Book Review: Threatened Species
May 17, 2010
Jeff Vande Zande’s newest release from Whistling Shade Press, Threatened Species is a fine collection of a novella, the title piece, and five short stories. The novella is a twisting tale of, as Vande Zande puts it, fly fishing and a kidnapping. Throughout the story, the perspective changes by way of a father’s wavering personality and the always exciting element of point-of-view switches. These devices make the novella anything but dull. We are taken across the country in a twisting tale, with fly fishing all along the way. Like the stories tagging along for the ride, Threatened Species showcases Vande Zande’s skilled hand at writing as well as his love of fly fishing and his knowledge of the state of Michigan. With our feet soaked deep in family affairs and the rivers of both Michigan and Montana, Vande Zande keeps us planted in his stories.
- C.J.
Book Review: The Taste of Penny
May 13, 2010
Jeff Parker’s new collection of short stories from Dzanc Books, The Taste of Penny, has a lot to do with its title. Okay, it doesn’t, but the quirkiness and the familiar oddness is still there. Parker takes us through the trials and tribulations of everyday meaningless life, including relationships. The humor throughout the collection is captivating, and the way it’s presented is even more so.
In The Taste of Penny resides a mini-series of stories about a guy named James. James is an odd character who goes through a lot of hard times, including living in a basement with bats and centipedes (my least favorite creature) after being kicked out of his girlfriend’s house for accidentally sleep-peeing on her mother’s face. This little mini-series is only different from the rest of the book in one way, really — it deals with James. The humor and the quirkiness and the unique scope through which Parker sees the everyday world remains alive and vivid in each and every story. The conversations are real, the images are colorful, and the characters seem like high school pals. The Taste of Penny is an excellent set of stories.
- C.J.
Book of Poetry Review: Sherry Fairchok
February 22, 2010
Sherry Fairchok’s The Palace of Ashes is a collection of poems laden with coal, ash, and horses.
Yes, I know that’s an odd mix – but you need to read this book in order to understand.
Having never lived in a coal-mining town, I hadn’t the slightest idea what it was like. Not one bit. After reading The Palace of Ashes, I feel as though I’ve spent my whole life inhaling dust and cleaing it off of the front patio every evening.
Fairchok’s tone in her poems is relatively hard to pin down, but it is enjoyable. It is real. It is the voice of someone who honestly wants to deliver a childhood vision. This book engulfs the reader into Fairchok’s world, one of hard work and honest living. It is a pleasant place to stay.
Book Review: Paul Toth
January 14, 2010
Finale is Michigan writer Paul Toth’s third novel. It’s a story of travel and of re-visiting the past. The main character in the book is quite the pathetic man; so much so that he’ll boost anyone’s ego who reads this book. His life is that sad.
The book teaches the reader vague lessons about life and love and effort. And while I found some of the style to be forcefully literary, the drive of the plot helped me enjoy this story for what it was. Finale is an interestingly designed book, and for those curious enough to check it out, I suggest you go with your impulses.
- C.J.
Book Review: David LaBounty
December 24, 2009
Affluenza, David LaBounty’s third novel, is dark. Very dark. Even the cover of the book is pitch black. The story is a roller coaster ride balancing precariously upon tracks of credit card debt and support beams of little to no conscience.
The main character, Chas, is an extremely unreliable narrator. And personally, that is one of my weaknesses in fiction. A big weakness. So I was instantly in love with this messed up insurance agent. Beyond that, though, Affluenza has a lot to say about society and the functionality of its current structure. It is worth reading for its meaning, even beyond its eerie, dark, and sometimes disturbing plot line. I recommend this book to… well, everyone.
- C.J.
