A review by jaymoran
After Rain by William Trevor
4.0
Tomorrow, when the sun is again in charge at its time of year, a few midday minutes will wipe away what lingers of this softness. New dust will settle, marble will be warm to touch. Weeks it may be, months perhaps,before rain coaxes our these fragrances that are tender now.
Astute, sincere, and, in parts, delicately beautiful, this collection examines people at their most vulnerable, be they grieving for a lost one, committing a crime, or confronting deeply buried fears. Trevor is hailed as a true craftsman of the short story, and After Rain was a perfect introduction to that. Only two stories in, he had me in tears (A Friendship) and he continually surprised and moved me with the quiet fragments he was showing me. Each story felt like a snapshot or a single piece to a whole picture, but, rather than losing this moment in the larger plot, he chose instead to zoom in until you could identify every minute grain and fissure, so you could really breathe with those characters and see everything you needed to in those few moments.
My favourites in this collection were The Piano Tuner's Wives, A Friendship, Child's Play, Widows, and A Day, though saying that I really enjoyed every single one.
Astute, sincere, and, in parts, delicately beautiful, this collection examines people at their most vulnerable, be they grieving for a lost one, committing a crime, or confronting deeply buried fears. Trevor is hailed as a true craftsman of the short story, and After Rain was a perfect introduction to that. Only two stories in, he had me in tears (A Friendship) and he continually surprised and moved me with the quiet fragments he was showing me. Each story felt like a snapshot or a single piece to a whole picture, but, rather than losing this moment in the larger plot, he chose instead to zoom in until you could identify every minute grain and fissure, so you could really breathe with those characters and see everything you needed to in those few moments.
My favourites in this collection were The Piano Tuner's Wives, A Friendship, Child's Play, Widows, and A Day, though saying that I really enjoyed every single one.