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A review by huncamuncamouse
Cascade: Stories by Craig Davidson
3.0
3.5 stars, but rounded up because there's a truly GREAT story in this collection.
I picked this up on a whim in the new fiction section at my library. The stories here are loosely connected by setting in Niagara Falls. These were all very thoughtfully constructed pieces--he's a technically talented writer, at his best when black humor comes through. My problem with a lot of short story collections in general, as much as I enjoy reading them, is that very few of the stories remain memorable months later. A lot of short stories are very . . . competent, technically good, interesting, peppered with snappy dialogue and interesting characters. Over-all, that's how I found the stories in this collection to be.
But "The Vanishing Twin," was something really special, the kind of story I'll be thinking about for a long time. There's an immediacy and fluidity of voice in this one that isn't as readily apparent in the other stories. It's a haunting story that could have easily veered into something over-the-top but doesn't. He toes the line masterfully. One of Davidson's strengths throughout the book is having the confidence to just leave some things unsaid, and that's showcased to great effect here.
I picked this up on a whim in the new fiction section at my library. The stories here are loosely connected by setting in Niagara Falls. These were all very thoughtfully constructed pieces--he's a technically talented writer, at his best when black humor comes through. My problem with a lot of short story collections in general, as much as I enjoy reading them, is that very few of the stories remain memorable months later. A lot of short stories are very . . . competent, technically good, interesting, peppered with snappy dialogue and interesting characters. Over-all, that's how I found the stories in this collection to be.
But "The Vanishing Twin," was something really special, the kind of story I'll be thinking about for a long time. There's an immediacy and fluidity of voice in this one that isn't as readily apparent in the other stories. It's a haunting story that could have easily veered into something over-the-top but doesn't. He toes the line masterfully. One of Davidson's strengths throughout the book is having the confidence to just leave some things unsaid, and that's showcased to great effect here.