Genre:
Literary Fiction/Short Stories
Description:
“The
characters in this collection of short stories live on the edge of
life, reaching for harmony, for stillness and for a sense of joy.
They have difficult situations to deal with and their solutions are
often unexpected or harsh or, sadly, just as you would expect.
The
sea is a constant in their lives; for some it is integral to their
livelihoods and for others a source of peace and solace. Albert
(Woman with Doll)
is a recovering alcoholic who tries to help others whether they want
help or not, and Julia (No
Way Out) wants to change
her life completely but lacks the courage. Middle-aged Brigit (Safe
as Houses) longs for
romance but is shocked by her parents’ reaction when she gets a
date, and Andy (Andy)
tries hard to find some happiness in his bleak life, longing for
America and motor bikes. Henry (The
Collection) is angry with
his wife, resenting her growing independence, while Jim and Connie
(Waterbabies)
have strange ideas about saving a young man from the cold. These are
just a few of the characters readers will meet in this collection;
they are calculating, devious and just a bit odd, but funny sometimes
too, and brave…”
Author:
“Joan
Slowey, an Irish writer, has lived in Dublin for most of her life but
is from Co Down originally. She has been writing for many years and
has published short stories, poems, and novels for children.”
Check
out Ms. Slowey’s other books on her Amazon author page or friend her on Facebook.
Appraisal:
As Ms.
Slowey states in this books blurb, the sea is a constant in this
collection of short stories. Most are miserable couples, meddling
siblings, or individuals struggling to survive the status quo or
trying to improve their lives. Some of the tales are twisted, some
are macabre, and more than a few deal with abusive relationships.
That
Cold Place was a good
start. After the death of her husband, Vera decides to visit her
spinster sister, Rosemary, who is far from thrilled for this visit to
her quiet coastal home.
Adam
and Eve is a poignant
story of Jemima, who never really quite fit in anywhere. It’s a
lovely story that left a smile on my face.
One of
my favorites was Waterbabies;
it was twisted but funny. Not nearly as dark as I found several of
the other stories. I had my hopes up for Wedding
Night, I was sure this
one would end well, I thought with stars in my eyes; instead it left
me sad. (The only defense I have here is I read too many romances
with happy endings, I suppose.) In The
Green Boot, I was mostly
happy for Marian. Her biggest boon was realizing she needed a better
friend than Irene.
A
Bit of Comfort is an
enjoyable and interesting character study with bits of wry wit. I
caught myself giggling during this story, although it had some
editing issues. Several times the digital number 1 was used where I
am sure an ‘I’ was intended.
This
is a diverse collection of short stories that explored different
aspects of the human condition. I am sure if you enjoy literary
fiction, you will find this a satisfying read.
FYI:
Ms.
Slowey is an Irish author and uses British/Irish spelling conventions
and slang. There are some physical and/or emotional abuses depicted
in a few of the relationships within. You will also find a number of
F-bombs dropped.
Format/Typo
Issues:
I came
across a small number proofing issues.
Rating:
**** Four Stars
Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Approximate
word count: 50-55,000
words
No comments:
Post a Comment