My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories

by Mark Newman

A housing estate is in shock following a child’s disappearance. A girl and her invisible friend go their separate ways. A father and a son bond over Post-It notes. A single father and his daughter have different approaches to the disappearance of their dog. A father finds his way to coax his agoraphobic son back out into the world.

My Fence is Electric and Other Stories is a collection of award-winning short stories looking at those moments in life that fizz with the electric intensity of change.

Genres: Short Stories

162 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2020

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR. This profile might contain books by multiple authors with this name.

Reviews

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprising and haunting

As you well know, I read mostly romance, but I was intrigued by the title and the cover of this book.

My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman is a collection of short stories that kept me at the edge of my seat afraid to turn the page.

Most stories start calm and serene until events begin to take an unexpected turn. Some characters are very relatable, some situations recognizable, so it is quite a shock when the truth is revealed.

It was an uncomfortable but exciting read. I liked how the flaws of the characters were highlighted, how their weaknesses led them to extremes.

The author plays with the reader’s mind. His characters are not clearly divided into good and evil, all borders are blurred.

My Fence is Electric is a well-written and intriguing read that will haunt your mind way after you are finished.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Hollie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories is a wonderful anthology full of stories of varying lengths, each of which offering something unique and moving in their own way. All of the stories are united by the theme of change, and there is a really nice flow between them; it is also a relatively short book, so it was really easy to pick up, read, and then come back to. All in all, a fantastic read, particularly as this is not the sort of thing I usually read!

Many thanks to Odyssey Books. :)

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Fence is Electric is a well-written, captivating anthology that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author uses language beautifully and each story feels connected in its own way. I don't usually read anthologies as I prefer long-form works, but I loved reading this book. Each story packed its own punch, somehow managing to bring me into each world in only a few short sentences—so much so that I couldn't put it down. My favourite was the first story, which I've found myself thinking of a few times after I read it.

Perfect for a lockdown read to help you remember what *life* feels like in a poetic way.

Thank you to Odyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[⎊Annie⎊ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again thank you so much to Oddyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review!

My first thought about this book was that the cover is, so simple, yet so stunning. In My Fence is Electric we found several stories fro varying lenght, but most of these share one thin in common and that's that all of them will reach your feelings in one way or another. The ordinariness of many of these stories' setups makes it easier for the reader to see themselves in them and share the characters' approaches to whatever situation they are encountered with, as they are all normal people living normal and maybe even uneventul lives; all of the shown as shades of gray and not totally whites or totally blacks, everything is well blended.

In the other hand, some of them take such twists that will keep the reader biting their fingernails for the many ways stuff can go down, playing with our most basic instincts.

Overall it's a well written book with stories to read when one is looking for something short, as it is as well an overall short book. Highly recommended!

[Sarah Tollok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of these stories held something unexpected. In so many different ways and utilizing vastly different images and emotional palates, they each cut to the heart of what it means to be human. And even those stories that were on the darker or starker side with tone and language, they each still held some flicker of hopefulness for, if not happiness, then at the very least peaceful contentment.

Standouts for me were Smoke Signals, White Noise, and This Bird She Calls Fear. Naming the fear in one's chest as being a bird is something that spoke to me and that I feel I will revisit again and again.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Library Thing for a review copy. This is a 3.5 or 3.75 on the enjoyment, and a 4 on the quality. The lower rating for enjoyment is that they just aren't happy or fun. At all. But they are quite well crafted. I was fairly well astonished that a story of less than a page could pack such a punch, I really had no idea. There are plenty of stories of typical lengths, with the short shorts interspersed. It was of a good length overall to be satisfying. Some collections of short stories can be over too quickly.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine collections of stories, varying in subject and length with each one more special than the last!

We all know the feeling when something which seems trivial to others becomes the be-all and end-all to us; could you put those moments down in words? I don’t think I could, but Mark Newman has done just that. Bringing every emotion to the fore, this is an incredible anthology which will had me glued to the page from the very first.

It’s no surprise that this is an award-winning author; these are tales of the highest calibre and the writer hasn’t shied away from the harder subjects. I imagine that every reader will find at least two books which touch their sensibilities – I know I did. A cracking anthology, cleverly written by an author who pays attention to the world around him and, in my opinion, easily worth all five sparkling stars.

[Sarah Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here's what's cool about this...a bunch of short stories by Mark Newman that have won awards in one book. I would love some of these to be full on novels! His writing and characters are detailed but not overwhelming or boring at all. You feel like the characters are very real and at times frightening. Very talented author, each story kept me totally engaged! His writing gave me Mark Brandi vibes, and I love his books! Well done, great read!

This book was sent to me by Odyssey Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca Bowyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, quiet writing, original stories and quirky characters that stay with you.

[Clare Rhoden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often give 5 stars to anthologies, because a variation in quality seems inevitable. Not in this case: from tiny flash pieces to longer considerations, Newman skewers the human heart and captures its core in tiny moments, single words, the blink of an eye.

Open the book at any page - read a few lines - and it becomes very clear why Newman's stories win awards. It's rare to find such a penetrating gaze allied to such pure, impressive prose. In concert, Newman's vision and his writing create a unique and addictive harmony. Read one of these stories, and you will read them all.

[Margaret Adelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always like adding short story collections to my review list to mix things up. So when the publisher offered me a review copy, I was glad to accept!

I admit the read felt much more depressing than I expected. It falls into the common literary trope of being highly negative and passing it off as realism. Nearly every story featuring a married couple has them fighting, lying to each other, cheating on each other, or otherwise falling out of love with their partner. Only one marriage story ends on an uplifting note and that is only at the very end (though I did enjoy it). There were some pieces that had more uplifting content, but they were so few and far in between that they almost always came as surprises.

There are a lot of poetry and magical realism pieces in the book. The flash fiction stories were my favorite, as they were the most concise and had something clear to say. The ones that went on longer could occasionally get a bit confusing or reach a bit too far for the symbolism. The author is at his peak when the fiction is shorter.

In general, whether or not you enjoy this collection will likely be a reflection on your tastes. The work is mostly literary with some moments of fabulism. It might not be to everyone's tastes, but if those are genres you enjoy you'll likely enjoy the collection.

[Nicola Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow as soon as I read the first story I was hooked. The mystery the murder the time frame before and in the future and then the unexpected turn of events of who the murderer was. Although I didn’t quite understand the second story it didn’t stop me from reading the third.

Every story was something different and especially in size. Every angle of writing was different and unique. Every single character was new and addictive. You had to idea what season of the year it was going to be. Everything was just incredible. The detail of every sentence was simply beautiful.

Obviously it’s not the type of read to share these short stories with children. But they’re perfect enough if you don’t want to get sucked in to a massive book you can get sucked into a few pages instead. Every short story leaves you with that feeling when you finish a massive read. A hole in your stomach and your heart breaking that you’ve finished it so soon.

They touch on elements of family, diagnosed conditions, friendships, secrets, truths and so much more. So glad I got the chance to read twenty seven incredible short stories. I think my favourite was Rosa and Thirkel but I’m not too sure. Each story got me thinking behind the meaning of every word and I found myself lost for a while after every read.

[Sarah Tinsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read an interesting interview with the writer about his collection here: https://www.sarahtinsley.com/post/man...

I don't think I've read a collection so varied before. From young children to the elderly, we see the world through an enormous range of perspectives. Each one is handled delicately, with nuance and detail.

The stories vary in length, with many of them flash fiction. It was great to dip in and out of the collection, having a brief, emotional connection with a story and a character in the spaces of my day.

[Lynelle Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

My fence is electric is a collection of short stories. What drew me to the book was the name and why the author chose it. The writing itself has a pleasant flow to it and is simplistic in delivery with a certain edge as an undertone.
The reason for the three stars:
I normally love short stories but I found some stories in this book without meaning or clarity. It felt like the author bundled a certain number of words together, and once I completed it, wonder what I read.

[Moraye Potgieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an emotional book of short stories that deal with loss. Loss of innocence and life, each story explores these in various different ways.

This was a quick read that you can to relate too, especially if you have experience with loss.

[Tilly (The Biblioshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories are an art of their own. To do it well is some achievement, but to do it so well that it becomes powerful enough to leap off the page into your bookish heart is something else entirely… It’s safe to say that Mark Newman is a master of the short story art form.

My Fence Is Electric: and Other Stories is an anthology full of award-winning stories that deal with a lot of the macabre sentimentalities of everyday human existence. Dysfunctional families are actually quite normal nowadays; we don’t always know what goes on behind closed doors; many of us have parts of ourselves that we’d rather change or adapt. In places, Newman writes parables of bygone childhoods for reminiscent adults – others form as eerie ghost stories of the living - literary brilliance right up my street!

Many big themes (love, hope, freedom, conservation, illness, tragedy and change) are represented in these stories and Newman has such a wonderful way with words and descriptions; it really appealed to the inner logophile within me. 

I read My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories during the coronavirus lockdown and it strikes me as the perfect ‘stay-at-home’ book to remind you of ‘real people’ during this time when we can’t see our friends and families as we usually would. It’s a reminder that we are all unique, we all have little worlds inside our own heads, yet we are all out here on planet earth trying to survive through this together whilst being socially distanced and apart. In my own little way, the stories reminded me slightly of a bookish version of my favourite Florence + the Machine songs, probably another reason why I thoroughly enjoyed it. This collection really does have something for everyone, you can dip in and out of the stories at any time or read them through in their published entirety.

When I think of the greats of the short story genre, I often think of the renowned anthologies: Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love; Katherine Mansfield’s The Garden Party and Other Stories; Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber – I will now definitely be adding Mark Newman’s My Fence Is Electric: and Other Stories onto that list as well - it deserves its place there.

Even if you don’t normally read short stories, there is bound to be something for you in this collection – I would wholeheartedly recommend you read it!
Thanks to Odyssey Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really lovely set of stories -- varieties of lengths that make it easy to get into the flow of things. Personally I like the stories that are a little longer that are from a child's point of view most. The writing style is pretty and descriptive and there's enough diversity of tone and topic here that if there are any stories that don't specifically resonate with you that much, the next one probably will. A good collection!

[Kasturi Goswami · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent short story gives an elegant opening to an end that feels natural even with a twist. This anthology has managed to achieve it to a great extent. The smooth parade of words keeps the readers besieged. The book addresses several mundane aspects of habitual human life, but the pleasantry exchange through writing style keeps you rooted to your seats. The very first story of the anthology creates an air of expectation for the upcoming latter ones. The author has magnificently displayed his quality of eased storytelling.

Though it's a collection, the tonality and flavor created felt at pace and connected. In short, My Fence Is Electric is an intriguing anthology of tales that makes the reader live through the eyes of the writer. Each story unfurls in its own unique mode by setting the scene, and they demand fervor and attention. Hence, it isn't meant for a light read. You need to be prepared to dictate your attention to follow the storyline. My top recommendations from the collection are:
Before There Were Houses, This Was All Fields, This Bird She Calls Fear, Swedish Marbles, Sunflower Seeds and Smoke Signals.

I rate it at a 4/5 for it definitely had a handful of stories I would revisit for future reads. Do give this book a try if a good short story is your thing.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Odyssey Books in exchange for an honest review.