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A review by brennanlafaro
Jimmy the Freak by Mark Steensland, Charles Colyott
5.0
This is the second novella I’ve read in the last few months that Mark Steensland had a hand in, the first one being In The Scrape. It’s also the second of the two that I’ve had no compunction about giving five stars to.
Jimmy the Freak has a bit of an Of Mice and Men feel to it, but it only shares a handful of certain beats. Namely the aspect of two men traveling together, one being a bit of a schemer, the other being disabled. After that, this story diverges on its own path.
Mike, the schemer, is paired up with Jimmy, this story’s Lenny, out of necessity on the surface, but we learn there is a bit more to it than that. Mike is a very flawed character, but we find ourselves hoping that all comes out okay in the end anyway. Jimmy also has a particular set of skills that drive the story forward, and although this concept is introduced early on, the way it is done is best discovered by the reader, rather than disclosed by the reviewer.
The story in Jimmy the Freak is good. The characters are great. The characters are alive, and I found myself smiling all too often at their interactions and dialogue. It’s not all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows for our protagonists. Actually, almost none of it is, but Colyott and Steensland make us care deeply about everything that happens to Mike and Jimmy. Even though we don’t get a traditionally happy ending, I loved the direction it took me in.
Jimmy the Freak has a bit of an Of Mice and Men feel to it, but it only shares a handful of certain beats. Namely the aspect of two men traveling together, one being a bit of a schemer, the other being disabled. After that, this story diverges on its own path.
Mike, the schemer, is paired up with Jimmy, this story’s Lenny, out of necessity on the surface, but we learn there is a bit more to it than that. Mike is a very flawed character, but we find ourselves hoping that all comes out okay in the end anyway. Jimmy also has a particular set of skills that drive the story forward, and although this concept is introduced early on, the way it is done is best discovered by the reader, rather than disclosed by the reviewer.
The story in Jimmy the Freak is good. The characters are great. The characters are alive, and I found myself smiling all too often at their interactions and dialogue. It’s not all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows for our protagonists. Actually, almost none of it is, but Colyott and Steensland make us care deeply about everything that happens to Mike and Jimmy. Even though we don’t get a traditionally happy ending, I loved the direction it took me in.