Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

Mapping the Interior

by Stephen Graham Jones

This novella tells the story of Junior, an Indian boy living with his mother and younger brother, Dino. Junior is a sleepwalker who awakens one night to see his dead father walking across the room. He believes his father, in full dancing regalia, has come back to make them a whole family again.

Dino suffers from seizures and Junior thinks his father is there to protect Dino, to make him well. But this thinking changes as Junior gets into a scrape with the neighbors dogs and the four canines end up dead, torn apart. Junior starts to think his father has another purpose in returning. Dino begins to have worse seizures and marks appear on his neck. Is Junior's father trying to take Dino's life essence to make himself whole again?

Junior's mother begins dating the Sheriff's deputy, which doesn't sit well with Junior, who steals the pistol from the deputy's vehicle. With the gun in hand he finds a man bent over his brother in bed and he fires, thinking it is his father stealing the life from Dino. It turns out to be the neighbor, after revenge for the death of his dogs.

Junior grows up to be a dancer himself. His mother has died, as his his own son, whom he wants to revive, to bring back into existence. His brother needs taking care of and is in a facility. Junior signs him out and ends up being the one to take his brother's life in an attempt to do what he thought his father was doing.

Mapping the Interior was a really good story with a chilling ending. The atmosphere was creepy and tense, the characters immediate and vital. I could feel Junior's desire for a reconnection with his father, his protection of his brother, and his care for his mother's feelings. I did not see the twist at the end coming. I wish there was more about his child. I think that would have made the ending more satisfying, though it was good.

I give this novella 4 stars.