I think overall the book has a really cool concept. But the stories are so short, I’m not sure I’m getting much from any of them. Then I got to a story that was just really clunky to read so I decided to give up.

This is a modern take on The Decameron, which featured 100 stories told by 10 young nobles escaping the Black Death. Instead of the plague, this time the backdrop is the COVID pandemic.

The stories range from biblical and mythological themes to science and AI. My favorite was Tobori.

Many of these require a second read to fully appreciate. Personally, I would’ve preferred fewer stories with more depth. At times, it felt like I was getting a rushed version of a great plot that deserved more space to develop.

Thanks to Troubador Publishing Ltd. and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2 stars ✨
Upon reading the blurb it sounded as if it were right up my alley (philosophy, AI, science, mythos, etc); however, the stories felt shallow and I was always left with wanting more by the end of each story. Most of the stories also felt purposeless? It seemed as if the author had interesting concepts he wanted to explore without fully fleshing anything at depth.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house for this ARC

Reading this book of short stories was out of my comfort zone. The Irish setting for these stories added an extra layer of intrigue for this American reader. These were quick stories, almost a snap shot into the characters' lives. Many of the stores could have been easily developed into longer twisted tales. Barry Kelly's mind is as unique as these stories. At the end of several of these stories I needed to set my e-reader down in contemplation, often going back to read the last couple of sentences register. Times sure are changing! Thank you for sample of Irish life in the twisted realm and to NetGalley for this pick. #NetGalley #TheDocameron #IrishStories #FuturisticReading