And So I Took Their Eye: Stories by Ben C. Davies

This review first appeared on Reader Views. Read the Reader Views version here.

We have all heard the phrase “an eye for an eye,” but in And So I Took Their Eye: Stories, author Ben C. Davies brings forth a complex, fascinating, and intricate exploration of that notion. And So I Took Their Eye is a collection of ten short, subtly interwoven stories.

The excellent collection starts off with “A Gringo Died Today.” In this masterpiece of short fiction, Davies writes in a fractured recollection of a terrible crime (trigger warning for sexual assault) that will have dark repercussions. The second story is “The Eagle of the Desert,” wherein readers will learn of a British traveler who has disappeared his life into a Mexican yoga retreat. Next is “Teatime at the Cricket,” where a cold act of snobbery leads to righteous chaos. “Whose Story?” details a confident retelling of a seemingly brave vacation story, but underlying tension—and the ultimate truth—eventually bubbles to the surface as a delicate, deliberate laugh.

“Dear Babbo” presents as a series of letters from a man struggling with his business to his father, but as the man’s trajectory ebbs ever downwards, things begin to unravel. The story of a priest haunted by a vengeful promise he made as a child that threatens some travelers comes to fruition in “The Haunted Priest.” “Therapy for Therapists” is told, in part, through clinical therapy notes, showing how a therapist can be both aware and unaware at the same time. The startling revelation of how one man views issues in his community is the focus of “True Colours.” The penultimate story, “Cleaning Teslas,” follows Juana, who seeks retribution for something that occurred in the earlier tale, “Therapy for Therapists.” Finally, “Hero’s End” rounds out this collection by following more of the aftermath of “A Gringo Died Today,” the first of the stories.

As I have already indicated, And So I Took Their Eye is a fantastic short story collection. The interconnections unfold deftly and allow readers new perspectives on what they’ve read previously. Besides the plot connections, the overarching theme of “an eye for an eye” ties the stories together. “An eye for an eye” is the vengeful call we have all felt in our gut at some point, but Davies dives deeply and beautifully into this notion in quite a thought-provoking way.

My favorite stories in the collection were “A Gringo Died Today” and “Whose Story?”. “A Gringo Died Today” is masterful. It is a perfect pick to open the collection. It allows the readers to take a somewhat dreamlike wander through one man’s recollections of recent traumatic events. The way it unfolds is tantalizing. Additionally, it sets up the stories that follow. “Whose Story?” I loved because it was subtle, realistic, and nuanced.

While I had my favorites, all the stories in And So I Took Their Eye: Stories by Ben C. Davies will resonate with readers. With a skilled hand, Davies weaves the stories together both in plot and theme. Although the stories can be read and enjoyed separately, they are best as a collection.

And So I Took Their Eye: Stories by Ben C. Davies, Bridge House Publishing