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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Unlike a lot of short story collections, I enjoyed all of the stories. I could relate.to them and none of them was a slog to get through.
Last year I enjoyed reading Brendan Mathew's first novel The World of Tomorrow. Reading his first collection of stories This is Not a Love Song brought me a new appreciation of Mathews. If World was a fun romp into the past with an action ending, the short stories are an examination of the human experience on a deeper level. I was moved, I related, and I was entertained.
There are stories about we believe we know--about love and family and life--but discover aren't true. Stories about coming to terms with life, or not coming to terms.
The first story, Heroes of the Revolution, was also one of my favorites. An American female college student is responsible for providing visiting foreign journalists with typical American experiences. She takes them to pick apples, but walking through the orchard stirs memories, revealing the student's sheltered life while the journalists grapple with the lasting damage of the atrocities they personally lived through.
This is Not a Love Song questions the nature of art and friendship as one woman pursues a music career while her friend captures her life on film.
I loved Airborne, the story of how having a child transformed a couple's life and relationship, the crazy obsession over a child's safety, which in the story goes to an extreme, but which I well remember with the birth of my only child.
How Long Does the First Part Last? is about unrequited love.
Dunn & Sons is "the story my father never tells;" three generations of men share stories that connect them and those that split them, and the stories that "might save us" if "ever told the right way."
Look at Everything is an amazing story about a photography student who by accident causes a fire and responds by taking photographs instead of reporting it.
The Drive takes an ironic peek behind the ubiquitous story of a dad taking the babysitter home.
Henry and his Brother speaks to the bonds of fraternal love and a mutual need that transcends family ties.
In Salvage, a man working in the shady business of removing architectural pieces from ruined buildings finds the item that he thinks will finally change his luck and life.
The last story, My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer, reads like a parody and comedy but feels like a tragedy involving the love triangle clown, a tightrope walker, and a lion tamer.
I can't wait to see what Mathews does next.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
There are stories about we believe we know--about love and family and life--but discover aren't true. Stories about coming to terms with life, or not coming to terms.
The first story, Heroes of the Revolution, was also one of my favorites. An American female college student is responsible for providing visiting foreign journalists with typical American experiences. She takes them to pick apples, but walking through the orchard stirs memories, revealing the student's sheltered life while the journalists grapple with the lasting damage of the atrocities they personally lived through.
This is Not a Love Song questions the nature of art and friendship as one woman pursues a music career while her friend captures her life on film.
I loved Airborne, the story of how having a child transformed a couple's life and relationship, the crazy obsession over a child's safety, which in the story goes to an extreme, but which I well remember with the birth of my only child.
How Long Does the First Part Last? is about unrequited love.
Dunn & Sons is "the story my father never tells;" three generations of men share stories that connect them and those that split them, and the stories that "might save us" if "ever told the right way."
Look at Everything is an amazing story about a photography student who by accident causes a fire and responds by taking photographs instead of reporting it.
The Drive takes an ironic peek behind the ubiquitous story of a dad taking the babysitter home.
Henry and his Brother speaks to the bonds of fraternal love and a mutual need that transcends family ties.
In Salvage, a man working in the shady business of removing architectural pieces from ruined buildings finds the item that he thinks will finally change his luck and life.
The last story, My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer, reads like a parody and comedy but feels like a tragedy involving the love triangle clown, a tightrope walker, and a lion tamer.
I can't wait to see what Mathews does next.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Quite a few wonderfully unique stories; beautiful writing.
Damn, I really love this author. Usually all I want from a short story collection is two or three standouts; these are all pretty stellar. Airborne felt so true to me it was as if I was reading about myself. I’m so glad I read this and it was worth getting that song stuck in my head for a couple days.
I just picked this up from a thrift store with the last book I read. Another cover that got me, but I also liked the book also. A few short stories (which is something I keep picking up lately) they all had a theme of yearning or longing that comes with being human in all the sorts of relationships in our lives. Kind of like an ode to the ugly or uncomfortable. My favorite
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Some real gems, some I didn’t love, but an overall solid collection of short stories. Aaaand it made the PiL song pop into my head every time I saw the cover (which is why I originally picked it up).
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I especially loved This is Not a Love Song, Airborne and My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer .
An Very Insightful Story Collection
This was a quick read, filled with a facinating collection of stories!
Some of the stories were very straightforward but others had little twists. Each story invoked a certain mood of its own. The characters were also very interesting.
All ten of these stories were genuine and well written. They aren't very long but they do pack a punch and waste no time getting to the heart of the matter in each setting. They offer a insightful look at the human condition, and our neverending search for connection and longing.
Reccomended especially if you like short stories.
•
Thank You @hbgcanada for providing me with this #ARC.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
This was a quick read, filled with a facinating collection of stories!
Some of the stories were very straightforward but others had little twists. Each story invoked a certain mood of its own. The characters were also very interesting.
All ten of these stories were genuine and well written. They aren't very long but they do pack a punch and waste no time getting to the heart of the matter in each setting. They offer a insightful look at the human condition, and our neverending search for connection and longing.
Reccomended especially if you like short stories.
•
Thank You @hbgcanada for providing me with this #ARC.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong