Sleeping with the Insane

Britta Santowski is a freelance writer in Victoria, B.C.

This collection of 11 short stories explores the shifting spaces between
the sane and insane, ultimately challenging readers to adjust their own
notions of “reality.” Mitton’s stories subvert notions of
normality by unveiling unexpected aspects of her characters. For
example, in her title story, “Sleeping with the Insane,” while Olwyn
is a visibly odd creature (“taller than most of the boys and she let
her dark hair hang straight down so that her ears stuck out”), it is
the seemingly normal Cassie who intrigues the reader. And in “Untying
Elinor,” Sheila discovers an unexpected (and unwanted) insight when
she becomes a little too familiar with Ben and his wife, Elinor.

The pleasure in reading these stories comes from the author’s poetic
language, best expressed in the nightmarish dreamscape of “The Last
Ferry.” In this marvelously crafted mapping of the dream process,
Mitton documents the mysterious workings of the sleeping mind without
jeopardizing the dreamlike quality of the story. While some of her
stories may not appeal to all tastes, Mitton writes with imagination and
invention; she also possesses a delightful sense of playfulness.