Stacking Doll - Paperback

Stacking Doll - A Surreal Love Story by Carlton Mellick III

Stacking Doll is the 56th novel from Carlton Mellick III, one of bizarro fiction's most prolific authors. Described by The Guardian as one of the top 40 science-fiction writers under the age of 40 and praised by extreme horror legend Edward Lee as "one of the most original novelists working today," Mellick delivers a unique exploration of love and relationships through this surreal narrative.

The Story

Benjamin Hammond never expected to fall in love with a Matryoshkan—a subspecies of humans born with smaller people living inside of them, similar to Russian nesting dolls. When he meets Ynaria, he knows she's the one, despite the cultural barriers between humans and Matryoshkans.

To win approval from Ynaria's conservative parents, Benjamin must undergo The Trial—a traditional matryoshkan wedding ritual where couples lock themselves in a house for several days to introduce each other to all the personalities living within them. No human has ever completed The Trial before.

As Ynaria reveals her inner selves, Benjamin discovers that each layer is more complex and challenging than the last. To marry the woman he loves, he must learn to love every one of her inner personalities, no matter how neurotic or disturbing they may be.