This collection was unfortunately not for me. The stories were well written- there are passages which stand out for their beautiful imagery- but the style of story was a bit too cerebral and abstract for me to fully enjoy. I found myself appreciating the author’s notes at the end of each story which outlined the inspiration for each piece. Nonetheless, I would recommend this to readers who have experience reading in this genre. ( )

I loved this short story collection so much. I'm a big fan of speculative fiction, so I was excited to read these. The stories were all pretty different but also worked together really well as a collection. The writing was beautiful, and even though many of them were very abstract concepts, the characters still came to life in a way that made the stories feel very rooted in reality. It was a great collection and definitely worth the read.

Magical, Metaphorical Stories Touch the Heart
Book review by Erin Michaela Sweeney

Whenever a person volunteers time and energy to independent publishing, it's a good thing. B. Morris Allen puts together annual anthologies and a literary magazine, both under the umbrella of speculative fiction. With his imprint Plant Based Press, Allen shares sixteen stories he's written.

Here's a puzzling quirk of Chambers of the Heart: Why does the author give explanations on the origins/inspirations after each story? Unless he’s trying to use them as a writing teacher, I'm not sure stories need explanation.

The third story, "Blush," grabbed me. At first I thought of the “Twilight Zone” episode with the reversal of beautiful and ugly norms. The legally required masking — except in segregated places such as Wrinkletown — is clever.

One of my favorite stories, called "Minstrel Boy Howling at the Moon," was originally published in The Magazine of Fiction and Science Fiction. It's the first story in the collection that seems finalized. A quick tip: It’s always a good idea to read aloud one’s writing to catch missing words, which I noticed in all but this story. "Minstrel Boy" is from twenty-something Rafe’s point of view. Sometimes interior monologue and sometimes chatting with coworker Matt, Rafe observes life in La Fave, Oklahoma. The story is a magical slice of life.

"Adaptations to Coastal Erosion," near the end of the book, stands out. I love this story! Nora and Elsie together for 50 years with Nora going through a transformation... I don't want to give anything away. Be sure not to skip this metaphorical tale.

I look forward to more speculative fiction by Allen the writer and from Allen the editor.

*I received a free ebook of Chambers of the Heart as a LibraryThing Early Reviewer member in exchange for an unbiased review. (This review also appears on GoodReads and Amazon). ( )

A very good anthology of speculative fiction. I really liked it, even the more horrific stories, and I don't actually like horror much. I think my favourite was the title story, Chambers of the Heart - very Gaimanesque! Recommended.

Review in progress