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dycojams's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
suncoyote's review against another edition
3.0
Meloy makes me brave about my own writing. She writes elegant single scenes that contain a whole world's worth of story just under the surface. Somebody told me once that single-scene stories never get published and I wish I'd known about Meloy back then--because she does it so well. I had to return to the book to the library, so apologies for not naming the specific story here, but she tells one story about a couple that goes to ask a man if they can have some sheet rock from his property. In that single scene you begin to understand everything about the couple, the world they live in and an inkling of the type of man they are visiting.
Meloy generally employs a rather distant narrator who sees all of the characters at once--if memory serves correctly, she employes third-person narrator almost exclusively. Sometimes I wanted a bit more emotional intensity in the stories, swooping us in to first person or just a close narrator. My heart doesn't get wrung out by her stories, but believe me, her writing will engage you intellectually and your senses will be rewarded by her skill.
Meloy generally employs a rather distant narrator who sees all of the characters at once--if memory serves correctly, she employes third-person narrator almost exclusively. Sometimes I wanted a bit more emotional intensity in the stories, swooping us in to first person or just a close narrator. My heart doesn't get wrung out by her stories, but believe me, her writing will engage you intellectually and your senses will be rewarded by her skill.
dilan11's review against another edition
4.0
It is hard to believe that this is a debut collection of stories. They are moving and powerful. The Western setting reminds me of Annie Proulx.
"Four Lean Hounds" is haunting. "Paint" is excruciating to read. Even on the second time around, I could barely stand it.
Some of the other stories that take place outside the west like "Red" and "Aqua Boulevard" I found weaker. They didn't feel quite as connected to the emotional content of the story, but still an impressive first collection. One story that might get passed by because of its brevity but it's really a perfect little gem is "The Ice Harvester". It is quiet and perfectly paced something I don't often see from contemporary short story writers.
I look forward to reading her next work.
"Four Lean Hounds" is haunting. "Paint" is excruciating to read. Even on the second time around, I could barely stand it.
Some of the other stories that take place outside the west like "Red" and "Aqua Boulevard" I found weaker. They didn't feel quite as connected to the emotional content of the story, but still an impressive first collection. One story that might get passed by because of its brevity but it's really a perfect little gem is "The Ice Harvester". It is quiet and perfectly paced something I don't often see from contemporary short story writers.
I look forward to reading her next work.
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