The Truth About Celia

Kevin Brockmeier

I just finished reading "The Truth About Celia" by Kevin Brockmeier. WOW, what a book. The prose is beautiful, the subject harsh and the story unforgettable. I believe this is Brockmeier's first novel, he published a book of short stories titled "Things That Fall From The Sky" which won him several awards.

A chapter from "The Truth About Celia" was selected for "The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror". The story is told mainly from one person's point of view. The father of a seven year old girl who vanishes from her back yard. Brockmeier focuses on a couple other primary characters but his main focus is the father (who is a writer) Brockmeier also has developed stories within the story. The chapter titled "The Green Children" (chosen for Best Fantasy and Horror) and the chapter titled "Appearance, Disappearance, Levitation, Transformation, and the Divided Woman" are both short stories. Their relevance to the main theme is for the reader to figure out.

This is an author I would love to meet. This is a book I will not soon forget (if ever) and I'd love to check out my theories against his intentions. I'm going to read this again, at some point, I'll do so more slowly. I finished this novel in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. I believe it deserves more time.