Aurealis #79, April 2015

Reviewed by Wayne Harris

“The Monster Under My Bed” by Melanie Rees is a moving story of a child suffering from an illness and the monster that lives under his bed. The story is told from the child’s point of view with simple language. The central theme shows how the child relates to the monster, his mother, and other adults than about his own suffering. This creates a very poignant and moving tale, although some may not like it as the fantasy element is ambiguous.

“The Whore and the Healer” by Lachlan Huddy is set in a small outback town in Australia where a father, Jones, has wandered in with his son, Toby. Toby has musical healing powers and heals the facial scars on a prostitute, Jacqui. Jacqui’s pimp decides that there is real money in this, but, for mysterious reasons to do with balance, Jones rejects the idea, creating an enemy in the pimp with dangerous consequences. The story is well told but the explanation for Toby’s abilities and the need for balance is weak and the plot is simplistic so the story is enjoyable but not memorable.