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beth_diiorio's review against another edition
4.0
Stranger Will grabbed my attention because it seemed like quite a different take on literary fiction than I typically read. After reading the cover blurb I remember thinking...carrier pigeons? Joining what exactly? Why would it be hard to leave the group?
Author Caleb Ross engagingly and consistently uses rich descriptive language throughout the novel..."William saunters through the mudroom door, the engine of his bioremediation cleaning van still ticking in the driveway. He flicks a spent cigarette filter deep into the weeds overtaking the house's north wall. Seen through romantic eyes the abode could be a cottage, but William suffers from universal practicality..."
The novel is centered around provocative social issues such as societal and personal pressures couples feel to reproduce and have children of their own, abortion, and the idea of a society of "perfect human beings." "William continued, however, using magazine articles, newspaper headlines, tabloid clippings, medical journals, and bar graphs all supporting his theories regarding the eminent turmoil associated with 'bringing a child to term in a world like ours.'"
Main characters in Stranger Will were chock full of human character traits --
William: Serious, depressed, mundane husband with emotional baggage from his own childhood, employed as a stain removal specialist, self-designated sleuth with stolen paper messages.
Julie: Quietly resilient wife, former waitress, chock full of maternal instinct, somewhat lazy.
Mrs. Rose: Elementary school principal, keeper of messenger pigeons, ambitious, demanding, opinionated, and controlling "adoption" advocate.
Frank - Fellow stranger - "It sounds like a title the way he says it: Stranger -- with a veiled mysticism. It comes out as a tactile breath, heavy, built with smoke."
In actuality, this book hooked me from the beginning and absolutely held my attention. I loved the quirkiness and excellent writing. This book will appeal to readers who like unpredictable books, psychological/horror, or odd characters (by "odd" I mean Geek Love by Katherine Dunn).
Teasers:
For a second William hears footsteps decrescendo, but they stop. Then, breaking the sky, the raccoon soars back over the fence and hits William on the cheek before falling into the stained grass. He tastes decay.
The bell rings and the children infiltrate the playground like maximum coverage is an inborn reaction. They cover sand pits and the soccer field, swings and the concrete basketball court in three frames of an instructional slideshow: Empty. Full. Organized.
Paul, the tapeworm.
Author Caleb Ross engagingly and consistently uses rich descriptive language throughout the novel..."William saunters through the mudroom door, the engine of his bioremediation cleaning van still ticking in the driveway. He flicks a spent cigarette filter deep into the weeds overtaking the house's north wall. Seen through romantic eyes the abode could be a cottage, but William suffers from universal practicality..."
The novel is centered around provocative social issues such as societal and personal pressures couples feel to reproduce and have children of their own, abortion, and the idea of a society of "perfect human beings." "William continued, however, using magazine articles, newspaper headlines, tabloid clippings, medical journals, and bar graphs all supporting his theories regarding the eminent turmoil associated with 'bringing a child to term in a world like ours.'"
Main characters in Stranger Will were chock full of human character traits --
William: Serious, depressed, mundane husband with emotional baggage from his own childhood, employed as a stain removal specialist, self-designated sleuth with stolen paper messages.
Julie: Quietly resilient wife, former waitress, chock full of maternal instinct, somewhat lazy.
Mrs. Rose: Elementary school principal, keeper of messenger pigeons, ambitious, demanding, opinionated, and controlling "adoption" advocate.
Frank - Fellow stranger - "It sounds like a title the way he says it: Stranger -- with a veiled mysticism. It comes out as a tactile breath, heavy, built with smoke."
In actuality, this book hooked me from the beginning and absolutely held my attention. I loved the quirkiness and excellent writing. This book will appeal to readers who like unpredictable books, psychological/horror, or odd characters (by "odd" I mean Geek Love by Katherine Dunn).
Teasers:
For a second William hears footsteps decrescendo, but they stop. Then, breaking the sky, the raccoon soars back over the fence and hits William on the cheek before falling into the stained grass. He tastes decay.
The bell rings and the children infiltrate the playground like maximum coverage is an inborn reaction. They cover sand pits and the soccer field, swings and the concrete basketball court in three frames of an instructional slideshow: Empty. Full. Organized.
Paul, the tapeworm.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
2.0
This dark story about an unwilling soon-to-be-father starts off promisingly. Will, a pessimistic crime-scene cleaner, is trying to convince his very pregnant girlfriend to give their baby up for adoption. The world being evil and Will being mentally unstable, this makes perfect sense for him, though not so much for Julie, the long-suffering girlfriend. I would have happily read a novel about a couple coming to terms with becoming parents. What happens if one parent doesn't want the kid? How does it affect the relationship? There's an interesting novel right there. Unfortunately for me, Ross doesn't explore these issues. Very little backstory is given, and the characters exist in a vacuum with no relatives, friends or co-workers around to react to the escalating madness (well, there's hapless Philip but he doesn't leave an impression). The relationship between Will and Julie is baffling. There are no clues as to how they ended up in this balance of terror. Julie throws the occasional punch, but why she doesn't pack her stuff and run like hell is a mystery.
Ok, so this isn't supposed to be kitchen-sink realism. But it's not a philosophical treatise either. Will is caught up in a sinister plan orchestrated by an evil elementary school principal, and lots of comments about the state of the world and the ethics of procreating are dropped, but there is nowhere for them to land. Instead, there is gore and horror, which could have been great, but the macabre aspects just seem to be there for shock value.
A very odd mix of ingredients, this one.
Ok, so this isn't supposed to be kitchen-sink realism. But it's not a philosophical treatise either. Will is caught up in a sinister plan orchestrated by an evil elementary school principal, and lots of comments about the state of the world and the ethics of procreating are dropped, but there is nowhere for them to land. Instead, there is gore and horror, which could have been great, but the macabre aspects just seem to be there for shock value.
A very odd mix of ingredients, this one.
thessilian's review against another edition
5.0
Dark and disturbing, just the way I like it. The writing is masterful, the literary techniques light so the reader barely notices them as they enjoy the story itself. I wish I knew someone who'd read it so that I could discuss it with them, that's how much I enjoyed it.
thekarpuk's review
4.0
Though it doesn't appear promoted as such, to me Stranger Will is the most upsetting sort of horror story. The monster is a school principal with a notion of learning that owes a lot to eugenics and a really intense sort of Darwinism.
I'm not sure I've ever encountered a protagonist as disturbingly pessimistic as William. His bleak perspective pervades the very fiber of the story. This book presents a worldview where children are a necessary casualty in the disturbing games of adults. If you have an aversions to the deaths of children or infants, you should probably stay the hell away from this book.
It's fitting that I read this book in tandem with Kafka, because it possess some of the same surrealist traits. All the actions are clear, I was never at a loss as to what was happening, but character motivations were bizarre and at times barely relatable, which just made it more disturbing. Most people do not pull out a gun when they're having difficulty driving their car. Most people do not set a pigeon on fire and let it run around the room on flames. Most people do not coat a tree in dangerous chemicals to teach children lessons.
It's a beautifully written book, and I now feel slightly traumatized.
I'm not sure I've ever encountered a protagonist as disturbingly pessimistic as William. His bleak perspective pervades the very fiber of the story. This book presents a worldview where children are a necessary casualty in the disturbing games of adults. If you have an aversions to the deaths of children or infants, you should probably stay the hell away from this book.
It's fitting that I read this book in tandem with Kafka, because it possess some of the same surrealist traits. All the actions are clear, I was never at a loss as to what was happening, but character motivations were bizarre and at times barely relatable, which just made it more disturbing. Most people do not pull out a gun when they're having difficulty driving their car. Most people do not set a pigeon on fire and let it run around the room on flames. Most people do not coat a tree in dangerous chemicals to teach children lessons.
It's a beautifully written book, and I now feel slightly traumatized.
mrfrank's review
5.0
STRANGER WILL by Caleb J. Ross is art through prose. Every line is finely crafted. Each sentence suitable for quoting. The story itself is brilliant and unique. I have given high praise to earlier short story collections from Caleb J. Ross and his first full length novel has me absolutely enamored with the writer.
Reading STRANGER WILL could take an iron constitution if your a parent. In typical Ross style he claws with rusty nails at the wonders of parenthood and finds that microscopic shred of nasty little thoughts that get buried deep within your being. That is when he really goes to town and incubates those dirty little ideas and culls a vibrant petri dish of twisted emotions. You don't just read a Caleb J. Ross story, you evolve through it.
STRANGER WILL also serves as a philosophical work. The arguments all revolve around the idea of perfection. Those ideas are argued brilliantly from all sides. It's truly amazing when all those arguments are coming from the one voice of the writer. I often found myself drawing parallels from this book to the classic Philosophical tome, ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE. That sentiment alone could be the biggest compliment I could pay this book.
This is without a doubt a 5 star read. I know I will be left haunted by it for quite some time. This is the type of story that should one day be studied in college literature and/or philosophy classes. It is a marvel to read and I can not place enough emphasis on the need for anyone who breathes to read this.
Reading STRANGER WILL could take an iron constitution if your a parent. In typical Ross style he claws with rusty nails at the wonders of parenthood and finds that microscopic shred of nasty little thoughts that get buried deep within your being. That is when he really goes to town and incubates those dirty little ideas and culls a vibrant petri dish of twisted emotions. You don't just read a Caleb J. Ross story, you evolve through it.
STRANGER WILL also serves as a philosophical work. The arguments all revolve around the idea of perfection. Those ideas are argued brilliantly from all sides. It's truly amazing when all those arguments are coming from the one voice of the writer. I often found myself drawing parallels from this book to the classic Philosophical tome, ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE. That sentiment alone could be the biggest compliment I could pay this book.
This is without a doubt a 5 star read. I know I will be left haunted by it for quite some time. This is the type of story that should one day be studied in college literature and/or philosophy classes. It is a marvel to read and I can not place enough emphasis on the need for anyone who breathes to read this.
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