And Venus Is Blue: Stories

by Mary Hood

Inspired with the essence of Mary Hood's native South and spiced with intrigue and the dark side of human nature, this collection of stories offers the drama, humor, and heartache of everyday life and unexpected tragedy―with more than a few twists. The stories cover the terrain of transition between old and new, history and the present, holding on and letting go. In "Finding the Chain," Cliffie struggles to overcome her ties to the past and forge a beginning with her newly formed family. "Moths" shows how one man's fortitude, friends, and love of nature help him see his life of poverty in a new light. In the title novella, Delia struggles to overcome her fears of separation and abandonment in the face of her father's suicide. With characters, situations, and settings that capture the turmoil of lives―and of a region―caught in transition between the past and present, the stories of And Venus Is Blue portray both the uncompromising harshness of life and the power of human tenacity.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Mary Hood (born September 16, 1946 in Brunswick, Georgia) is an award-winning fiction writer of predominantly Southern literature, who has authored two short story collections - How Far She Went and And Venus is Blue - and a novel, Familiar Heat. She also regularly publishes essays and reviews in literary and popular magazines.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of short stories. But what makes the book really special is its title story, a novella. It begins with a quote that describes suicide as a bullet through a photo album - all memories you have are altered in some way.

[Ann]

Another great book of short stories by Mary Hood. And Venus Is Blue is a difficult to understand story of a suicide (the longest "short story" in the book as well as the title of the book). It's been a long time since I've read it, but I'm going to make a point to re-read it soon.

Maybe this time I'll understand it better, now that I've added more years to my life.

[Thing Two · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Hood has a beautiful writing voice. She doesn't hid that she is a Southern writer, and yet her accent doesn't come across so thickly you need to look for the exit of the Piggly-Wiggly. She's a Southern writer, because that's where her neighbors live.

These stories are enjoyable. My favorite was "Nobody's Fool" about a stubborn old man who, instead of admitting to his daughter the dog has escaped, heads out (almost with his walker in hand) to rescue the dog himself. I can hear him saying dagnabit now. My least favorite was "The Goodwife Hawkins", not because it wasn't well done, but because the story line was so troubling.

All in all, I enjoy Mary Hood and will continue to search out her short stories when I'm in the mood.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Fine stories. I failed to really understand the novella, though the individual parts of it were compelling.