It Could Happen Here – CZM Book Club: Kushtaka by Mathilda Zeller

Host: Margaret Killjoy
Date: October 5, 2025
Podcast: Cool Zone Media / iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode of the Cool Zone Media Book Club, hosted by Margaret Killjoy, features a detailed reading and discussion of “Kushtaka” by Mathilda Zeller, a short story from the 2023 collection Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. As part of "Spooky Month," the episode explores the intersection of Indigenous folklore and horror, using the Kushtaka creature from Alaska Native legend to examine the monstrous underpinnings of colonialism and gendered violence. Margaret reads the full story aloud and closes with thoughtful commentary on its themes and narrative craft.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction and Set-Up

• Margaret’s Book Club Philosophy (02:10)

  • Applies a fun, self-deprecating tone: “This is the only book club where you don't have to do the reading because I do it for you.”
  • Introduces the month’s theme: Indigenous horror stories.
  • Gives content warnings for “Spooky Month,” noting some gore and unsettling content.

• Story Context (03:00)

  • “Kushtaka” is introduced as a “creature feature and a slasher centering around a figure, the Kushtaka, which is common in the folklore of people native to so-called Alaska.”
  • Listeners encouraged to pay attention to how the author plays with narrative perspective.

The Story: Plot Highlights

Note: The story is read aloud by Margaret, blending first-person narration and voiced dialogue.

Family Pressure and Community Context (03:20–07:00)

• Protagonist is pressured by her mother to become pregnant by a wealthy outsider, Hank Ferriman, for financial security:
  • Margaret, reading mother’s advice: “You don’t have to love him, just make his baby, Mama said…” (03:30)
• Protagonist’s resistance is palpable; she wants autonomy and education instead.

Hints of Danger and Folklore (07:00–13:00)

• The mining accident brings folklore into everyday reality:
  • Anna, the family elder, warns the miners are disturbing Sedna, an underworld goddess.
  • The injuries are gruesome – “torn up everywhere” – suggesting supernatural causes.

Predatory Outsiders and Threat Building (17:48–21:00)

• Hank Ferriman, an exploitative white outsider, hires the protagonist as domestic help at his lodge.
• During a drive in darkness, Hank derisively demands an “Indian story,” prompting an eerie tale about the Kushtaka:
  • “They appear to us, taking on the appearances of those we love. They try to get us to go with them.” (19:10)
• The supernatural intrudes—the protagonist sees a doppelgänger Kushtaka of herself in the headlights, terrifying and inhuman.

Escalation to Violence (21:00–32:00)

• At the lodge, Hank’s cultural appropriation (stealing Indigenous spears and utensils) further angers the protagonist.
• The party devolves into chaos as the Kushtaka attacks, leaving a scene of horrific carnage witnessed by the protagonist hiding in a bathroom.
  • Margaret’s narration of the aftermath is grisly: “There were pieces of men, entrails of men... I pressed my shoulders between my knees and vomited.” (32:00)

Climax and Ambiguity (32:00–42:00)

• Protagonist flees with her grandfather’s spear and her Ana’s ulu, pursued by the Kushtaka and Hank’s now violent, racist son, Buck.
• In a final confrontation, the Kushtaka is both victim and monster; the lines blur:
  • Buck tries to kill the Kushtaka, but the protagonist intervenes, torn between vengeance and mercy.
  • The Kushtaka ultimately kills Buck; the protagonist’s identity momentarily merges with the creature.

Resolution and Thematic Reflection (42:00–45:00)

• The protagonist and Panna gather the stolen artifacts to return to Ana, the sense of reclaiming what was lost amidst violence.
• The final moments evoke a complicated catharsis: “His freshly dead body smelled good. So good I was sure the wolves would find him soon… Come on, Panna. I think I have your Anna's ulu on that dog sled. She'll be wanting it back.” (44:55)

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• Margaret on book clubs: “Only the cringe are free. That shouldn’t be our tagline here at Cool Zone Media Book Club, but it kind of could be.” (02:25)
• On Indigenous horror: “As you listen, you should keep an ear out for what Mathilda is doing with perspective.” (03:10)
• Kushtaka myth summary: “They appear to us, taking on the appearances of those we love. They try to get us to go with them. To go with them where? I don’t know.” (19:10)
• On colonial violence: “It’s Spooky Month, where the real monster was colonialism all along. You all probably could have seen that coming… we all know colonialism was the real monster all along.” (45:05)
• Margaret post-story reflection:
  • “I like when stories have kind of like clear metaphors, but not quite like beating you over the head metaphors and how you can interpret this a little bit more or less literally… when things are sort of uncertain, sometimes it feels lazy—but not here.” (45:20)
  • “Hazel… really loves how Matilda the author builds tension so seamlessly… weaving routine horrors like extractive energy and racialized sexual violence in with the supernatural stuff. It sort of unnormalizes that stuff and brings the horror that underpins much of our current systems into focus.” (46:10)

Commentary & Critical Insights

Margaret’s Analysis (45:20–47:00)

• Praises the story’s blending of internal and external horror, noting how the Kushtaka acts as both literal monster and metaphor for the way violence and trauma can be internalized.
• Highlights the skillful layering of everyday dangers (exploitation, sexual violence, cultural theft) with supernatural terror.
• Applauds the ambiguity and the “clear but not heavy-handed metaphor,” suggesting the story works on multiple interpretive levels.

Essential Timestamps

| Segment | Time | Notes | |-------------------------------------|----------|----------------------------------------------------| | Margaret’s introduction | 02:10 | Book club set-up, content warning | | Story begins: Setting and folklore | 03:20 | Family dynamics, intro to Kushtaka mythology | | Mining accident & Sedna warnings | 07:00 | Elders warn about supernatural consequences | | Hank drives protagonist to lodge | 17:48 | Outsider violence, Kushtaka emerges | | Kushtaka attacks & carnage | 31:46 | Gruesome climax, protagonist escapes | | Confrontation with Buck & aftermath | 41:00 | Themes of identity, justice, and reclamation | | Margaret’s critical reflection | 45:20 | Analysis of metaphor, story craft, horror | | Closing notes and author plug | 47:10 | Where to find Mathilda Zeller |

Tone and Language

Margaret maintains a self-aware, conversational, slightly irreverent tone throughout—embracing the macabre, poking fun at book club conventions, but offering earnest engagement with Indigenous storytelling and horror.

Concluding Thoughts

Margaret closes by urging listeners to explore more of Mathilda Zeller’s work, supporting Indigenous writers, and engaging critically with how horror explores systemic violence and trauma. She notes the underlying message that the real horrors are often institutional—“where the real monster was colonialism all along” (45:05).

Recommended next steps:

• For more about Mathilda Zeller, visit matildazeller.wordpress.com
• Stay tuned for next week’s Spooky Month Book Club episode.