“Crying Houses and Other Catastrophes” by John Carroll [Book Review]

Some short story collections ask readers to settle in and enjoy a series of disconnected tales. Crying Houses and Other Catastrophes (order here) by John Carroll (read our interview here) does something a little different. While each story stands on its own, together they create a strange, unsettling portrait of people trying to make sense of a world that seems to be slipping sideways. The result is a collection that is often darkly funny, occasionally absurd, and surprisingly moving.

What struck me first was Carroll’s ability to take an ordinary situation and push it just far enough into the bizarre that it becomes both entertaining and uncomfortable. One character becomes convinced that someone has tampered with their alphabet soup. Another decides that selling rocking chairs is his life’s calling. A machine designed to expose lies ends up generating its own version of the truth. These premises might sound whimsical on the surface, but Carroll uses them to explore deeper questions about identity, truth, morality, and the increasingly shaky foundations on which modern life seems to rest.

The title story, “Crying Houses,” is perhaps the best example of the author’s approach. The concept itself is intriguing: a cheerful woman attempts to breathe life back into the residents of a so-called crying house, a place weighed down by hopelessness and emotional decay. What could have easily become a heavy-handed allegory instead unfolds with a careful balance of humour and sadness. Carroll has a knack for finding humanity in unlikely places, and many of the characters linger in the reader’s mind long after the story ends.

John Carroll, photo by Skylar Carroll

One of the collection’s greatest strengths is its characters. Carroll populates these pages with dreamers, eccentrics, cynics, and ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Some are heroic, some are foolish, and many are both at the same time. They often find themselves trapped between competing versions of reality, struggling to preserve some sense of self as the world around them becomes increasingly distorted. In that regard, the stories feel remarkably relevant. Without being overtly political or preachy, they reflect many of the anxieties that define contemporary life: misinformation, social fragmentation, moral uncertainty, and the feeling that systems once considered reliable are no longer functioning as intended.

The writing itself is sharp and accessible. Carroll doesn’t rely on elaborate prose or literary gymnastics to make his point. Instead, he trusts his ideas and characters to carry the weight of the stories. There’s a conversational quality to much of the collection that makes even the strangest scenarios feel believable. Readers are invited into these peculiar worlds without being overwhelmed by them, and that accessibility is one of the book’s greatest assets.

Another thing I appreciated was the humour. Even when dealing with serious themes, Carroll rarely loses sight of the absurdity inherent in the human condition. There are moments throughout the collection that genuinely made me laugh, often just before a story shifted into darker territory. That balance between comedy and unease gives the book much of its distinctive personality. The stories never become relentlessly bleak, nor do they drift into pure satire. Instead, they occupy a fascinating middle ground where laughter and dread coexist.

Verse & Vision: John Carroll on the Craft and Challenges of Publishing

Of course, not every story will resonate equally with every reader. As with most collections, some entries are stronger than others, and a few felt more like thought experiments than fully developed narratives. Yet even the weaker pieces contribute to the book’s overall atmosphere. There is a consistent sense of looming catastrophe throughout the collection, a feeling that something important is changing and that no one is entirely prepared for what comes next.

Ultimately, Crying Houses and Other Catastrophes is a thoughtful, imaginative collection that rewards readers willing to embrace a little uncertainty. John Carroll examines the fragile boundaries between truth and fiction, hope and despair, sanity and delusion, all while telling stories that remain engaging and entertaining. It’s a book filled with odd characters, unusual situations, and unexpected insights into what it means to be human in complicated times.

For readers who enjoy literary fiction with a touch of satire, speculative elements, and plenty of heart, Crying Houses and Other Catastrophes is well worth exploring. It may leave you laughing, scratching your head, and occasionally feeling uneasy—but that’s precisely what makes it memorable. This book is now one of my favourite collections of short stories. Buy a copy and dive in, you’ll see what I mean!

Publisher: Ekstasis Editions
Publication date: July 6, 2021
Language: English
Print length: 303 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1771714242