Reviews - The History of Sound: Stories

587 reviews for:

The History of Sound: Stories

Ben Shattuck

4.39 AVERAGE

mamurray's review against another edition

4.75

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The title story alone is worth getting this book.

edwardhabib's review against another edition

4.0

7.5/10. The History of Sound is, overall, a strong collection of intimate short stories that represent human relationships and New England lifestyle and culture. Ben Shattuck does a great job with setting and character throughout, and the interconnectedness of the stories is a (mostly) nice, subtle added touch.

Here are my thoughts on each story:

The History of Sound, 10/10 - This a really touching short story about the enduring hold love has over time, and the dull ache that can linger for a lifetime when it is lost. The idea of a recording carrying the voice of a lost love through time is really wonderful, and the idea that recordings shifted from being used to record the voices of loved ones to recording music because the pain of hearing the echo of a lost love is too great was a really sweet touch. There is so much here that captures the imagery and feelings of youthful love, being swept off your feet, and finding yourself in a forbidden and ultimately doomed romance.

Edwin Chase of Nantucket, 8/10 - The best thing about this story is the atmosphere. It evokes the wild, untamed climate of colonial New England in a way that evokes a Robert Eggers film. The story of a son realizing his parents' flaws as individuals and the unhappiness of their relationship is compelling. Part of growing up is realizing that your parents are humans who have loved, lost, failed, had their hearts broken, and sacrificed their dreams along the way, and this story captures that well.

The Silver Clip, 5/10 - A bit forgettable, silly, and underdeveloped. This story is full of buildup and sexual tension that ultimately goes nowhere, and for no apparent reason. The best thing about this one was the use of the painting of the bird as a tie-in to the previous story.

Graft, 10/10 - An excellent story about the damage of generational familial trauma, and what it takes to finally end it by taking accountability and accepting responsibility. The main character, Hope, is a very sympathetic character despite being damaged goods, a poor judge of character, and a victim of deception and bullying throughout her life. Her inner thoughts and memories make it clear that she is not the maternal type, yet you can't help but feel sorry for her when she decides that she wants to reconnect with her long lost son. I really appreciated that Hope is able to heal, better herself, and become a more honest and mature person while still not getting everything she wants. The plant symbolism throughout the story is also really clever.

Tundra Swan, 7/10 - A tragic tale of how despite parents' best efforts, sometimes there is nothing that can do to save their child, or even their parent-child relationship. In this story, we see a father jeopardize his job, resort to theft, and distance himself from his family, all in the hope that he can devote his best efforts to saving his son from the scourge of addiction. Despite false starts at progress, the effort is ultimately doomed and we see a family ultimately fall apart when the father gets angry at his son for shooting a swan. There's a lot of thematic richness here, and the idea that trees and nature will outlast the family and their problems is somewhat of a memento mori.

August in the Forest, 10/10 - A deeply relatable exploration of the fine line between love and grief, and the importance of finding purpose in life. In this story, the the relationship between August and Elizabeth perfectly represents how sometimes we go searching the world, tying ourselves into knots, rationalizing out of fear, and denying reality when the thing we've been searching for has been in front of us the whole time.

The Journal of Thomas Thurber, 9/10 - This story is yet another data point affirming how much I love epistolary horror. In this tale, through the titular journal entries, we find out what exactly happened at the cabin in the woods featured in the previous story. I love that the more supernatural horror references are left intentionally vague and up to the reader's interpretation. More impactful than the idea of haunted woods is the way this story plays out as a tragedy. From Thomas's relationship with his wife to the ultimate doom at the story's end, this is a cautionary tale about jumping to conclusions, assuming the worst of others, and not remaining rational in the face of a series of unfortunate events. If the previous story was about the redemptive power of telling the truth, this one explores the costs of secrets and lies.

Radiolab: Singularities, 5/10 - Other than the broad theme of extinction and survival recurring throughout, there was not much here that I found particularly interesting or enjoyable. The experimental radio interview format didn't add very much, and unlike the other stories that share connective tissue with one another, this one felt less like a standalone work and more like a prelude to the next story, The Auk.

The Auk, 6/10 - This story reveals the truth of the photographed great auk, a bird seemingly rediscovered after having been thought to be extinct. I was disappointed that my theory while reading the previous story turned out to be pretty much correct. It's one of the few times in this collection of stories that Shattuck chose the easiest explanation for a phenomenon over ambiguity or creativity. The story of a husband caring for his ailing wife and coping with her cognitive decline was sweet, but ultimately, I would have preferred reading more about the dynamic between Will Hunt and Fen Mack, and Fen's unpopular opinions and machiavellian mindset.

The Children of New Eden, 7/10 - A fairly standard account of a colonial-era radical religious cult. There is a lot of atmospheric build-up, and like Edwin Chase of Nantucket, it has that Robert Eggers aesthetic, but having read books and seen movies covering this subject matter before, there wasn't much here that stood out.

Introduction to the Dietzens: Searching for Eternity in the North American Wilderness, 4/10 - Easily the weakest entry in the collection, this story reads more like an essay. Much like The Auk, it serves as an underwhelming epilogue to the previous story.

Origin Stories, 9/10 - The final story in this collection takes us back to where it all began, but without feeling heavy-handed or tacked on. The story follows Annie, a woman who is grappling with a mid-life crisis in which she feels that her choices have led her to spend the past decade feeling unfulfilled and underwhelmed by life. Lacking a career, living in a town she dislikes, and following her increasingly-unavailable husband as he pursues his ambitions, Annie yearns for change. The best thing about this story is that Annie's revelations are sparked by elderly characters who appeared (or were mentioned) in the first story, The History of Sound. As they approach the end of their lives, Lionel and Bella are able to share wisdom on what a full life really looks like. The yearning for experiences long-gone, the frustration with stagnation, and the desire for something new and better are so beautifully articulated here and put a nice bow on this entire collection of stories.