I would love to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-book ARC.

This is a DEVASTATING exploration of grief and trauma. I don't know how SGJ keeps writing hit after hit after hit. But I'm not going to complain!

I absolutely adored this book. Even though it is short, it left such a huge impact on me. The writing is incredible from start to finish, and the way Stephen Graham Jones describes the figure the young boy keeps seeing is so haunting. Everything about the way this character looked and acted was described in such a vivid, unsettling way that it stuck with me long after I finished reading.

The grief in this story hit me really hard too. Following a young boy trying to process loss, while also feeling so confused and overwhelmed by everything happening around him, was just incredibly emotional. It felt so real and raw, and the writing captured that confusion and sadness perfectly.

And the scary moments? Absolutely intense. The tension builds in just the right way, and when those frightening scenes hit, they really hit. I could not look away.

This whole book was just written so beautifully. It is one of those stories that sticks with you, and I already know I will be thinking about it for a long time.

“ That's how you talk about dead people, though, especially dead Indians. It's all about squandered potential, not actual accomplishments”.

In this novella, we follow supernatural events that turn into real life, brutal events. The ending gutted me, but I understood.

This is a very haunting and atmospheric tale that I think many readers will interpret differently, and feel a vast range of emotions. This is ownvoices for the Native representations, and this novella stars a young boy, living on a reservation with his family, who is seeing his dead father's ghost. And his father's ghost is very different than the man our main characters remembers.

But this is a story about grief, and loss, and cycles of becoming our parents when sometimes we feel like we would do anything to not become them. This is a story about identity and heritage and how those things can feel so close and so far away at the same time. And this is just an unsettling tale about loss and the things we will do to cope with losing people we love.

This novella was short, but definitely interesting. It’s eerie, emotional, and gave me that unsettling feeling from page one. I read it in one sitting—of course, alone, after midnight… which was not my smartest decision. 😅

The story follows Junior, a 12-year-old who believes he sees the ghost of his father wandering through their home. What unfolds is a haunting exploration of grief, generational trauma, and identity, with a supernatural twist that keeps you wondering what’s real and what’s imagined.

This was my first read by Stephen Graham Jones. While it wasn’t my favorite, I do like his writing style—it’s layered, thought-provoking, and definitely sticks with you. I’m looking forward to reading more of his popular novels to really dive into what he's known for.

The pacing was a little slow in spots, and I wanted a bit more development in some areas, but the atmosphere was on point. If you like horror with depth, this one's worth checking out.

Thanks to TorNightfire Publishing and NetGalley for the eArc.

This felt more like an emotional read about family, Indian culture, losing a family member that meant a lot to you, and just trying to cope with that kind of pain. I believe this was probably written that way to leave it to interpretation by readers. I don’t mind that but prefer straightforward writing about horror and not so much a dark fantasy. This was not really my type of book. I thought it was more emotional than horror.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.

Mapping the Interior was a really unique and haunting read. I liked how it mixed creepy supernatural stuff with real emotions like grief and identity, especially from a Native American perspective, which I haven’t read much about before. The writing was a little hard to follow sometimes because it jumps around a lot, but it also felt very real, like how thoughts actually work in your head. It’s short but powerful, and it left me thinking about it long after I finished.

Junior sees the ghost of his father one night after waking up after sleepwalking. This brings him down a path of trying to find out why and how this is occurring. At the same time he is trying to be a good big brother and son.
This was an interesting haunting short story with a great twist at the end that is unexpected.
If you are a fan of Stephen Graham Jones you should read this, if not still pick this up if you enjoy stories about mysterious haunting and/or more graphic thrillers with twist endings.

For a novella, this packed such a hard punch in the gut. The exploration of family, love and the bonds that twine between each, even after death........truly haunting. I really believe there's nothing in this world that SGJ can write poorly and this is just another example of that.

If you’re looking for a horror story that doesn’t just give you chills, but also breaks your heart a little—Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones is a must-read.

This novella follows a young Native American boy who believes he sees the ghost of his father one night. What starts as a moment of eerie curiosity quickly unfolds into a deeply psychological and emotional journey. The story explores themes of loss, identity, intergenerational trauma, and what it means to grow up carrying the weight of your family's past.

Stephen Graham Jones is a master of atmosphere. His writing is sharp, haunting, and poetic in all the right ways. Despite its short length, Mapping the Interior lingers long after you’ve finished the final page. It's unsettling, raw, and beautiful—everything you could want from literary horror.

I flew through this novella, and finished it, which says I liked it enough and I was sold right away. It is an emotional telling of a boy missing his father, filling in blanks for what was probably not a great man, with his needs for protection and a father figure. That said, the horror elements for me were weak. The connective tissue plot-wise felt rushed and too spare. I'd have loved for it to have been developed more.
Beautiful language on family, and adolescence, and the Indigenous experience. Sometimes confusing as to what was going on. Great voice..
I read this about the book (prior to reading) "The boy tries to map out his house in an effort that puts his little brother in the worst danger, and puts him in the position to save them." However, that was entirely not what this book was, so I was disappointed because my expectations were very different from what was delivered.
I would absolutely read this author again, and have in the past, but would not recommend "Mapping the Interior."

This was my first time reading a book by Stephen Graham Jones, and I was impressed. I don't gravitate to horror as a genre, because I get annoyed at grossness for the sake of grossness, but this book did not do that. There was blood and guts and grossness, but always in the context of the storytelling, and the overall story reminded me of some of Rudolfo Anaya's darker novels. This novel in particular, is focused on a Native American family and appealed to me the way Anaya and Tony HIllerman do. I suspect this novella may be too literary-fictioney for die-hard horror readers, but I enjoyed this one.

A suspenseful narrative about a young boy confronting the hope, dread, fear, and determination that comes with the dead coming back. The voice of this novella was very strong and put you right in the mind of the character.

This was a haunting and emotional story about grief, trauma, and family. Jones really captures a 12 year olds perspective quite perfectly, from how he thinks to literally the way his thoughts jumble together; I could so clearly picture Junior and his motivations. This was my first book I've read by Jones and I can't wait to read more!

Thanks NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this arc!

Mapping the Interior is an eerie little punch of a story that will immerse it's readers and send a shiver down their spines. It delivers the level of fear and strangeness that I've come to expect from Stephen Graham Jones, and hits in all of the ways that a short story must. That being said, this simply isn't my favorite from SGJ, although that musn't be seen as an insult. His writing is just as sharp here as ever, and the story is good, truely. I just found that I didn't connect as deeply with the characters in Mapping The Interior as I would have liked, and while I enjoyed my time reading this, I doubt it will stick with me the way that most of his work does. But with my own connections aside, Mapping The Interior is a ghastly and effective ghost story that is sure to hit the mark with its correct audiences.

In this novella from author Stephen Graham Jones, Junior has a problem: his father has returned, but his father has been dead for quite some time. I really liked the set up, because this young boy longs to know his father, who shows up in full pow-wow regalia. His dad died mysteriously and Junior has grown up with his mother and younger, disabled brother Dino. He sets out to connect with his shadowy returned father, but gets way more than he expects, and the story turns into one of existential horror, a twisted rebirth and tough decisions.

I appreciate that Graham Jones centres Indigenous culture as both a norm and a feature in his books, including this one. And Junior’s longing to see his father, and to connect with him was poignant. Essentially, this is a story about family, protecting them, but also the very strong ties between fathers and sons.

Mapping the Interior was a fairly engaging story, but it didn’t have elements that will keep thinking about it after I closed the last page. It did take a direction that I didn’t expect, but in a good way, and I enjoyed it overall. I think fans of Graham Jones will really appreciate this novella!

I am such a fraidy cat, I mean, I get nervous picking up horror stories these days. I don't know what happened to make me so chicken in my late 30s. Alas. Stephen Graham Jones is an author who has been hyped by so many of my favorite influencers and the book internets. So, picking up Mapping The Interior seemed like a good idea - it is short, so at least the scary stuff won't take up too much of my life AND I will have finally picked up the work of what seems like an amazing Indigenous author. Well, the hype is real. Unfortunately, after closing Mapping The Interior, the creepiness of the story has stuck with me - just shows how strong the writing is.

Mapping The Interior is about an Indian boy called Junie or Junior. He lives with his mother and brother Dino in a modular home that is NOT on the reservation. One night, he swears he sees a fancydancer walk through their home. He is convinced it is his deceased father, as he had all the potential in the world to be a fancydancer but died too soon. Junior looks all over the home but can find no evidence of his father, that is, until he finds one lone bead. Then, he becomes obsessed with seeing his dad again, believing that his dad can help them. But, Dino starts having more and more seizures and just stops progressing intellectually. So, perhaps his dad's visits are sinister in nature. Still, Junior believes his home contains hidden depths.

For a small book, Mapping The Interior packs a punch. I found myself doing that whole body shudder thing in particular when we get what is really happening as well as during some gory scenes. This book is sad and has a few heartbreaking parts. I was really rooting for Junior and his family, but well, they have some not so great luck. I do think if you read this you should check trigger warnings. After getting a taste of Jones' writing, I will be sure to pick up more from Jones. I just have to gather my courage first as wow, can he raise the hair and goosebumps on your arms.

Okay, so I already knew I loved Stephen Graham Jones going into Mapping the Interior, but this book grabbed me by the throat (and the heart) and didn’t let go. It’s short, but powerful novella.

The story follows a kid who starts seeing his dead father walking through their house at night. And yeah, that’s creepy, but Jones makes it so much more than just a ghost story. It’s about grief, family, and the way memory twists reality. The book is wrapped up in this eerie, dreamlike vibe that sticks with you.

What really got me was how sad it was, in the best way. Jones’s writing is sharp and haunting, but also weirdly beautiful? Like, you’re scared, but you also just wanna hug these characters.

If you’re into that dream like horror and emotional family traumas, this is the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful eARC

Mapping the Interior wrecked me in that quiet, creeping way Stephen Graham Jones is so good at. It’s spooky, yes, but also weirdly tender—like a ghost story about grief, identity, and the things we carry from our families. It’s short but hits hard, and I’m still thinking about that ending.

This horror novel is unsettling, creepy, and thought-provoking.

Junior is in 6th grade, and he and his family (mom and younger brother Dino) just moved off the res and out of state. Dino is suffering from seizures, Junior is sleepwalking, and mom is just getting by. One evening Junior sees his father outside ... except his father is dead. So how is he back? And what's he doing here?

This is a book about the legacy our parents leave us, and how we end up becoming them no matter how much we try not to. And if that's not a horror story every single time, it's a horror story enough of the time that it's truly frightening.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.