Also, even for a book with the supernatural at its core, what happens in the end requires some suspension of disbelief, especially because a certain event is a bit convenient and the rules are unclear - and yes, even the supernatural should have rules, or anything goes. While the tension and horror in the tenants chapters were handled gracefully (OK, it may sound like a weird adverb to use, but until the real shit hits the fan, even the horror has a certain finesse here), the social commentary that permeates the last one is more in your face, and while I commend Sims for making a stand (or a point at least), the final denouement could have used more subtlety. If the single stories (or, well, storeys) hold their own quite strongly, the book is less successful in its picking up the threads. Also, while all the stories end with a hook to the last chapter, they're remarkably self-contained - especially since the basic reason behind the hauntings becomes apparent early on (but the final chapter will still hold a few surprises in that department).

Granted, not all the characters are what I would call memorable, and very few of them are genuinely likeable (though most aren't supposed to be) but the crescendo of tension and the clever (if sometimes little) twists in their stories (not to mention, the interplay of associations between them - though most you only manage to catch on a second read) largely make up for that. In this case, I'm also pleased to say that most of the stories, while building on familiar haunting tropes, either put a spin on them or bring something new to the table. I have to admit that short stories can be hit or miss for me, but when there's a connection of sorts between them and they ultimately form a bigger picture, I'm hooked. Thirteen Storeys is, for all purposes, a novel comprised of a series of short stories, each one focusing on one of the tenants of a reclusive billionaire's building, with only the last chapter bringing the whole cast together.

13 stories book jonathan sims