Strange Neighbours [Kindle Edition]

Masha du Toit (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

A collection of ten illustrated fantasy short stories set in Cape Town, South Africa.

Meet a hitch hiking troll with a taste for pepper-spray and a homeless witch with a trolley full of secrets. Discover a book hoarding mermaid and a fridge full of frogs. And learn how to greet a witch - politely, of course. These stories describe encounters with every-day magic, where strange neighbours live in the flat next door or under the manhole cover you step on every day. 

**This book is part of the Witchy eBooks promotion featuring witch-themed books from more than thirty authors.  Find the other witchy books at witchyebooks.blogspot.com/**

This collection includes the following stories:

In the back yard
Thorn Rose in Wynberg
Kelp
Chasing Frogs
Old Man's Stuff
The Ink Witch
Troll Patrol
Debt
In the Oven
Ash

Product Details

• File Size: 893 KB
• Print Length: 95 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005C41FRG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #517,683 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Anthology of What If July 15, 2012

By Drew Nicholson

Format:Kindle Edition

Masha du Toit has already shown a near mastery of long-form fiction in her novel "The Story Trap", but in this collection of short stories, she clearly demonstrates that, if anything, she's even better at writing speculative short stories. There are no overwrought tropes here, no Mercedes Lackey ripoffs, no hobbits or elves or ents. These stories happen to real people who just live in a world that's slightly... "off" from ours. From the hermit ex-selkie, living in the storm sewers near the ocean, to the boy who accidentally breaks into the security guard's Garden of Eden, to the elderly dragon whisperer helping to destroy her livelihood, all of these tales evoke mirth, sadness, wonder and in many cases, hope, which ties in with the very subtle environmental messages du Toit weaves into some of the episodes.

I found myself grinning at the end of more than one, and really, that's all I should have to put in a review, right? These stories made me happy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and evocative contemporary fantasy collection February 28, 2012

By Good Book Alert

Format:Kindle Edition

Review:

In Strange Neighbours, author du Toit pulls the reader into a modern Cape Town where various magical creatures and occurrences exist side-by-side with mundane humans. There's no overarching attempt to link these stories thematically or in terms of world-building. I don't say that as a slight. Each story is individually effective in drawing in the reader and providing a satisfying conclusion.

While most of the stories don't rely on any sort of "twist" ending, many of the endings also defy easy prediction. The tales expertly pull the reader into the entrancing atmosphere of a magical Cape Town.

While magic and magical creatures define these shorts, the integration is typically so matter-of-fact and natural that it's almost as if one could nod and say, "Well, of course they have mermaids in South Africa." The ease and smoothness of this experience speaks well to the author's talent.

The writing is evocative and fully engages the senses. Although the anthology is satisfying for an adult, the style has a very accessible quality that, combined with an ethereal fairy tale-like quality, would also make the anthology a good choice for advanced younger readers as well.

In addition, there are a number of illustrations throughout the anthology. They are well-placed and subtle, serving to highlight and enhance the atmosphere while not taking away from the text or replacing the canvas of imagination.

While not every story is equally strong, overall, Strange Neighbours is an excellent contemporary fantasy anthology.

Note: A Free Review copy was provided by the author.

4.5 Stars

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful little romp November 29, 2011

By Rabid Reader

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I thought this was a wonderful little romp. It reminds me very much of my copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. The stories were more modern, of course, but the same tone of voice and frequency of illustration. For me, I could easily imagine the culture of south africa evoked in the books -- I could even 'hear' the "street outside." This was a wonderful way to pass the time.

More About the Author

Masha du Toit is an artist and writer. She reads far too much, draws pictures that tell stories and writes stories about every-day magic. She lives with her musician husband Brendon and dogs Anna and Pippin in a sunny house in Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa.