Monster Portraits – Sofia Samatar and Del Samatar

Rose Metal Press | Paperback | February 22, 2018

​This hybrid short story collection is based on Sofia and Del Samatar's memories of growing up as Somali-American children during the 1980s. Each piece holds incredible depth, a deep sense of wonder, and emotional weight. And with each read there is always more to unpack.

At the heart of this autobiographical collection is this idea of otherness. What it looks like, feels like, acts like. What it means to belong. Sofia takes a long hard look at society's many creatures and customs and makes us question the difference between monsters and being monstrous - "The Abyss," "The Scribes," and "Everyday Monsters" are amongst the most obvious examples of this. Through an incredibly imaginative lens and perfectly penned twists of prose Sofia Samatar argues that those labeled "monster" and "other" are quite often anything but.

However, what really grounds this work are Del Samatar's illustrations. Whenever Sofia's playful prose veers off into abstractions, the illustrations keep readers grounded. They give them a focal point to keep them centered. It encourages them linger on the page. To let their eyes to drift back and forth between picture and prose, slowly digesting the stories and messages they are being told. The text and visual relationship is subtle, working together to depict the humanity in each of these so-called monsters.