nlgn's review against another edition
3.0
I was a bit concerned about this after reading a bunch of negative reviews on here, expecting perhaps some unpolished early writing exercises. I need not have worried. This is a great collection of stories.
Perlman is obviously at his 'best' (which you may or may not like) when he has hundreds of pages to stretch out in, but each of these stories captures some facet of his writing style that I enjoy, from complicated ambiguity to contrived connectedness. He lays the legal stuff on a bit thick at times, but otherwise, a brilliant and enjoyable collection. Looking forward to starting on The Street Sweeper...
Perlman is obviously at his 'best' (which you may or may not like) when he has hundreds of pages to stretch out in, but each of these stories captures some facet of his writing style that I enjoy, from complicated ambiguity to contrived connectedness. He lays the legal stuff on a bit thick at times, but otherwise, a brilliant and enjoyable collection. Looking forward to starting on The Street Sweeper...
aktroyer's review against another edition
1.0
the first story was interesting...the second two interested me enough to keep reading, which was a huge mistake. the latter part of the book is basically three novella-type deals, all which start mid-plot and end abruptly...basically like someone was taking my dinner plate away from me in the middle of my second bite. if you still want to read it, save your nickles and take my copy.
debandleo's review against another edition
2.0
I thought I would love this book but I put it down after 4 or 5 stories. I felt the writing was okay - not as good as Seven Types of Ambiguity.
essjay1's review against another edition
5.0
Love this writers style, his Australian themes, his insights into the character. THis is the reason I read fiction. This book is a collection of short stories ranging 10-50 pages in length. The title story is a very poignant account of a marriage disintegrating ... my favourite though.
reallifereading's review
3.0
Was expecting to love it as much as Seven Types of Ambiguity. Was wrong. But there were a couple I did like.
buzzgirl's review
3.0
Though these stories are perhaps not as creatively sophisticated as Perlman's novel, Seven Types of Ambiguity (which I strongly recommend), they are nonetheless compelling and satisfying in their own right. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. Perlman's voices are memorable, and his themes are poignant.
spygrl1's review
3.0
I borrowed Bryan's promo copy of Perlman's first collection of short stories (originally published before Seven Types of Ambiguity and brought to America after that novel's success). The collection, though not without promise, lacks energy. There's something wan and lackluster about many of these stories.
The best are In the Time of the Dinosaur and Manslaughter. In Dinosaur a young boy tells the story of his parents' divorce, although he's mostly preoccupied with his report on dinosaurs. Manslaughter hints at Ambiguity with its use of multiple voices to tell a jig-saw story and with its ... well, ambiguity. One man kills another. Testimony is heard in court. The jurors visit the scene of the crime. But do we really know what happened? And what influence has someone far from the action brought to bear?
I also liked I Was Only in a Childish Way Connected to the Established Order, a slightly melodramatic tale of an ineffectual man who efficiently sacrifices himself to save his son.
A Tale in Two Cities skews noirish elements (a detective looking for a dame's missing brother) with humor (the inexperienced, unlicensed PI is just winging it) and history (the dame is a Russian immigrant, her PI swain has a recovering crack addict brother and a father who survived the Holocaust).
Quotable
You were trying to tell me something and I was trying to tell you something else. We didn't trust each other and that was reason enough to make each of us right.
The best are In the Time of the Dinosaur and Manslaughter. In Dinosaur a young boy tells the story of his parents' divorce, although he's mostly preoccupied with his report on dinosaurs. Manslaughter hints at Ambiguity with its use of multiple voices to tell a jig-saw story and with its ... well, ambiguity. One man kills another. Testimony is heard in court. The jurors visit the scene of the crime. But do we really know what happened? And what influence has someone far from the action brought to bear?
I also liked I Was Only in a Childish Way Connected to the Established Order, a slightly melodramatic tale of an ineffectual man who efficiently sacrifices himself to save his son.
A Tale in Two Cities skews noirish elements (a detective looking for a dame's missing brother) with humor (the inexperienced, unlicensed PI is just winging it) and history (the dame is a Russian immigrant, her PI swain has a recovering crack addict brother and a father who survived the Holocaust).
Quotable
You were trying to tell me something and I was trying to tell you something else. We didn't trust each other and that was reason enough to make each of us right.
juliamrichardson's review
5.0
Take your time, and take it one at a time.
This book, as you may have seen took me from July to tonight, March 9, to finish.
It is not a book you pick up, and read a bit each night before you go to sleep.
My recommendation is to take it one story at a time, each one intensely.
Do not be discouraged if there is a story you do not like. This is the way of short story compilations.
I am relieved to have this book be over. Each story has been milling in my mind for the past 8 months, and now for a long time, I suspect the memory of these stories will not go away. This is why I give it five stars, the only reason why I give any book five stars. The memory will not go away.
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