Lupus in Fabula
Briar Ripley Page
Cursed Morsels Press, 2025
ISBN-13: 979-8988413868
Ebook, 192 ppg.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Lupus in Fabula by Briar Ripley Page. I know that “lupus” is part of the name “canis lupus,” which is the scientific term for “wolf,” and the wolf is my favorite animal, but I didn’t know how a wolf would factor here. Apparently, “fabula” means “a traditional tale,” but these tales are far from traditional.
In fact, the title story is not your traditional “wolf” story and I absolutely loved how the author chose to portray the wolf here, along with a REAL wolf!
There is a nice mix of speculative and slipstream fiction in this book. It also offers a variety of characters, some who are straight or gay, some who are rich or poor, the outcasts and the misunderstood.
Here are my comments on some of the stories which I really enjoyed reading:
“Swallow Me (W)hole” was such a bizarre story. In some ways, I think I figured out what was happening, but maybe not. My take is that it was cosmic horror. The ending was a big surprise!
“The Witch’s Wife” was another story I really enjoyed reading. The love and devotion between the witch and her wife was beautiful and everything that happened with them was so tragic and sad.
As I read the story “The Holy Incubus of West Virginia,” I couldn’t help but think that the creature in the story is not what the character thinks it is. From the description, the creature sounds like a Mothman. The character thinks it’s an angel. But I was back to thinking it was a Mothman when the character’s first question to the creature was, “Did you make the bridge collapse?” Plus, it’s set in West Virginia. But, eh, who knows. I just kept reading to find out.
“Desire in the Flooded World” was such a good story, too. I liked how, despite after a natural disaster such as flooding, life went on for everybody. Even after cities are underwater. And how people are working and loving while living in a city struck by a natural disaster. I loved the way this story was told, and how the different POVs had me putting the puzzle pieces together at the end.
“Gorgonland” is another good story in this book. At first, I was a little confused by the constant dust, but the constant appearance of a stone Medusa as well as the mention of an exotic land helped me to realize what was happening with our young lover.
I also liked “The Mood After All” because it was such an interesting twist on the zombie trope. It’s a zombie story without being a zombie story!
The title story was my absolute favorite story. It is a strange werewolf story. Readers need a strong stomach and open mind to read this story. And, remember, it’s fiction! No real animals or people were actually hurt!
Lupus in Fabula is an unforgettable collection of stories ranging from the tragic to the unsettling, the mundane to the bizarre. It takes readers along an imaginative and otherworldly journey of stories capturing a variety of characters struggling to make sense of things. Told through the lens of horror and surrealism, these stories will leave a lasting impression on readers that maybe it’s better to leave the things we don’t know or understand to the mysterious other.
Five stars
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
