Earthen: Stories by Katherine Koller
Reviewed by Lisa Timpf
A woman recovering from hip surgery, an aging apple tree, and two neighbours who become friends after their husbands have died are among the characters in Katherine Koller’s twenty-story collection Earthen: Stories. As the title suggests, many of the stories deal with our connection to nature. A skunk, deer, garden slugs, trees, and other natural entities appear in the stories, some in narrative or featured roles.
Earlier versions of some stories have been previously published in venues like Lit Sphere, Very Much Alive: Stories of Resilience, Through the Portal: Stories from a Hopeful Dystopia, and The Fiddlehead. Though each story can be read as a stand-alone, the story collection includes some recurring characters. For example, in different stories, we see the evolving relationships between Nell, her son Peter, and Nell’s daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
“At their root, many of the stories are about our relationships, both with each other and with the natural world. Particularly, the stories acknowledge the emotional connection between women, in terms of understanding one another’s circumstances and emotions.”
Some of the stories contain speculative elements. For example, in “You Have Enough Time,” Saint Agnes of Bohemia visits a young woman named Clare, who lives in a small apartment in the city. “The Plug” features a dystopian future society in which material things can be transported through a device called the Plug.
“The Pyramidion” takes us back in history. Hemutsen, the Queen of Egypt and wife of the Pharaoh Cheops, is about to set the capstone of a pyramid. The story depicts the physical work on the pyramid as one of hope and atonement. “Maiden of the Plains” is Koller’s re-imagining of an old story, “The Handless Maiden,” and has a fairy-tale aura.
“Apple Bread” was one of my favourite stories. “Apple Bread” is told from the viewpoint of an apple tree, and demonstrates our connectedness with nature and the ways in which other living things might be capable of more than we give them credit for. In the small community of trees in Esther’s backyard, trees share medicines and sugars through their roots, and can communicate with one another. The apple tree’s interpretations of human behaviours provide a humorous undercurrent to the story.
“The Falling Down Fence,” another of my favourites, deals with the relationship between two neighbours, Rachel and Lydia. Thirty years ago, their husbands had taken a dislike to one another. When the men were alive, the two women kept to themselves, aside from small anonymous acts of generosity. At the outset of the story, a clumsy would-be burglar knocks down a section of the fence between their yards. As the women discuss the fence, they feel relief at being able to speak to one another freely. In their discussion, they realize that their husbands’ mutual dislike was based on a misunderstanding, which leads to them thinking about all the time they have wasted for no reason.
Moving from enemies, or at least cautious apprehension, to friendship happens in some of the other stories, too. Koller’s stories demonstrate that first impressions aren’t always correct, that help can come from unexpected quarters, and that sometimes we can hope for second chances.
At their root, many of the stories are about our relationships, both with each other and with the natural world. Particularly, the stories acknowledge the emotional connection between women, in terms of understanding one another’s circumstances and emotions.
The stories in Earthen are about quiet moments, turning points, taking accountability, and dealing with loss and change. Celebrating compassion and connection, these sometimes-tender tales show us that moments that may not seem momentous can still be laden with meaning.
About the Author
Katherine Koller is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, novelist and short story writer. Her books include Voices of the Land: The Seed Savers and Other Plays; Art Lessons, a novel; and Winning Chance: Stories, winner of a High Plains Book Award. Koller’s short fiction has appeared in Grain, Room, Epiphany, Alberta Views, LitSphere, EDify, The Fiddlehead, and Through the Portal. An avid gardener, Katherine is a founding producer of Edmonton Script Salon, a longstanding monthly new play reading series. www.katherinekoller.ca.
About the Reviewer
Ontario resident Lisa Timpf writes poetry, book reviews, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Her speculative poetry collections Cats and Dogs in Space (2025) and In Days to Come (2022) are available from Hiraeth Publishing in print and electronic formats. You can find out more about Lisa’s writing projects at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/. Lisa is also on Bluesky, @lisatimpf.bsky.social, and her author Facebook page is @lisa.timpf.author.
Book Details
Publisher: Enfield & Wizenty
Publication date: May 1 2026
Language: English
Print length: 174 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1773371528
A balanced and thorough review