The Heart Is Its Own Reason

Lynne Perras teaches communication arts at the University of Calgary.

Natalee Caple’s first collection of short stories is a disturbing and
relentlessly gloomy book, although not without doses of black humor.
Most of the 15 stories examine the often twisted relationships between
family members. “The Price of Acorn” tells how a couple unwittingly
hand their son over to a pedophile, “The Heart Is Its Own Reason”
recounts the stabbing death of a husband by his wife, “To Be a Good
Brother” details a brother’s lustful feelings for his sister, and
“A Kind of Apology” examines the grief and despair of a mother
responsible for her young son’s death. In “The Trouble with Killing
Someone You Know,” a couple seek revenge for the murder of their
daughter by the father’s brother.

Caple displays a strong grasp of the motivations behind even the most
depraved actions. In general, her stories are well-crafted and riveting,
with strongly realized characters. One only wishes that she will now
direct her talents to creating fictional worlds that are not so
dominated with violence, terror, and despair.