bwjr's review
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
muddypuddle's review against another edition
4.0
The short novellas by Paul Doiron in the Mike Bowditch series seem to be stories from the past that Charlie Stevens tells. This one is from the 80s and is his and his wife, Aura's, retelling of confrontations with a Vietnam vet and his Vietnamese wife. It was interesting, and a bit thought-provoking.
lisa_h71's review
3.0
3 1/2 stars. A quick read. This short story is a good addition to the Mike Bowditch collection, although Mike himself is a minor character here. I enjoyed the plot twist at the end.
skinnypenguin's review
3.0
An interesting quick read. Charley, a former game warden, asks Mike to stop with him while he delivers a package to a house way out at the end of a road in a very isolated spot. He says he is doing it for his wife. Mike asks what it is and who lives in the house and Charley proceeds to tell him the story.
The story Charley tells is about a Vietnam veteran who marries a Vietnamese woman and brings her to live in rural Maine. She is basically kept as a prisoner in the house and the man is suffering from PTSD plus drinks and takes drugs. It appears as if he is abusing her and their daughter and Charley's wife, Orla, attempts to help. Things don't end well and Orla & Charley feel guilty for how it turned out so they help out the woman in the present.
The story Charley tells is about a Vietnam veteran who marries a Vietnamese woman and brings her to live in rural Maine. She is basically kept as a prisoner in the house and the man is suffering from PTSD plus drinks and takes drugs. It appears as if he is abusing her and their daughter and Charley's wife, Orla, attempts to help. Things don't end well and Orla & Charley feel guilty for how it turned out so they help out the woman in the present.
More...