A review by meadowlarkreviews
Separate Flights by Andre Dubus

4.0

A book that took me by surprise for sure. When I heard Andre Dubus compared as 'the American Chekov', my interest was peaked. This title has also been given to Raymond Carver one of my favorite authors and perhaps a master of the short story. Separate Flights is not a collection of short fiction in a form I'm used to. Two of the stories are novellas and some of the others reach thirty pages in length. Not to a detriment of the collection, but a warning to fellow short story lovers like myself who want a more digestible affair. If you have the time to invest in the longer narratives this collection is worthwhile. Heavy stories about unhappy people finding themselves in the trappings of society, suburbia, and everyday life. Adultery, alcohol, and animosity sum up this collection in three words. However, despite the miserable models Andre uses in his work he directs them like a symphony with beautiful prose and truly raw emotions.