Reviews

In an Uncharted Country by Clifford Garstang

arnie's review

4.0

I wanted to give this book 3 1/2 stars but I rated more stories 4 or 5 than 3, so I went with 4. The stories all take place in a rural Virginia and have some overlapping characters. Although the writing is very different, the structure reminded me a bit of Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio. The narratives are generally strong and I appreciated the diversity of actors—racially, ethnically, and sexually. I especially liked the story, “Heading for Home.” If there was a weakness, from my perspective, it was that some of the dialogue, especially between spouses, appeared a bit stilted.