While it’s unlikely anyone could possibly write something new on this subject, what Biss has done with The End of the World is to create characters who express various viewpoints on what I assume Biss sees as the most noteworthy issues affecting our species, and rather than give us the answers—which, of course, he doesn’t have—encourages us to chew on these questions for ourselves. In this he has succeeded.
Tag: fiction
A review of Buffalo Unbound by Laura Pedersen
Through her nostalgic but realistic lens, readers may find themselves looking at their own hometowns in a new way—one that is not the idyllic memory of childhood, but more true to life, warts and all. It is clear that Pedersen makes no apologies for Buffalo’s hardscrabble past, but instead chooses to celebrate the unique spirit and character of her hometown.
A review of Chung Kuo 1: Son Of Heaven by David Wingrove
This book is brutal and unforgiving. The author is not afraid to graphically depict the consequences of violence, he is not afraid to introduce you to a lovable character and kill them off later in the story, and he is not afraid to let the characters become increasingly unhinged and desperate. He uses gritty dialogue, gritty events and gritty locations to depict a world in the throes of the greatest change it has ever seen. And all these things are just right for a story such as this one.
A review of String Bridge by Jessica Bell
Above all, this is a novel about music. Music drives the plot as Melody’s desire for music becomes the motivating catalyst for change in her life. Her guitar and voice underpin the narrative in all sorts of ways, from the songs that open each chapter, to the lullabyes Melody sings for her daughter to the musical career she attempts to resurrect.
A review of The Murderer’s Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
Having experienced domestic violence first hand and gone on to work with the perpetrators of such violence, there is no one better equipped than Meyers to write a story like this. I would categorise, The Murderer’s Daughters as faction—a skilful blending of fact and fiction.
A review of Night Road by Kristin Hannah
Hannah writes firmly in the present, putting the readers in both Jude and Lexi’s thoughts at the moment of her narration. Even though Hannah makes many references to painful events in her characters’ pasts, she doesn’t delve into those moments with any great depth.
A review of Page Truly and the Journey to Nearandfar by L. B. Gschwandtner
In a world where kids are used to the kill or be killed mentality of video games, it’s a pleasure to find a story that demonstrates how the most obvious solution to a problem is not necessarily the best. So, too, it demonstrates creativity and compassion, and shows readers how that which is evident on the surface is not necessarily what lies beneath.
A review of Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
This leads to what really made the book work for me: a sense of tremendous conviction and strength in back of everything. Dreiser makes me feel, in no uncertain terms, that this is a tale worth telling — even though the writing of it might not come easily to him.
A review of Land’s Edge by Tim Winton
Throughout the book, and deftly woven into the narrative structure, Winton poses a number of serious questions. Why are we drawn to the sea, and what is its importance to us? How, in Australia, is the psychological importance of the sea shaped by the predominance of desert? What is our responsibility towards the sea as it changes? How is the sea’s danger to humans—its wild untameability, part of the way we relate to it?
A review of A Family Matter by Will Eisner
Will Eisner was still working very much at the top of his game when he wrote and drew this comic, which was originally published in 1998, when he had just turned 80. With a deft, masterly touch he conveys character and compels the story forward too; all at once.