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A review by yeats_motel
North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’d heard that Nathan Ballingrud’s short fiction was incredible and I’m pleased to report that this is true. His prose is dazzling, even when describing the gruesome or the grimy. The characterization is very strong; most of the characters in the story are failures and lowlifes, but Ballingrud writes a very moving humanity into them.
That said, these stories are pretty upsetting in quiet or not-so-quiet ways and my favorite of them—the final story, “The Good Husband”—is probably the most upsetting of all. I don’t recommend this collection to anyone in need of an escapist pick-me-up, but if getting down in the grime is cathartic or interesting to you, North American Lake Monsters is definitely worth your time.
That said, these stories are pretty upsetting in quiet or not-so-quiet ways and my favorite of them—the final story, “The Good Husband”—is probably the most upsetting of all. I don’t recommend this collection to anyone in need of an escapist pick-me-up, but if getting down in the grime is cathartic or interesting to you, North American Lake Monsters is definitely worth your time.