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First Impression: Super short stories (often quirky) covering a wide range of different topics that either give pause for thought or a mighty chuckle.

super short stories - flash fiction book cover

Wallfisch wasn’t kidding, these really are super short stories. I thank the author for the read. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to review Super Short Stories: Flash Fiction by Mark Wallfisch, and to bring you this review.

Before branching into discussing the actual book, I just want to settle on the praise the author highlights in the book. Quotes are mentioned by authors that died as far back as the early 20th century and yet are credited as being either the second or third best short story writer in America. I found this quite cheeky and, in some ways, fraudulent. A writer of such acclaim from this set of esteemed authors would arguably be more successful and famous in their own right. Instead, it feels like a bit of a con to rope in the reader with embellished claims.

Each story is illustrated with a simple grayscale line drawing. They are not enough to tell the story but give mild hints to support the title as to what the story is about. That said, even the titles are vague and provide an air of mystery. By the time you get to the end of each story, you realize how apt the drawing and title really is. Ignoring the stories that contain a lot of dialogue, the others all appear to have a similar style/format, which is probably to be expected of such short works. The main thing is that each story has a clear beginning, middle, and conclusion.

The individual tales are a maximum of 300 words making it a very quick read in general but great for people that do not have a lot of time to dedicate to reading in one go. It also means that the book needn’t be read cover to cover and instead the reader can dive in and pick stories at a whim. With such a wide range of material, there are stories for everyone. I particularly liked the stories that came with comical twists at the end. Admittedly, there were a few that went over my head, but that may be due to cultural differences and not understanding the Americanisms within the text.

Whilst the majority of the stories are quite innocent, there are a couple that push the boundaries causing this book to be rated R. Therefore, this book is recommended for a mature audience, particularly those that like a bit of a challenge or a quirky quick read.

Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/ R Rated

Have your say: Do you think it is ok to fake it ’til you make it by entering false praise? Share your thoughts with the Papergirl Community in the comments below.

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