4/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this early!

The author’s taste in writing style was described somewhere as “swampcore” and I really felt that in this novella. Tiffany Morris handles so many trends of life through this book in the dichotomy between the art pieces in the beginning of each chapter and the writing itself. From the weird ups and downs of grief to the spookiness of the getaway, Tiffany Morris pulls the reader into this twisted horror as we follow Rita’s art journey through the reviews at the start of every chapter and follow her reality of this trip in this around 100 page novella.

I read an eARC of Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris. Thank you, NetGalley and Stelliform Press.

This is a short horror book, about 80 pages, about an artist who goes on a retreat and creates a series of paintings that her partner got her a grant to create. That’s right, her partner sent in for a grant. That means the woman forged her partner's name and created a name for the pieces she’d be creating to show.

The painter is not amused, and she goes to a cabin in the woods back where her people were from.

The chapters are set up by telling us the name of one of the paintings, describing the painting, and then the chapter dives into what our painter was doing during this time while she was creating. Often a lot of the chapters are a deep dive into a creatives mindset. This is a woman whose relationship is falling apart due to her and her partner looking for different things in life. The painter's father recently died after a painful illness. So, the horror around her is sometimes questionable as it could be her mindset that is creating these things she sees in her mind.

It's a fascinating little story, with an ending that makes sense to the themes, but is also set up in a way that I hated.

So overall, I did like the book, but I have to say that I hated the ending so much that it dragged the rest of the story down with it.

The cover is what drew me in and I’m so glad I got a chance to read this. It had a great concept overall in the horror genre, the characters had a strong feel to it. I’m glad I got a chance to read this and enjoyed the way Tiffany Morris wrote this.

Thanks to Net Galley and Stelliform Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 Stars

Rita is struggling with grief after the death of her father and takes on an artist’s residency in an isolated cabin. Once at the cabin, Rita begins to hear strange noises in the nearby woods. She asks locals about the area, but they act strange and are playing everything close to the chest. Rita begins to use the eerie woods and surrounding area and channels it into her art, completing works that are uncanny and mysterious.

This novella is beautifully written and explores the theme of grief in relation to the loss of a parent and loss of nature due to climate change. I loved the journey Rita takes through her grief and her art and how well Tiffany Morris writers what it feels like to be grieving.

The horror in this is not your average jump scare and bump in the night type of horror (although that does occur in the book), but rather more an exploration of the horrors of real life.

I recommend this book for fans of Gus Moreno’s This Thing Between Us, Mary by Nat Cassidy, and anything by Ian Reid.

Landscape paintor Rita Francis goes on a solitary art retreat in an isolated swamp after getting a grant to explore her new art project, “The Devouring” (never mind that her girlfriend Molly was actually the instigator of said grant application and collection title without asking for Rita’s permission. Probably well intentioned, but oh so rude). While trying to put this time to good use and get back to creating art that is meaningful to her, the narrator explores death, grief, identity, heritage, climate anxiety, and her fading sense of reality.
Each chapter starts with a painting description written by the gallery that recovered Francis’ paintings after her mysterious disappearance. The fact that the artist uses real materials in her paintings helps tie each painting to the narration from the artist’s point of view in the following chapter. Each work of art brings us back to an experience of the artist in the swamp. Are all of them real? Hard to say. But what is reality anyway.


I really had a great time reading *Green Fuse Burning*. I started reading it once, immediately felt I wasn’t in the right mindset, gave myself a few days and then couldn’t put it down when I started it again the second time!

It is a raw, haunting read that explores so much. When I say it is dense, I do mean it in the best way possible. It is just so full of emotions and hauntingly beautiful depictions of an uncanny and almost surreal part of nature, with such a poetic prose, I think it is one of those texts best experienced in one sitting.

Some readers might wanna be careful when picking this up, as there are depictions of mental struggles, suicide ideation, a fading sense of reality, and some pretty gorey stuff (thanks for the warning at the beginning of the book, by the way!). And if the main character’s struggles with grief and mental health can feel a little too much to read sometimes, it is only because it is SO well written. I felt all the feelings, related a little too much, but also found the sense of comfort that you get when you know someone understands a little bit of your struggles, of those times when you start doubting yourself and your own consciousness of your surroundings.

A huge part of the novella is devoted to dealing with the grief of a loved one, a parent, but also of an estranged community. Rita is from Mi’kmaw origins, though she did not grow up on a reservation with her father and his family. She then has to deal with grieving her link to a community she never really felt a part of, of which she doesn’t speak the language and doesn’t know the customs. And of course, how do you go back to creating when you’re still grieving, when the sole act of living is a challenge in itself?


*Green Fuse Burning* is a masterfully crafted novella, a gorgeous depiction of swamp horror and uncanny creatures lurking in the shadows, an unsettling account of grief and art and heartbreak and ecological nightmare and anxiety all tangled up, with a slightly more hopeful conclusion than I was expecting.

I was already a big fan of Stelliform Press before reading *Green Fuse Burning*, which confirmed my appreciation of their editorial choices, and I’ll make sure to check out Tiffany Morris’ other works as well, as I was completely enthralled by her prose. I highly recommend it to anyone who feels comfortable being punched in the face with feelings.

As usual, here is a quote that resonated with me. It might not be the most poetic or impressive, but I guarantee, those who understand it will feel it in their soul : “Life was like a language I couldn’t speak […] I’m empty but heavy.”

This book was good. Very thrilling aspects snd a good touch into the horror of things. I absolutely loved the cover but the writing was a little too YA for me. Good descriptions d as bd atmosphere did kett at p me going though. Give it a try!

I haven't really read horror before, but this book got me interested. Tiffany Morris tells the story of Rita Francis, who is part of the indigenous Mi'kmaw people. It happens in Nova Scotia, a big part of Rita's land and her heritage. The way the swamp is described is like a dream which felt surreal. This book utilized body horror in a good way to illustrates grief, loneliness and healing, and explores the philosophy between life and death. With ardent prose, this spooky novella really made an impact and left you with a lot to think about, such as the dangers of escaping reality, the loss of connection to one’s culture and the horrors of climate change.

An atmospheric, haunting story of grief in all its forms. The writing was really beautiful, I found many a passages that I highlighted because they spoke to me. The author paints such a vivid picture of the story of the main character-pun not intended- that I felt like I was there in the cabin and its surroundings myself.

I also really loved that each chapter started out with a depiction of each of the main character’s paintings that she made while she stayed there. It added to the eeriness of the story.

Highly recommended.

This was a really great read about climate change, environmentalism and grief. It was a quick read but packed with depth and poignancy. It was tough to read at points because of how raw the emotion was. Extremely relevant and timely.

TW: Suicidal ideation

Told through a series of art pieces, "Green Fuse Burning" follows Rita as she fuses art with nature in an attempt to come to terms with her grief.

This short story is hard to categorize. It's a mix of art, nature, and horror as well as an expose on the deep wells grief can cause. Rita is a complicated protagonist. She is an outsider in her family, her relationship, and the world at large. Through flashbacks as well as present day, Rita's complicated existence is laid bare for all. I enjoyed the novella, but at times it was a little hard to follow. I'm still not quite sure what exactly was real versus hallucinations. I also was looking for more scary horror than metaphorical horror. Overall, this is an enjoyable short read for those that enjoy the intersection of art and nature horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stelliform Press for this ARC. All views expressed are my own, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

After the death of her estranged father, artist Rita struggles with grief and regret. There was so much she wanted to ask him-about his childhood, their family, and the Mi'kmaq language and culture from which Rita feels disconnected.

This wasn't what I expected but in a good way. Very interesting.

Tiffany Morris is a Mi’kmaw/settler writer of speculative fiction and poetry from Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Nova Scotia. Her work has appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, and Apex Magazine, among others. She has an MA in English with a focus on Indigenous Futurisms. She is a member of the Speculative Fiction Poetry Association and the Horror Writers Association, and her work has been nominated for Elgin, Rhysling, and Aurora Awards. Her newest book is Green Fuse Burning, a hybrid work that is one-part art catalog, one-part narrative layered with images of dark ecological fantasy and indigenous and queer identity packaged as a novella.
Green Fuse Burning is set up as an art catalog. Six paintings have been recovered from the home of artist Rita Francis after her mysterious disappearance. The catalog presents these paintings, detailing the natural and ecological medium used as well as describing and analyzing the imagery. Each chapter of the book is a painting, as well as the story of Rita herself. Interweaving the descriptions of the art, which come across as very academic and obfuscated, with the close narrative of the artist creates an odd juxtaposition that is uneasy for the reader, aiding the overall tone of the book.
Furthermore, Morris’s skill as a writer cannot be ignored. Morris is an award nominated poet, and her prose leans heavily into those skills. Sentences like “The pond was thick with green upon green: moss, trees, ferns jutting up against each other, wet, primal. The bark of the trees, none of which Rita could identify, shivered black in the soft rain,” are poetic; Morris is leaning into gilded prose to create an atmosphere that is both lush and verdant as well as dark and eerie. Tapping into poetic imagery in the narrative part of the story only further enhances the difference between the more academic descriptions of the art pieces.
Green Fuse Burning is one of those tales readers will have to read and reread to fully absorb. It is a tightly written story, only 77 pages, in a hybrid format that enhances the overall narrative. The hauntingly mythic elements of this story, especially those of indigenous folklore and ecological consciousness, really advance this beyond a typical horror novella. Beyond that, Morris continues to demonstrate her unique skills with language and hybridity, creating yet another minor masterpiece for readers to enjoy. This book is strongly recommended for anyone looking for a layered narrative of dark fantasy, ecological awareness, queer and indigenous politics, in an inventive hybrid form that serves to propel the narrative.

CW: Death (including death of a parent and animal death), description of an open-casket funeral (from a memory), mention of the embalming process, trauma flashbacks, medical trauma, suicidal ideation, fire/fire injury (depicted in art), body horror.

Green Fuse Burning follows Rita Francis, a butch lesbian Mi'kmaw landscape painter, as she embarks on an artist residency at a cabin in her family’s hometown— orchestrated entirely by her girlfriend Molly in an attempt to reignite Rita’s artistic passion following her father’s traumatic passing. Chapters begin with vivid descriptions of the six abstract, mixed-media paintings Rita creates during this residency, before detailing the emotions and experiences that inspired the creation of each painting.

Green Fuse Burning is rich and atmospheric, using transportive prose that borders on poetic to illustrate the lushness and verdancy of the Nova Scotia wetlands. The segments of the novella focused on nature are incredibly well-written, and although the ecological horror elements were ultimately far more sparse than I had expected, they were impactful and thoroughly enjoyable.

After reading Green Fuse Burning, I really look forward to reading author Tiffany Morris’s contribution to the upcoming Indigenous horror anthology, Never Whistle At Night!

This had all the elements of something I would love—weird, queer, strong sense of setting, artist main character—but overall it fell a bit flat. I like poetic prose, but this often felt overwritten even for me (“She felt eternity’s bruise on her soul,” “What she wanted was the dark beckoning, whispering the sweet silence of flesh that became and unbecame”).

Things I liked: the lush setting, sinister fungi, the complicated relationship Rita has with her Mi’kmaw heritage and family. I also found the portrayal of Rita’s depression to be moving, compelling, and relatable. Structuring the book around the paintings was an interesting concept, though it was kind of gimmicky until the last painting.

I did not enjoy reading about the dysfunctional romantic relationship. I actually love books about toxic relationships, but this one isn’t dysfunctional in an interesting way, just in an exasperating way. The book knows it’s a dysfunctional relationship, it’s not trying to convince us that it’s a good relationship, but still, I just wanted them to break up already.

It took me a bit to get into this novella but when I did, I enjoyed it. Rita is gifted an art residency by her girlfriend Molly. Rita decides to work on The Devouring, her project, in a secluded cabin in the woods. After hearing strange sounds and an unfriendly encounter with some townspeople, things begin to get weird and may be somehow connected to the pond. What is Rita actually experiencing and what is in her head?

Each chapter starts with a brief summary of a painting Rita drew during her residency. I thought this was a cool idea. The vivid descriptions of the paintings brought me more into the woodsy atmosphere. The book also includes many flashbacks from Rita’s own life such as losing her father. The effects of climate change are prevalent throughout the book and make the writing seem even more dire. While reading I could feel Rita’s sense of dread and loneliness.

Did I like this book? I don't know.
Did I enjoy this book? I don't know! But I'm not sure if this is a book you are supposed to enjoy. It's not an easy read. It's not a pleasure read. It's brutal-- the way nature is-- unforgiving and uncomfortable.
It read like a hyperrealistic dream and gave me the same feelings I had while in the throes of intense, untreated anxiety.
Green Fuse burning is not at all what I expected. I want to pick it up again and reread it, see if I can make some more sense out of it. For being so short, it's given me so much to think about. It's something I will have to pick up again, and then tear it apart.

4 stars

Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris is the story of Rita’s time at her artist residency in her father’s hometown. It is a story of grief, feeling isolated from one’s culture, and self-acceptance. The emotions that Rita feels are palpable, which goes to show how vivid of a story Morris is able to weave. I really enjoyed how each chapter was connected to a description of one of Rita’s paintings, as well as the non-linear narrative.

My only note: the prose is very beautiful, though sometimes it does seem to get lost in flowery language.

Overall, this is a book that definitely stays with you. It’s short, but I think that it would best be read slowly so as to savor it. I would also keep in mind that this is very much an introspective horror, and it is more character-driven instead of being focused on plot. If you are looking for a beautifully haunting book that has a lasting impact, then this is for you.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Stelliform Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Definitely a book for a niche audience, but I think the right people will absolutely love this.

Similar to many A24 films, Green Fuse Burning cultivates a quiet, encroaching sense of horror that is based in uncomfortable feelings and unsettling atmosphere.

We follow a 30 something queer, Indigenous artist named Rita as she transforms grief over her recently deceased father, and inspiration from the wetlands surrounding her studio, into a series of paintings. The paintings depict her pain for her father, but also her feelings of disconnect from her Mi-kmaq Culture.

My favorite aspect of this book was the way it was structured. Each chapter begins with a description of one of Rita's paintings, and then goes on to share the experiences and feelings that Rita drew upon while creating that work.

It's not an action heavy book. The reader is very much inside Rita's mind - reliving devastating memories, and stuck in feelings of regret, remorse, guilt, and sadness. You feel trapped in Rita's pain and powerless to get out. It's set against this murky feeling wetland that is very much a metaphor for death and decay, but also rebirth and healing.

This book was written by an author that has previously published poetry, and you can tell. Words are chosen carefully, not so much to detail events in a logistical way, but more to make you see and feel and experience.

I struggle with rating this book because objectively, I think it's really good. Subjectively, it's just not totally my kind of book, and it definitely wasn't what I expected from the synopsis or cover.

The synopsis led me to believe it would be more action based, with a defined external threat. Instead, the threat was more metaphorical and internal to Rita. The cover led me to believe it would be less serious/sad in subject matter, and that it would read more YA. I bring this up because, like I said, I think it will be great for the right people, but I'm not sure the synopsis or cover will get it into those hands.

WOW!! I can't say enough good things about this. I pre-ordered a copy and will be telling literally everyone I know about this book.

First, the cover... this has to be one of my favorite covers I have ever seen. The colors, the art style, it's perfect!

Second, the writing. I cannot get over the descriptions of the main character being in the hospital with her dying father. It felt so real and visceral but still relatable. As the story went on I really felt like I was devolving into madness with the main character as she grieves the loss of her father, her culture, and her personal life.

When I read the description, I thought "This sounds spooky, just in time for fall!"....what I didn't expect was to be so moved to tears by the main character's story, the writing, and the depictions of being Indigenous but not have access to your heritage, the feeling of climate change happening rapidly, and also the main character sort of going crazy as her life falls apart.

I wish I had the option to give more than five stars. If I could I would give it 10.

My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

CW: Suicidal ideation, parental death, animal death, gore, blood

Synopsis: After Rita won an artist residency, she decides to spent a week in an isolated cabin in the woods, hoping for inspiration for her artworks. During her first night there she hears strange noises coming from the pond close by. And the things she sees and hears, all seemingly connected to the pond, only become stranger in the following days.

Thoughts:

This book is very atmospheric and uses very poetic language. I would describe it as artistic, which fits very well to the story and to our MC Rita, who is an artist. She is a great main character with lots of flaws, but still so very lovable/relatable.

Each chapter starts with the description of one of Ritas' paintings that she draws on her retreat, and for rest of the chapter we follow the events that inspired said painting, which I found really interesting.

There are a lot of flashbacks from Ritas' life, explaining how she got to this point in her life, explaining why she feels the way she feels. Later in the book, these did feel neither out of place nor confusing, but at the beginning they did. It seemed unorganized and took away from that first feeling of wrongness when Rita hears noises during the first night. Together with the many descriptions and the author spelling out things, that you can already understand from those descriptions, the beginning was all over the place.
Here it may have been good to go sort the flashbacks better and to expand on the happenings in the first night.
However, once we get over this, when it became more horrorish, it got a lot better. It felt more focused.

This is a book about grief: grief over her dead father, over the declining relationship with her girlfriend, over her barely existent relationship with the rest of her family, over not being connected to her culture as much as she wants to be.

"She'd become alien in her own body, alien in the landscape she and her ancestors had called home, transformed into some unearthly being."

Rita feels disconnected from life, has been doing so since a while and during her time in the cabin, for the first time, she admits it to herself.

"She could do it. She could die here."

We watch her accept this, embrace this and wanting her life to change; to be reborn, no matter how.

"She was ready to be remade in the waters, to meet herself in the sludge of unbecoming."

This transition was written very well, how it was shown through her hallucinations of dead rabbits and a burning woman.

(There was also grief over the destruction/loss of nature because of climate change, however that part felt a bit out of place, like it was just put in there, to be there. It didn't really do anything for the story.)

The horrorish parts were right up my alley. They were not really scary, but just really unsettling and also written so beautifully and poetic.