth reading these novellas to see the breadth of his worldbuilding talent. There are puns that work in four languages and a wholly realized dialect of future-technospeak. But while craft is on display, it’s the stories that really capture the reader. Four developed worlds, with unique characters who touch the reader with their strength and integrity, is a feat, and it all works here. And as a bonus, pay special attention to “Wish Police”: the film rights of which were just optioned to Aron Warner, the producer of Shrek, at Reel FX Animation Studios!

 

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