Review: Evocative 15 Minute Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 17, 2010
I selected this book because of -- well, the cover. I'm on a discussion board with the author and the image is part of her sig and it intrigued me. I wasn't asked to buy or review it and I'm not close with the author. It turns out the cover matched the book pretty darned well.Please note that the who thing can be read in 15 minutes to perhaps a half an hour. This is not a book that'll get you through a plane trip, but it might get you through a waiting room -- but I'd still have a back-up option.The stories are evocative and -- thinking -- sad without exception. Many deal with molestation and/or rape.The world view she portrays is cold and cruel. The writing is pretty strong, even if a couple selections were predictable or ended on a slightly flat note. The author's greatest strength is clearly being able to go to dark places and describe these places in a way that draws the reader in and if I have a complaint it's that she seems to know this and uses that rather than focusing on a more realized ending. The first vignette/flash story is called, I believe, Skeleton in The Closet and does what I wish some of the other efforts had accomplished -- ended as strongly as it began and the whole story built up to that final (echoed) line.The next story, A Friend, was also quite well done -- scary and so very tragic. I was moved by it both as a horror tale and a story about loneliness. It broke my heart and creeped me out all at once.Later on, the author writes two companion pieces -- one from the point of view of the rape victim and one from the point of view of the rapist. The former was well done, but the latter seemed unnecessary and weak. I'm not familiar enough with the author and her work to say for sure, but she seems at her best when the POV is with the victim and drawing the reader into that pain.At it's best, this anthology shows the power of a short story or a flash piece, that surprising punch that comes seemingly from nowhere, that power condensed into a few pages. At it's worst, the author falls short and the effort falls just short of the goal -- or in a few examples -- doesn't even get close to the mark.Kindle Komplaint: Even though this is a short book, I like to be able to navigate between stories (one click to advance to next story) instead of having to "flip" through pages. This is my complaint with a lot of anthologies, to be honest.I greatly enjoyed most of these stories for the beautiful and tragic atmosphere -- and what a terrific ability for a writer to have at her disposal! Had the book been longer though, I might have been clinically depressed. As long as the reader understands how short this selection is and knows that the topics are filled with pathos, I recommend this as a terrific example of an author's ability to move and chill the reader.4 stars, particularly due to the first two stories and moments and lines in the other selections.