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coolguymontana 's review for:
The Office of Historical Corrections
by Danielle Evans
The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans
5/5 stars
This is a book that’s been on my radar for a while; I finally picked it up at the end of last year, and I’m so glad I did. It’s rare that I find a short story collection in which I love every single story, and The Office of Historical Corrections certainly did not disappoint.
What I Liked:
- The POV in each of the stories is super strong. Danielle Evans is a master at writing compelling and realistic characters.
- The pacing in each story is so well done; I felt they all began and ended at exactly the right time.
- All of the stories are wonderful on their own, separate terms, but the collection is tied together by the themes of race, relationships, and history, and the commonalities between each story make the collection even stronger.
There wasn’t anything in this book I truly disliked, so here are my thoughts on each of the individual stories:
Happily Ever After - follows an employee at a Titanic replica as she grapples with her romantic and family history. I thought this was a bit of a weak start to an otherwise strong collection, but I still enjoyed it.
Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain - follows a photojournalist watching as a wedding goes off the rails. Very entertaining, and deep in unexpected ways.
Boys Go to Jupiter - follows a white college student after a picture of her wearing a confederate flag bikini goes viral. There’s a reason this is most people’s favorite. I wouldn’t be surprised if this story is taught in high school English classes in the near future (and I hope it is!).
Alcatraz - follows a family reunion at the titular prison, and a mother trying to get justice for her dead grandfather. Where the title story deals with national history, this story deals with personal and family history, and it handles it with the same amount of grace.
Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want - follows a group of women after their shared ex-boyfriend attempts to make amends to them through performative art pieces. This one is different in tone and in form than the rest of the collection, but I wouldn’t say it feels out of place. Very unique, and cathartic to read.
Anything Could Disappear - follows a woman taking care of a baby that was abandoned next to her on a bus. This one will rip your heart out in the best possible way.
The Office of Historical Corrections - follows two Black historians researching the supposed murder of a Black man and trying to uncover the truth of what happened to him. The characterization is strong in all of these pieces, but especially here. Very timely.
Although I loved every story in this collection, my favorites were Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain, Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want, and the title novella.
Overall: these seven stories are all brilliant powerful meditations on race, family, love, grief, and history (both personal and collective). I can’t wait to read them all again.
Recommended for: everyone.
5/5 stars
This is a book that’s been on my radar for a while; I finally picked it up at the end of last year, and I’m so glad I did. It’s rare that I find a short story collection in which I love every single story, and The Office of Historical Corrections certainly did not disappoint.
What I Liked:
- The POV in each of the stories is super strong. Danielle Evans is a master at writing compelling and realistic characters.
- The pacing in each story is so well done; I felt they all began and ended at exactly the right time.
- All of the stories are wonderful on their own, separate terms, but the collection is tied together by the themes of race, relationships, and history, and the commonalities between each story make the collection even stronger.
There wasn’t anything in this book I truly disliked, so here are my thoughts on each of the individual stories:
Happily Ever After - follows an employee at a Titanic replica as she grapples with her romantic and family history. I thought this was a bit of a weak start to an otherwise strong collection, but I still enjoyed it.
Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain - follows a photojournalist watching as a wedding goes off the rails. Very entertaining, and deep in unexpected ways.
Boys Go to Jupiter - follows a white college student after a picture of her wearing a confederate flag bikini goes viral. There’s a reason this is most people’s favorite. I wouldn’t be surprised if this story is taught in high school English classes in the near future (and I hope it is!).
Alcatraz - follows a family reunion at the titular prison, and a mother trying to get justice for her dead grandfather. Where the title story deals with national history, this story deals with personal and family history, and it handles it with the same amount of grace.
Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want - follows a group of women after their shared ex-boyfriend attempts to make amends to them through performative art pieces. This one is different in tone and in form than the rest of the collection, but I wouldn’t say it feels out of place. Very unique, and cathartic to read.
Anything Could Disappear - follows a woman taking care of a baby that was abandoned next to her on a bus. This one will rip your heart out in the best possible way.
The Office of Historical Corrections - follows two Black historians researching the supposed murder of a Black man and trying to uncover the truth of what happened to him. The characterization is strong in all of these pieces, but especially here. Very timely.
Although I loved every story in this collection, my favorites were Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain, Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want, and the title novella.
Overall: these seven stories are all brilliant powerful meditations on race, family, love, grief, and history (both personal and collective). I can’t wait to read them all again.
Recommended for: everyone.