You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My major senior year paper for completing my degree was all about magical realism and why readers respond so well to stories that incorporate elements of magical realism. I made the distinction, in that paper, between magical realism and straight fantasy. Had I just waited a few months, my task would have been made easier by just referencing particular stories in Vampires in the Lemon Grove. The stories in this collection that are distinctly magical realism do work better for me than those that are fantasy, just as when I read full novels. That's not to say that I don't enjoy stories with fantastical elements - my brain just naturally finds a closer kinship to magical realism and its closer knitting to the real world. I find that most authors also stay on one side of the line or the other, and Russell does the same here, with each individual story, but the collection is a mix of the two. Four for four, actually. When I was reading the fantasies (Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Reeling for the Empire, The Barn at the End of Our Term, Dougbert Shackleton's Rules for Antarctic Tailgating), I was impressed by Russell's incredible talent for creating such distinctive worlds, especially with Reeling for the Empire, the strongest of this batch for me, but frequently found myself checking to see how many pages were left to each story. I doubt this is less of a commentary on her writing than it is on my tolerance for the fantasies. I didn't even finish the Antarctic story, which felt shameful because even these stories that I didn't enjoy quite as much were still well written, but I grew terribly bored with it.
The magical realism stories, though, were engrossing and will most certainly retain me as a reader of Russell, while quite possibly having the power to weave themselves into my dreams and waking thoughts. The Seagull Army Descends on Strong Beach, 1979, Proving Up, The New Veterans, The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis, all in contrast to the fantasies, made me wish they were full length stories. Of these, I found The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis to be the weakest simply because I found it a stretch that the title object would freak out such brutal teenagers as much as it did. Proving Up started out slowly for me but then engaged me so thoroughly that when I was reading it and there was a noise in the house I was alarmingly startled, confused about where I was, and finally angered to be distracted and torn from the frightening world Russell created. I've read any number of books that I've thoroughly loved but those that have engaged me with that depth are, quite possibly, limited to a handful.
The magical realism stories, though, were engrossing and will most certainly retain me as a reader of Russell, while quite possibly having the power to weave themselves into my dreams and waking thoughts. The Seagull Army Descends on Strong Beach, 1979, Proving Up, The New Veterans, The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis, all in contrast to the fantasies, made me wish they were full length stories. Of these, I found The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis to be the weakest simply because I found it a stretch that the title object would freak out such brutal teenagers as much as it did. Proving Up started out slowly for me but then engaged me so thoroughly that when I was reading it and there was a noise in the house I was alarmingly startled, confused about where I was, and finally angered to be distracted and torn from the frightening world Russell created. I've read any number of books that I've thoroughly loved but those that have engaged me with that depth are, quite possibly, limited to a handful.
I keep trying, I really do, but short stories just don't seem to be for me.
Loved:
- Vampires in the Lemon Grove: An old married vampire discovered, long ago, that the taste of certain lemons quenched his thirst for human blood. He lives with his wife by a touristy lemon grove in Italy.
- Reeling for the Empire: In the 19th century, Japanese girls are tricked into drinking tea that transforms them into giant silkworms. They're held captive in a mill and made to spin vast quantities of silk from their own bodies.
- The New Veterans: A masseuse, at work on an Iraq War veteran, discovers that her ministrations can change the tattoo on his back - and in the process, help re-write his personal traumas.
Meh:
- The Seagull Army Descends on Strong Beach, 1979
- Proving Up
- The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis
Disliked:
- The Barn at the End of Our Term: Some dead American Presidents spend their afterlives as horses in a stable. They lament their condition for a while, and then the story… ends. I was left with the annoyed feeling that comes with having missed an inside joke.
- Dougbert Shackleton’s Rules for Antarctic Tailgating: A goofy ramble about cheering on the survival of different arctic creatures as though at a sports game. Didn’t actually feel like a story at all.
- Vampires in the Lemon Grove: An old married vampire discovered, long ago, that the taste of certain lemons quenched his thirst for human blood. He lives with his wife by a touristy lemon grove in Italy.
- Reeling for the Empire: In the 19th century, Japanese girls are tricked into drinking tea that transforms them into giant silkworms. They're held captive in a mill and made to spin vast quantities of silk from their own bodies.
- The New Veterans: A masseuse, at work on an Iraq War veteran, discovers that her ministrations can change the tattoo on his back - and in the process, help re-write his personal traumas.
Meh:
- The Seagull Army Descends on Strong Beach, 1979
- Proving Up
- The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis
Disliked:
- The Barn at the End of Our Term: Some dead American Presidents spend their afterlives as horses in a stable. They lament their condition for a while, and then the story… ends. I was left with the annoyed feeling that comes with having missed an inside joke.
- Dougbert Shackleton’s Rules for Antarctic Tailgating: A goofy ramble about cheering on the survival of different arctic creatures as though at a sports game. Didn’t actually feel like a story at all.
I read it on a whim, only as far as the first short story, "Vampires in the Lemon Grove". Fantastic! I hope to read more of it someday.
Not usually a fan of short stories, but tried this one out after thoroughly enjoying Swamplandia! Russell is a masterful storyteller with a talent for spinning tales. Each story paints a picture of an eerie and possibly supernatural world, yet includes relatable human emotions. Highly recommend.
Only one of these stories was about Vampires- but all of them were good.
Vampires in the Lemon Grove happened to be my absolute favorite, it had darkness and unmistakable charm to it that I really wanted and hoped to see in Vampire stories. It was interesting and fresh! That is, until the end. Maybe I just don't understand the concept of a short story, because Russell is clearly a very talented writer- but all of these stories feel unfinished. The endings are rushed and abrupt. I just find myself wishing that these were full length novels.
Vampires in the Lemon Grove happened to be my absolute favorite, it had darkness and unmistakable charm to it that I really wanted and hoped to see in Vampire stories. It was interesting and fresh! That is, until the end. Maybe I just don't understand the concept of a short story, because Russell is clearly a very talented writer- but all of these stories feel unfinished. The endings are rushed and abrupt. I just find myself wishing that these were full length novels.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very, Very Unique Short Stories. Well written, and I Loved it. I didn't want it to end.