Stephen Graham Jones never ever disappoints!
A unique horror novella.
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones has been previously published but if you haven’t read this one yet… you really need to.
Stephen Graham Jones has such a distinctive writing style. He's such a cinematic writer. His books always play like a movie through my brain while I’m reading them and this was no exception.

Wow this Novella sure packs a punch. I just finished it with tears in my eyes and a ache in my chest. This book explores generational trauma, grief and indigenous culture in a way that’s sure to grip you from the start. It's not exactly scary but definitely has some paranormal elements. Stephen Graham Jones is an amazing story teller, if you're a fan of his writing be sure to check this one out.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC copy in exchange for my review.

Thank you so much Stephen Graham Jones and net galley for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review! I like this novella 3.75

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Stephen Graham Jones has had, in my opinion, a few misses here and there. But when he gets it right, he GETS IT RIGHT.

"Mapping the Interior" is one of the latter.

It hooked me from the very first line: "I was twelve the first time I saw my dead father cross from the kitchen doorway to the hall that led back to the utility room."

With an opening line like that, you know the story is going to dive right into the action and just keep going. And so it did.

The story itself was haunting and definitely one to tug on the heartstrings. It centers around the MC, a young Native boy, living off the reservation with his mother and younger brother who is intellectually challenged. He begins to see the ghost of his father and thinks he needs to behave like "the man of the house" to ensure the ghost that he's doing everything he can for his family in his father's absence.

At first, he thinks the ghost is coming back to help whatever is wrong with his brother's mind. But he quickly discovers that the ghost may be there for much darker and more nefarious reasons.

The tone is dark and unsettling, and the plot explores themes of loss and grief but also the struggles of Native life and identity and how hard it is to break the cycle of addiction and neglect, even when you want to -- you really freaking want to.

Honestly, the tale is pretty heartbreaking -- not for the faint of heart or the Hollywood happy ending crowd. As better people than me have put it time and time again, "There are no winners here."

Even so, it's an excellent ride.

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones (2017) hits shelves with a beautiful new cover today! A winner of the Bram Stoker Award, this novella explores themes of cultural identity, and it's loss. It also asks what you would do or what you would sacrifice to protect those you love. this one is quick, and it's a must read.

Thanks to @Tor Publishing Group for the ARC!

Grief horror at its finest! Stephen Graham Jones doesn’t not disappoint with this emotional and eerie story about a boy who thinks he sees his father’s ghost.

This story was visceral with its imagery. The reader is tagging along a creepy haunted home story as a young boy is trying to navigate the spirit of his father. The indigenous references are pure and genuine making the details unique and one to remember.

2.5 stars

Mapping The Interior by Stephen Graham Jones is a horror novella about a 12 year old boy who wants his dead father back. 

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Tor Publishing, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 

My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Twelve year old Junior and his younger brother Dino have moved from the Reservation to a modular home  with their mom. Their dad died 8 years ago.  Junior barely remembers him, but he is sure he just saw him cross the floor of their home and head to the utility room. 

Now this was in the middle of the night, so Junior is determined to make this happen again.  He wants his dad back.  When he maps out the house, he discovers some unexpected  problems.

 

My Opinions:
This is the rather heart-breaking story of a twelve-year old boy still trying to process the death of his father.  His struggle to bring him back to life, to remember him, but also his anger that he and his younger brother have been left behind.  The book shows the love he has for his special needs brother, and for his loving mother, who took them from the reservation in hope of a better life.  The story eventually moves to the death of his son.

But, it also shows his anger in a very graphic and violent manner.  I'm not a fan of animal abuse, so the story lost a point for that alone.  Be warned.

I also occasionally felt confusion as the story went on, as in "is this real or is this the kids imagination?"  LOL, I like to fully understand what I read, so I sometimes went back over the text.  This didn't always help.    There seems to be a more metaphorical book than I am used to, or like.

The story looks at some Native American traditions and superstitions, which I found very interesting.

Overall, this was a rather creepy, rather sad, coming-of-age story. It was not horror, and the blurb did not really hit the mark.  It wasn't really for me.

Rating: 2.5 stars rounded up

"I was twelve the first time I saw my dead father cross from the kitchen doorway to the hall that led back to the utility room."

Mapping the Interior is an indigenous horror that follows a boy who believes he's seen his deceased father while sleepwalking.

I loved the premise, but I think this one just went over my head. The ending left me staring into the abyss with questions circling my brain.

Mapping the Interior is a haunting, beautifully written novella that blends horror, grief, and coming-of-age themes in a deeply emotional way. Stephen Graham Jones creates an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere as we follow twelve-year-old Junior on a chilling journey through memory, loss, and the supernatural.

The story is layered and thought-provoking, with horror that is both literal and emotional. Jones’s writing style is sharp and vivid, making you feel every bit of Junior’s fear and desperation. While the pacing was a little uneven at times, and I wished for a bit more depth in certain moments, overall, it’s a powerful and memorable read.

If you like horror stories with emotional weight and a unique voice, Mapping the Interior is absolutely worth your time. Creepy, heartbreaking, and beautifully unsettling.

Mapping the Interior is a short but powerful novella that proves Stephen Graham Jones can do more with 100 pages than most authors can with 400. It's a story that drifts between the supernatural and the achingly human, following a young boy who begins to glimpse the ghost of his father—and in doing so, maps not only the mystery of his family's past but the fragile terrain of his own identity.

Jones writes with raw emotional honesty, blending horror with a deep, aching sadness. The prose is sharp and dreamlike, pulling you into the narrator’s mind where childhood innocence and growing dread collide. It's not a traditional horror story full of jump scares—it's something quieter and far more unsettling: the realization that some hauntings come from within.

The pacing at times felt a little uneven, and there were moments when the narrative felt intentionally disorienting, which might not be for everyone. Still, the heart of the story is beautifully rendered, and the ending left me thinking about the cost of survival and the legacy of grief long after I closed the book.

Mapping the Interior is an intimate, chilling journey into memory, loss, and the invisible maps we carry within us. Highly recommended for readers who appreciate horror that doesn’t just frighten—but wounds and heals at the same time.

SGJ makes me feel dumb every time I read his work, but I know his writing is objectively good. This one held my attention enough to read it in a couple sittings, and it's definitely a different take on a haunted house/ghost story, which I can appreciate.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This was a reread, as I read the previous version that was published, although I was pretty fuzzy on the details going in. While Stephen Graham Jones’ lyrical writing is very hit-or-miss, I do love what it does here, especially in conveying its young character’s voice that rings true. It’s atmospheric and subtly creepy, while conveying the Native American traditions around the supernatural in an intriguing way.

Mapping the Interior is a haunting, deeply layered novella that grabbed me with its eerie atmosphere and emotional depth. Following a teenage boy who glimpses the ghost of his long-deceased father, this story feels part horror, part coming-of-age, and part exploration of identity, memory, and loss. Stephen Graham Jones masterfully blurs the line between reality and dream, grief and longing, in a way that feels both unsettling and heartbreakingly real.

At times, I felt a little lost in the metaphor and symbolism, but honestly, I think that’s part of the magic here—the story isn’t about easy answers. The writing style, with its clipped, authentic voice, perfectly captured Junior’s perspective and made the slow-burn horror even more personal. It’s not the kind of horror that’s jump-scare terrifying, but it sticks with you, especially when the quiet dread builds to a gut-punch ending that left me thinking about it long after I finished.

Mapping the Interior is one of those stories that feels simple at first glance but reveals more layers the longer you sit with it. It’s dark, emotional, and deeply thoughtful—a small but powerful book I won’t forget anytime soon.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire, and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an my honest review.

Mapping the Interior is a beautiful, haunting, tragic vignette of family trauma. The prose is gorgeous, the story is tight. But would I call it a horror story? No. To me, this is literary fiction with some spooky elements. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't what I was expecting, or what was marketed.
When I read the blurb of Mapping the Interior, my little House of Leaves-obsessed self got so excited for what very much sounded like a new take on that premise - a house that's shifting, that's alive somehow, that moves and grows into something unknowable and sinister. But the house only tangentially factors into the narrative. And while there is some spook to the story, I'd call it more melancholic than scary.

I would still absolutely recommend Mapping the Interior to anyone interested in stories of family trauma and in moody, atmospheric fiction with a dark twist. But I think its marketing needs to be tweaked, because as it stands, it's pretty misrepresentative.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for my e-ARC! Mapping the Interior is set for publication on April 29, 2025.

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones is a gripping horror novella that now lives in my head rent free. Following 12 year old Junior, the story dives deep into his grief as he believes he’s seen the ghost of his long dead father. Desperate to bring him back, Junior investigates every corner of his small house, convinced his father has returned to help heal his sick younger brother. What unfolds is a series of shocking events that pull you into the mind of a boy who’s still gripping with the loss of a parent and, maybe as a consequence, is fiercely protective and willing to do almost anything for his brother. Jones masterfully captures Junior’s perspective. He is old enough to hold clear memories of his father, yet young enough to believe in the extraordinary, which makes the story both horrifying and oddly tender.
Despite its short length, this novella packs a major punch. The tension builds relentlessly as Junior’s investigation spirals, blending raw emotion with unsettling horror in a way that had me in its grips from the first page. It’s a story I haven’t stopped thinking about since finishing. Jones’ ability to weave cultural identity with psychological depth makes this a top read for the month and it’s solidified him as a must-read author for me. If you enjoy character driven horror that lingers long after you’ve read the last page, I can’t recommend this enough. Thank you Tor Publishing Group for the eARC of this rerelease. It was incredible.

It has taken me way too long to finally read a book by SGJ. There’s no turning back now!

Poor Junior is only 12 years old and has had to grow up fast. Familial trauma, loss of his father years ago and a little brother that’s just a little different from “normal” kids. Junior is navigating his grief journey and it turns into a sad and grueling process.

This is an atmospheric read and what I enjoy about that is that the real art of SGJ’s writing is so clear on the pages. He has the ability put me in the story and feel the pain, sadness and curiosity that Junior is experiencing. There are messages within the pages that can be interpreted in different ways. Not to mention, there are some truly creepy parts. SGJ has a unique take on his horror stories and I am left wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a chance to read this digital ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m really hit or miss with Stephen Graham Jones. Some of his stuff I adore, some I could care less about. I feel like Mapping the Interior walks the line between the two. I enjoyed the read, I loved the imagery and the deeper foundational horror that underlies his superficial gore horror. If this book had been any longer I think it would have pushed into the “don’t care for” category. As a shorter story it’s perfect. Any longer and it would have felt flat. As it is though it’s definitely worth the quick read.

I found this book to be interesting, there were definitely times when I found myself getting confused and having to take a second before continuing. I enjoyed the supernatural elements to the story and the haunting feeling you get as you read more. The protectiveness he feels towards his younger brother and the aspects of generational trauma add so much to our perception of his feelings toward his dad and his state of mind. Overall, the story was pretty interesting and unique. Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for our honest review.

Junior (12) lives on the Rez with his mom and younger brother. He’s a good brother who protects sweet Dino from bullies on the bus. He takes on a lot of responsibility for Dino’s care, especially since their dad has been dead for years. As Junior wakes from a sleepwalk, he sees a spirit that looks like a fancy dancer and appears to be his dad. As the spirit continues to make nightly appearances, Dino begins having seizures and his cognitive abilities decline, leaving Junior feeling that he must protect his family at all costs.

This coming of age novella captures the terrifying year that 12 can be, on the edge of childhood. Reality of life has been hard on Junior and his family, and the supernatural terrors that interact with him add to the horrors of generational trauma. The symbolism Stephen Graham Jones elicits in its title Mapping the Interior makes me think of the spectral walls of the memory of childhood, tethered to time and space by a fraying rope. Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this ARC.