'What Protects Our Heritage and other Aberrations' by Villimey Mist

A search and rescue operation during a bitter blizzard in Iceland quickly turns to terror as the team encounters more than just lost tourists in the novelette, What Protects Our Heritage. This and other tales of vampires, Icelandic cryptids, and human monsters, nicely round out this collection of nightmares.

Every winter, I hear about Icelandic storytelling traditions of tales told around campfires to both keep spirits up and remind us of what lurks outside in the dark if we don’t take care. As I picked up this anthology on a snowy night in the depths of a British winter, I could absolutely see the wisdom of this - and rather wished I had others to keep me company as I ventured forth into the pages!

Villimey Mist’s narrative is very much her own, while simultaneously resonating with what seem much older voices through these modern fairytales. From the very first, we are taught to empathise with the monsters while simultaneously feeling the difference inherent in our humanity. We’re fragile creatures, at the mercy of the elements and those higher up the food chain, but at heart we are all doing our best to survive on this challenging world.

My heart went out to the creatures that could be called monstrous, who are simply seeking connection and sustenance. I was shown the clear contrast between those journeys and the intentional viciousness of humanity. How would we react to a kind girl who happened to be born with hooves? What must predators do to survive in a human-made post-nuclear world? What about when the social contract cracks and we have to act?

Yes, it’s an old lesson that Sometimes the Real Monsters are Us, but throughout this book there is also a shining thread of justice: that vengeance is earned, friendship can transcend species or form, and there can be deep connection between the Dark outside and within. We are animals ourselves after all, even if we stand upright and wear clothes.

This book resonated particularly for me because while it is fantastic in nature (wordplay intended), the crazy times we live in made these scenarios seem just a little more possible than they may otherwise have been. I was very glad that none of these tales was ultimately bleak - there is always perspective and hope.

‘What Protects Our Heritage’ is a (literally) wild and wonderful reminder that the world we live in is home to many other species and consciousnesses that should never be taken for granted. We have tremendous power if we can just open ourselves up and listen to the wisdom of stories.