It was strange how my appreciation of this collection changed as I moved through it. Dull and domestic, was my initial reaction to the title story, and the second ‘Lichen’ seemed no better. I found it difficult to relate to the experiences that were being explored here. ‘Miles City, Montana’ was better, I felt that I’d got it, these stories are about women, women and family, women who are ill-used either by accident or by design, new world women who art sometimes beset by old world prejudices. ‘Fits’ remains a puzzle, I read it twice and I still don’t get it, did she or didn’t she, and if she did, why? I’m going to have to read this story again, and probably again.
‘The Moon in the Orange Street Skating Rink’, was the first story I really liked, I liked the characters, Callie and Sam. They were real, believable and had a tangible substance. ‘Jesse and Meribeth’ is a delight, growing up with a best friend and dilemmas of trust and boastfulness. I was lost again with ‘ A Queer Streak’, I found the characters difficult to like yet there was a poignancy about this story that lingered.
My favourite was ‘White Dump’, the multiple voices are so cleverly interwoven that it comes as a surprise to find that this story is really about the divorced wife, Isobel. Whereas the character that really intrigued me was the elderly Sophie, who has a world-weariness combined with an admirable independence. Gradually, I began to understand the power of these stories and the reservoir of interest that lies hidden under a veneer of domesticity.
No comments:
Post a Comment