Book review: ‘Sinkhole’ imagines magical fairytales from Spokane

Leyna Krow writes what we could call fairy tales for adults.
Her latest collection of stories, “Sinkhole and Other Inexplicable Voids” combine magical powers, enchanting worlds that determine the fates of its characters, all while dealing with bigger themes and issues.
Babies who emerge full-grown, infants who appear out of nowhere, the sinkhole that can fix all problems, all are portals to fight off fears of age and imperfections.
The villains, however, aren’t witches or trolls but rather the forces of nature seeking revenge. Climate change plays a crucial role in the mysterious and sometime wacky happenings of the lives of the people entwined in these stories.
A playful mix of fantasy and science fiction, “Sinkhole” is difficult to peg. Is it a book of short stories or a quirky novel? It all follows the same characters through generations of a Spokane family.
They fight off attacks by butterflies, a catastrophic collapse of Mount Rainier that kills thousands and changes the very geographical and societal fabrics of Spokane and Eastern Washington.
In the uncertain future, downtown is cut off from the rest of the city and migrants escaping the mudslides build a Little Seattle across the river.
The stories come from the view of the strong independent women who keep the families going in the fraying world around them. Some of the problems are of their own doing, such as driving drunk or being a bad babysitter, or shouldering the criticisms of brothers and boyfriends.
If it seems like it may take a little magic or supernatural powers just to get through the mess called life, Krow provides just that in an easy writing style takes fantastic characters and gives them a believable life.
Even if everyone does not live happily ever after.