A review by cmclarabee
Thunderstruck & Other Stories by Elizabeth McCracken

4.0

I have a hard time reading short story collections because I always want to stay longer in a story once I get to know the characters. It feels like each one is over too soon, and then it's hard to switch gears and move on to the next one. Elizabeth McCracken handles her stories so expertly in Thunderstruck though, that their integrity as distinct, complete works is unassailable, and I could not beg her for a page or sentence more for any of them. She writes exactly as much (or as little) as she needs to to convey the poignancy of her characters' human foibles and the stark pain of their losses. After the first couple of stories I knew I was in good hands, and trusted her to lead the way down the path of each new narrative. Really well done.