We were taught, as children, that monsters were anything but humans. Monsters were large and frightening creatures. They were perpetually strong, mean, and angry.  They terrorized cities, towns and villages simply because they were monsters. And most importantly, they looked nothing like humans. Moving into the teenage and young adult years, the word 'monster’ becomes an adjective. It is now the word used to describe people who hurt others just for fun. Monsters started to take on the human form making it less distinctive than the monsters of our childhood. These monsters look like drug lords, the toxic parent and even the stranger in a party that makes you feel uneasy. Whichever definition you decide to use, Breanne Mc Ivor’s collection of short stories Where There Are Monsters weaves both concepts into a single tapestry fit for the Caribbean mystery aficionado.

This short story collection explores the title with a voraciousness that is the hallmark of most Caribbean stories. In it, we find new faces for the iconic Midnight Robber and the Lagarhoo, who show that they can love a human, lust after another and attempt to protect their loved ones, a far cry from the creatures of our youth.  This is my favourite element of the book; the humanness that they all eventually boil down to. In each story, there is a monster and there is a human, even if they share the same body. In her writings, Mc Ivor conveys the idea that some monsters are born out of human qualities and emotions while others simply exist and have existed since the beginning of the world.

The collection consists of twelve short stories and is separated into two sections. The first section, Where There Are Monsters, features the stories Ophelia, Things We Do Not Say, The Course, Present, The Boss and Red. My favorite of these is The Course and Present. Present was an intriguing story about the beginnings of finding what was lost during years of abuse. The Course is an interesting perspective on loving someone in all their parts. The Course follows Coraline and her unnamed boyfriend as they try a course of treatment to make him better. At night, he turns into an unnamed monster and devours humans, waking up the next day with no recollection of the previous night’s activities. His only point of reference is the trail of human flesh and blood that the monster, named ‘the shadow’ leaves behind. The narrative point of view can easily be a character as it places the focus on the humanness of both Coraline and her boyfriend. and the boyfriend’s disassociation to the monster within him. The story plays on the idea of loving someone no matter who or what they are even if it can mean death.  It highlights Coraline’s desire to have a family and the boyfriend’s fear as they battle the monster.  

The second section, Where We Are Monsters features the stories The Cannibal of Santa Cruz, Pembroke Street, Never Have I Ever, Kristoff and Bonnie, Robber Talk and The One Night Stand. My favorites were The Cannibal of Santa Cruz and The Robber. The Cannibal of Santa Cruz was a beautiful picture of feminine strength and love lasting beyond a lifetime mixed with cannibalism and ostracization from neighbors. The Robber is a magnetic version of a Midnight Robber off and on the stage. Contrary to the disassociation of the boyfriend and the monster in The Course, the main protagonist here seems to accept the existence of the monster within him and is much more aware of its activities. The narrator actively speaks about the monster and is aware of what its triggers are and can even anticipate its next moves. He even lures the next victim to the monster’s claws using a false sense of security. Even in these moments where he admits to his human attraction to the victim, he pivots into relaying what the monster wants and how this will end and participates actively in its activities.  

It is a very engaging body of work and has stories for everyone. It was well written, and Mc Ivor brandished her words like a paintbrush and painted a masterpiece with letters. She was economical with her word choices and placement, each and every one of them mattered and was well used.  Overall, this is a beautiful collection of stories.