Review: Let the Beat Down Begin
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 9, 2011
When it comes to being a fan of Nigel Bird, I caught the bandwagon early. I knew his work even before the release ofhis fiction collection Dirty Old Town and each new story I read cements my admiration for his work. This collection of short fiction (and three poems) is killer. (Yes, I went there.)The title story is a strong bit of tale-telling with the narrative unfolding from three different points of view. At its heart, it's a story of found families, the people who care about us even when we're not bound by blood. (One of the characters gracefully throws out a reference to J.D. Salinger's most famous book; a reference that does not feel at all self-conscious.)My favorite stories were "Snow-Angel" and "Sugar and Spice," but "Dance With Me," a tale of bad timing and slick talking, got under my skin as well.This collection is perfect for a pre-holiday read because it doesn't require a huge time commitment. If you know Nigel Bird's work, you'll devour these stories like chocolate-covered cherries. If you don't know his work, this selection of his award-winning stories is a fine place to star.