Hopkinson's scope, as always, is far broader than she's often given credit for. In addition to the historical fantasy of stories like 'Soul Case' - which hints at Gabriel García Márquez in its folktale fabulism and multigenerational scale, even more impressive considering the story is just five pages long - there's 'Ours Is the Prettiest,' which sets a scene of ethnic diversity in the land of Faerie. Hopkinson grew up in Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad, and her immersion in Afro-Caribbean culture suffuses Hominids - although not always explicitly. The magic at play is the West Indian folk craft known as obeah, which pops up regularly in Hopkinson's short fiction, as well as her award-winning novels such as Brown Girl in the Ring, a science-fantasy tale of post-collapse Toronto. That is, until a spell is cast that weighs heavily on all who witness it. Set in a Caribbean village that's based on the historical phenomenon of marronage - former slaves escaping into the wilderness and forming free societies - the story zooms in on a battle between villagers and the colonial army set to subjugate them.

Not a metaphorical kind of magic, either. Magic happens in 'Soul Case,' one of the standouts from Nalo Hopkinson's latest short story collection Falling in Love with Hominids. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Falling in Love With Hominids Author Nalo Hopkinson

Falling in love with hominids