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Reviews | BOOKS
SHORT STORIES RODGE GLASS LoveSexTravelMusik (Freight) ●●●●●
Rodge Glass’ eagerly awaited new book LoveSexTravelMusik is potentially one of the most perceptive pieces of modern writing to date. With bright, bold prose, Glass breathes new life into the exotic cities that have been reduced to a few empty paragraphs in travel guides. The collection of short stories explores
snapshots of various destinations and characters, from a lads’ weekend in Eastern Europe to a couple’s sex tour of Arizona. Through this, it examines what drives men and woman of all ages to fly thousands of miles to escape their problems and disappointments, hoping to find that the grass is greener on the other side.
With sometimes painfully relatable themes of isolation and dissatisfaction, the book’s razor-sharp narrative offers a witty and fearless exploration of the human condition via discount air travel. The collection hosts some of Glass’ best writing, two particular examples being ‘Orientation #1’ and ‘Do All Things with Love’. In his experimenting with various techniques, both pieces are excellent portrayals of Glass’ thoughtful and unique style, which make LoveSexTravelMusik utterly compelling. (Karyn Dougan)
LITERARY FICTION TENDAI HUCHU The Hairdresser of Harare (Freight) ●●●●●
Vimbai and Dumisani are two ambitious hairdressers hiding secrets and jealousy in this intriguing novel. Its language is simple, even utilitarian: the descriptions verge on cliché and major events in the characters’ lives are glossed over quickly and with little insight into their consciousness. What it does excellently, though, is juxtapose this with an equally matter- of-fact presentation of the basic realities of contemporary Zimbabwe. Unemployment, class, AIDS, bills, the economy, sexuality and corruption are dealt with in an unsentimental way, and Huchu never lets you forget the specific political context of the story you’re reading. When advertising her hair salon, Vimbai says: ‘I figured since the country’s average life expectancy was thirty-seven, I would concentrate on the young.’ Bribery, violence and exploitation are dealt with in a similarly blunt manner, and this extends to Vimbai, who is haughty and rude, but appears worthy of admiration for the stoic way she goes about navigating the complex realities of her country. (Mark West)
MODERN FANTASY ROBERT SWARTWOOD Real Illusions (CreateSpace) ●●●●● FAMILY FABLE PATRICK NESS The Crane Wife (Canongate) ●●●●●
Robert Swartwood’s first story collection is a world of small, ordinary miracles: a father escapes from the car wreck that kills his wife, but discovers that he is now immune to physical harm; two boys on the run are saved by a vengeful ghost; a teenager buys a vanishing trick for his brother, only for his entire life to be erased, piece by piece. The stories are told in clean, uncluttered prose, and the homely settings – a suburban home, a junk shop, a farmhouse – lend believability to the more fantastical story elements. For a fantasy reader, there are few surprises here. Although the unreal elements are cleverly introduced, once this surprise is revealed the stories unfold just as a seasoned reader might expect. However, if you’re new to the world of unreal fiction then this is not a bad place to start, as the familiar settings and spare language provide a good bridge between realism and fantasy.
Swartwood is best known for his work in one-sentence stories, and some of these longer pieces might have more impact if pared right back to the bone. (Kirsty Logan)
Known best for his young adult fiction, there’s little surprise that Patrick Ness’ latest book for ‘grown-ups’ leans heavily towards the magical. If you’re familiar with the original Japanese fable, then you’ll immediately recognise the opening scene of a man tending to an injured bird in his garden. Come the end, you’ll be haunted by the Ness method of delivering ultimate freedom for his crane in its new guise.
George Duncan is essentially a ‘nice’ man. His gentleness appears to be the reason why his relationships have failed, but even as a sad divorcee he still has a loving daughter and equally affectionate grandson in his life. But a past indiscretion threatens to engulf George and blunt the possibilities of happiness with Kumiko, the mystery woman who wanders into his shop. This is a novel about stories and the way they change from teller to teller. That motif emerges subtly at first, before becoming explicit as the climactic calamity arrives in several versions. By that painful finale, this flight of fancy is one his readers will be only too glad to have embarked upon. (Brian Donaldson)
SHORT STORIES KAREN RUSSELL Vampires in the Lemon Grove (Chatto & Windus) ●●●●●
In a world saturated with vampire lore, you could be forgiven for thinking there was nothing left to say on the subject. So it’s all the more impressive that the title story of Karen Russell’s second collection feels completely fresh: a melancholy, moving tale of a century- long marriage in danger of falling apart.
Russell is adept at breathing
new life into several familiar tropes. ‘Proving Up’ starts out as a traditional western, but soon the skies darken and the narrative veers towards the supernatural. Elsewhere she takes the old creepy-doll horror device and makes it scary again, creating palpable dread around the mystery of the eerily vacant Eric Mutis. The writing is spot-on throughout, with rich world-building and fleshed- out characters. A few stories, such as the tongue-in-cheek ‘Dougbert Shackleton’s Rules For Antarctic Tailgating’, are a little lacking in depth, but more than get by on entertainment value. Ultimately it is the hint of magic in the everyday world that makes all the stories so unpredictable, tense and compulsive. (Ally Nicholl)
21 Mar–18 Apr 2013 THE LIST 45