Into the Laughing Gas World: Stories by Rin Kelly, with an Afterword by Dr. Sarah Mohler. Atmosphere Press, 2023. https://atmospherepress.com/books/into-the-laughing-gas-world-by-rin-kelly/
Editor’s note: Rin Kelly’s promising career was cut short in late 2020. Her family made some of her work available posthumously, and GHLL was honored to publish “Kahlo” (https://ghll.truman.edu/33-kelly-kahlo/) She had also completed a novel. Her stories have been published in Kenyon Review, The Fabulist, Penubric, and Contemporary Magazine/Denver Post. Rin was a fellow of the Stabile Center at Columbia School of Journalism and film/culture editor of LA RECORD. Her investigative reporting and features have appeared in publications nationwide. In February of 2024, Sarah Mohler and Rin’s family presented a reading and discussion of Rin’s work at Truman State University. Among the readers was the author of this review.
Please see the essay by Sarah B. Mohler, also in this issue, on Rin Kelly and her place in speculative fiction.
Into the Laughing Gas World is as satirical as it is universal, ranging from the struggles of healthcare to the question of what makes life meaningful. Between whimsical prose lies poignant images, from a school shooting survivor emerging from red waters to a shattered rock, reincarnated into a beautiful necklace. These images speak to the shared mortal experience of human life and its flaws, troubles, and imperfections. Admirers of Black Mirror will enjoy each story’s twists and turns, as the collection contains New Fabulist and speculative fiction.
Dr. Sarah B. Mohler’s afterword provides a well-worded analysis of Into the Laughing Gas World, explaining how Kelly’s genre-bending short stories fit as “New Fabulist,” “Slipstream,” and “Speculative.” She gives insight into Kelly’s stories, explaining how one might resemble Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis or appeal to George Saunders fans.
The short story that reminded me most of a Black Mirror episode is “The Breaking News of Charlie Que,” where poor Charlie Que’s life is under 24-hour surveillance following his breakup with his ex, Anna. The pacing of this short story fully encapsulates the chaos and lack of privacy Charlie endures. One interpretation of this story is that Kelly criticizes the media and its invasive and biased tendencies. Charlie cannot even sleep or say a word without the media twisting his life into something scandalous. Another interpretation may suggest that the whole story symbolizes the anxiety and grief one experiences after a breakup—Charlie may feel like all eyes are watching his every move.
One of my favorites of this collection, “The Bentweed Boys,” describes the narrator’s visit to her family plot. Christine places flowers in front of her grandmother’s grave, knowing that the Bentweed boys will take them and offer them to their mothers, thus completing the circle of life and the continuance of love. Instead of expressing anger towards the boys, Christine hopes the mothers appreciate the flowers. This short story represents the circle of love and life and Christine’s compassion towards the boys who have wronged her. She believes the boys will find value and beauty in the flowers, giving them a new life.
Into the Laughing Gas World is sure to captivate New Fabulist and speculative fiction aficionados and those who enjoy contemplating and criticizing life’s wrongs. Kelly’s stories expose issues that society could and should address, while simultaneously bringing light to the simplest beauties. As an emerging speculative fiction enthusiast with a keen eye for societal issues, I found every page intriguing and thought-provoking, as I’m sure others will as well.
Sarah White (she/her) is an emerging Asian American LGBTQ+ writer based in the Midwest. She received her BA in English and minor in biology and her MA in English at Truman State University. She loves to read and write using ecocritical, feminist, and/or queer lenses. Her debut chapbook, Where I Sit, How I Stand, was published by Bottlecap Press in 2024, and her poetry can be seen in Mystic Owl Magazine. In her free time, you can find Sarah either working out, journaling on her bedroom floor, or reading some thought-provoking book.