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Wake: Stories
In the title story, two sisters are slowly losing their parents to mental illness. In "Cardiff-by-the-Sea," a soldier who lost his sight in Vietnam is given a second chance through a new relationship with a daughter he didn't know he had. In "Plan B," a woman loses her husband to an affair with someone much younger - and then her grip on sanity. A hospice worker in "Outcomes," steals inconsequential tokens from her patients, a habit, both strange and intimate, that soon becomes a necessary part of her life.
- GenresShort Stories
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 17, 2003
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 29, 2008
It is raining here tonight - a beautiful smelling February rain. I have no idea how that directly coincides with finishing this book, but both have a strangeness and a melancholy attached to them.
This book is about loss. Alright, not an altogether interesting set of connections for a short story collection, but it is done very well here. Each story has a completely different sort of loss for the main character. Some subtle, some not so. The stories strive to be more about the character dealing with the loss rather than the shock of loss itself, though, showcasing a talent quite unlike others who use loss as the sole reason for the story.
In particular, I loved the stories "Plan B" and "Deep Down to the Bottom of This."
There is a very "human" level to these stories. I know that is a cliche statement, but these stories are anything but. These stories are a February sort of rain: Nothing entirely unusual on their own, but surprising nonetheless.
This book is about loss. Alright, not an altogether interesting set of connections for a short story collection, but it is done very well here. Each story has a completely different sort of loss for the main character. Some subtle, some not so. The stories strive to be more about the character dealing with the loss rather than the shock of loss itself, though, showcasing a talent quite unlike others who use loss as the sole reason for the story.
In particular, I loved the stories "Plan B" and "Deep Down to the Bottom of This."
There is a very "human" level to these stories. I know that is a cliche statement, but these stories are anything but. These stories are a February sort of rain: Nothing entirely unusual on their own, but surprising nonetheless.
March 23, 2008
Five Question Book Review:
Describe this book in one word: comfortable
Makes you want to (i.e. sleep, eat, run, screw)?: move to a farm
Should be read with: comfort food and beth goldner's other book and the girls' guide to hunting and fishing
Famous person you'd recommend this book to?: natalie portman
Would you read this book again?: yes, but I wouldn't buy it
Describe this book in one word: comfortable
Makes you want to (i.e. sleep, eat, run, screw)?: move to a farm
Should be read with: comfort food and beth goldner's other book and the girls' guide to hunting and fishing
Famous person you'd recommend this book to?: natalie portman
Would you read this book again?: yes, but I wouldn't buy it
February 10, 2008
Stories with enough intrigue and adult interaction to keep my interest. Especially liked Taxi Dancer.
March 4, 2009
Diverse well-written collection of short stories.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews