Anoka

Anoka by Shane Hawk is a wonderful debut collection of Indigenous horror. This is a short volume, but each story really packs a punch. There are a lot of ideas contained in these few pages, and I think Shane Hawk is an author to watch. I was fascinated by elements that seemed to reoccur throughout the stories. More than most collections I've read, the stories of Anoka seemed to belong together, to exist in the same world (literally the town of Anoka, MN) and be pointing toward truths and experiences flowing from one story to another, even if there wasn't narrative ligament connecting the plots. I enjoyed all the stories but my favorites were Soilbourne, Transfigured, and Dead America. Those who enjoy both visual reading and listening should be advised that the Kindle edition and Audible edition have the stories in a different order. Apart from that editorial oddity I didn't find much to criticize about this work, except perhaps in wanting more. More words, more stories, and more books from Shane Hawk. I look forward to reading future horror stories from Hawk, and recommend Anoka. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars).