Review: Surprisingly down to earth--for two supernatural divas
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 27, 2012
I was first awed by Gary Henry's writing talent through his wonderful book of short stories titled What Happened to Jory, where he proved himself a master of the genre. In his new novel American Goddesses, his unique craftsmanship is still evident in every line that is carefully wrought. And although his female protagonists loom larger than life (think DIVAS with surprising super powers), what I love most about Henry's work is the way he brings universal themes down to earth with the intimate details and nuances of people's lives that make each character palpable. Even though Megan possesses other-worldly powers, for example, she is still a wife, a friend, a lover--with her own set of quirky insecurities that make her fully human. What Henry is, at his core, is a careful observer of the foibles and contradictions of mankind, and though he at times revels in the wild and absurd, he always brings the reader home to the flesh and blood experience of real personalities who are as interesting squabbling over breakfast as they are trying to save the free world. Sometimes this irony is lost on the less discerning reader, but it's precisely this aspect that makes reading American Goddesses so much fun! I am eagerly anticipating his next book.