i thought it was an okay story but i felt like it kept dragging and i wasn’t really enjoying it

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

If that description of Morris’ novella was a little confusing I apologize, but that’s how reading Green Fuse Burning was, a little confusing. Most of the book reads like a fever dream with the timeline being presented out of order, with strange monsters in the woods, and Rita having a hard time creating coherent thought. It must have been the aesthetic that the author was going for though because suddenly at the very end of the book, the afterword is beautifully written. If the whole book were written like the afterword, I would have very much liked the book.
(full review at link) https://thecosmiccircus.com/book-review-green-fuse-burning-by-tiffany-morris/

Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of Tiffany Morris and found Green Fuse Burning to be evocative and beautiful in a melancholy way. But.

For a short story I found this a real slog to get through. The mechanism of each section starting with an analysis of one of the paintings in Rita's new collection was neat, with each section relating to the story behind each painting. But Morris weighs the reader down with excessive contemplation in Rita's internal voice, which is the large majority of the book. The thoughts and ideas get weighed down in the purple prose, which is a shame because Green Fuse Burning could have been up there with Pet Sematary as one of the best horror stories about grief. I just don't think it quite reach its potential.

A powerfully ingenious and descriptive horror novel. The writing is gorgeous and stunning, so vivid in the imagination while being incredibly fluid.
Tiffany Morris is a voice I hope we hear more of in horror, this short novella had me on the edge of my seat, anxiously turning page after page just to find what lush description I will find next, what horror will unfold in front of my eyes.

Dense and lyrical, Green Fuse Burning is a beautifully written horror novella set amongst creepy woods and deep, dark waters. The main character, Rita, is still whirling from loss after the death of her father, her partner has left her for her career, We follow alongside her as she explores the local woods as part of an artist retreat, never sure how much of the events surrounding her are real or the projection of grief, pain, and loneliness into the world around her. As a reconnecting Native, Rita's disconnect from her Mi'kmaq language and culture resonated strongly.

"...her wakefulness burning electric with the fear of her own mortality."
I wasn't sure how I felt about this book, it didn't capture my interest right from the beginning, but then it suddenly felt more and more relatable and I couldn't stop saving quotes. Even though I wanted different ending, I feel like this was what I needed.
I'll share some of my favourite quotes, hopefully without spoilers.
"I really tried to want to be alive."
And especially this one hit me deeply: "Life was like a language I couldn't speak."
And then there's this beautiful part that literally caught my breath and made me nostalgic of a green and peaceful place: "They moved together into the impossibly deep green, a green that was alive and dead all at once, a green that smelled of both rot and new life, a green that beckoned and choked. This was the color she loved so well from painting — not that she’d ever successfully mixed it on palette or canvas. She loved it for its unattainability. She loved it with the strength of her desire for something she could never have. This was a color that was more than itself, a living thing that could only live in these dark places. It was a color that breathed on its own, writhing and stretching its tendrils into the places where night and swamp were one." This part is art itself!
It's a short book, main reason why I picked it up, another reason being the gorgeous cover and the description was also very interesting, I couldn't stop reading and then it just ended, somehow perfectly.
“But death, like nature, loves even what it destroys..."

I am so happy I got to read this. I got to step out of my comfort zone for a great read. This is way more than I was expecting and so much more. You need to read this book now!

This book was such a trip! I really loved everything about it and the main character was just so funny. This was up my alley for the type of genre books that I enjoy.

This was a beautifully written and eerie novella with some wonderful swamp imagery. More of an exploration of grief and art as opposed to an out and out horror, I found the narrative construction really interesting. The novella is split into six chapters, each of which focus on one of the paintings Rita creates whilst at the cabin in the woods. As the novella progresses, things definitely get weirder, which I appreciated, but I also thought there was some really solid discussion about death and the way in which we try to distance ourselves from it in society as much as possible. Overall, this is a pretty haunting story that I will be thinking about for a long time.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Female/Indigenous Horror supremacy still reigns
With extra bonus points for queer characters.

Firstly this cover is perfection, I will probably purchase a hardcover just to display.
Secondly the formation of this was just…..amazing. Having the descriptions of Ritas art at the beginning of each chapter, weaving into the story, really added to an already extremely atmospheric story. Morris creates a living art piece with her writing, I could see the swamp, feel its presence with each page. Green Fuse Burning has all the elements you love of modern grief horror, told through Morris’s expert story telling, her writing feels almost comforting, even in such a setting.

Swampcore horror was not something I thought I was going to fall in love with this year but here we are!

I love novellas (and short stories) that have a gimmick and a story about a painter that includes
excerpts that describe and analyze her art is totally up my alley.
There is a haunted feeling hidden between the words that kind of sneaks up on you, just like it does to Rita, and it's all wrapped up in a lush writing style that lets you linger on all the dark emotions you usually try to hide away.

There is a reason why we keep coming back to the concept of artists that are haunted. This is an Indigenous, sapphic take on that.

This exceeded my expecations: intriguing, creepy and poignant. A well written and intense novella that kept me on the edge.
I can't wait to read other stories by this author
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was both unexpected and everything I wanted it to be, can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy. I will be looking out for more from this author.

This was a beautiful, haunting novella that incorporated Mi'kmaw culture, the protagonist's grief over their dead father, disconnection and displacement and how that ties in with art. The descriptions were resoundingly beautiful. I didn't even stay for the plot and the slow deterioration of the protagonist's reason, and just for the wonderful imagery the author drew together.

Green Fuse Burning is a beautifully written novella that will have you looking over your shoulder and contemplating your outlook on grief and death. As someone who has suffered the loss of a loved one, I felt that the author’s words had been penned specifically for me on more than one occasion. I found myself rooting for Rita and her healing process, but also wanting more. This is one of those books that I could have read another hundred pages of!

This book is one of those books that is basically all vibes, no plot, and I was kind of here for it. Although I had absolutely no idea what was going on the whole time, it gave me the exact kind of slightly uncomfortable feeling you want when you go into a book like this.

Thank you to Stelliform Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This novella packs a punch. The prose and imagery are both heartbreakingly beautiful and deeply unsettling. It is a horror story that is also a meditation on grief, identity, and community. Its a love letter and apology to nature and the havoc that has been wreaked upon it. It's a better version of Walden.

There's nothing quite like Indigenous horror and with this short horror novella Tiffany Morris paints pictures as vivid and uncanny as the paintings in this novella. Morris creates a tense, unsettling swampcore aesthetic in which the queer fmc struggles with the loss of her father, the disconnect from her Mi'kmaw culture and her mental health.

Thank you Stelliform Press and Netgalley for this arc.

The writing style here is absolutely lovely. It manages to be absolutely beautiful and surreal.

I will admit that I’d hoped for something a bit more chilling, but it’s a stunning exploration of grief against a backdrop of indigenous culture and I was definitely intrigued.

Rita was wonderful – a mix of heart and heartbreak and a surprising well of strength. As for her girlfriend? Let’s just say…not. Did. Not. Like.

A small novella, but a large and powerful story.

Glad I read this one.

• ARC via Publisher

The author described this book as “Swampcore’ and that's 100% what this book is. Add a dash of art, creepy animals, grief, and ‘what was that noise’?

Rita, a Queer Mi’kmaw woman feels disconnected from her heritage, is struggling with her art and still hasn’t given herself time to grieve her estranged father.

During her artist's residency, on the land her father grew up in, Rita starts to hear noises outside her cabin. I was hooked the moment Rita started to wonder if it was a body hitting the ground or not. I could clearly picture the lush landscape thanks to the beautiful prose.

If you’re looking for a quick read while possibly hiding under a blanket, this will be perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley & Stelliform Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.