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Small Creatures / Wide Field
This is an exciting and beautiful book of interactive-fiction. Twitter length stories leave you with two options enabling you to jump around this narrative. A story called "Invade" threads throughout the book but in between you’ll find yourself on rickety bridges, in abusive relationships, analyzing literature with dragons, and printing some pages to fold into paper airplanes. This is a very American story.
- GenresPoetry
30 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
2 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
jamie mortara
6 books31 followersjamie mortara (they/them/their) is a queer poet, performer, publisher, organizer, and artist. They grew up in New Jersey and have learned to stop apologizing for it. jamie is author of the poetry collections GOOD MORNING AMERICA I AM HUNGRY AND ON FIRE (YesYes Books, 2018) and some planet (YesYes Books, 2015), and the interactive fiction collection small creatures / wide field (tNY Press). Three of their DIY zines are indie bestsellers and the others are likely scattered to the winds somewhere. jamie is founder of the audio poetry magazine Voicemail Poems, a National Poetry Slam competitor, and has performed their poetry in 29 states and counting. jamie holds an MFA from UNCW and is a proud Capricorn. More about jamie can be found at jamiemortara.comjamiemortara.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 4, 2016
In “Small Creatures / Wide Field”, author John Mortara provides a little (23 single-sided pages) top-spiraled book that appears to be a bizarre form of those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books that we read as kids. Except … there are only two options. It turns out that one option takes you to some sort of one-off page containing a drawing, or a poem, or similar little thing. The other contains a bit of a tale, mostly about a young woman named Jamie.
The problem, based on my traditional-rooted background, is that the bizarre “pick one or the other” lead-ins and story choices are an incredible distraction from what might be a decent little story about Jamie. Her life sounds like it's had some interesting turns in a limited number of years, and I WISH the author had fleshed them out. In addition, Mr. Montara makes an interesting point or two about the value of a college education, cost vs. return on investment both confirming and questioning some of the basic tenets of capitalism, that are also buried among the other strange stuff.
There are some people who can be both very strange and very poignant – but it's incredibly difficult to demonstrate both at the same time. Mr. Mortara set a goal for himself that was so high that he had little hope of achieving it. He gets a gold star for effort, but this is not an “everybody gets a trophy” kind of reviewer.
RATING: 3 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was hinted that winners who write and post honest reviews have a better chance of being selected to receive future books.
The problem, based on my traditional-rooted background, is that the bizarre “pick one or the other” lead-ins and story choices are an incredible distraction from what might be a decent little story about Jamie. Her life sounds like it's had some interesting turns in a limited number of years, and I WISH the author had fleshed them out. In addition, Mr. Montara makes an interesting point or two about the value of a college education, cost vs. return on investment both confirming and questioning some of the basic tenets of capitalism, that are also buried among the other strange stuff.
There are some people who can be both very strange and very poignant – but it's incredibly difficult to demonstrate both at the same time. Mr. Mortara set a goal for himself that was so high that he had little hope of achieving it. He gets a gold star for effort, but this is not an “everybody gets a trophy” kind of reviewer.
RATING: 3 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was hinted that winners who write and post honest reviews have a better chance of being selected to receive future books.
September 3, 2014
when i wanted this book, i wanted this book & couldn't wait for it to arrive. i opened my mouth & john's book came out. even though this isn't about the book, i wanted to mention it because it was a positive experience i had. plus, if you want to get a copy of this book, open yr mouth, yr credit card will be charged & john's book will come out. it really is that easy.
i took the book outside. suffice it to say, the world was made of gemstones, then. inside the book, i could hear the collages laughing with me. inside the book, i could hear the words; shy, but happy, i think. there is a pair of sunglasses in here, both a little big & a little small for me, but i can't see my life fulfilled without them.
i asked my mom to read me this book. she did, like before, when i was a babe. when it was over, she said, "how did i do?" & i nodded. john came by & they nodded. my mother nodded, too, which was nice. the book is very nice, if you like john nodding at you.
i took the book outside. suffice it to say, the world was made of gemstones, then. inside the book, i could hear the collages laughing with me. inside the book, i could hear the words; shy, but happy, i think. there is a pair of sunglasses in here, both a little big & a little small for me, but i can't see my life fulfilled without them.
i asked my mom to read me this book. she did, like before, when i was a babe. when it was over, she said, "how did i do?" & i nodded. john came by & they nodded. my mother nodded, too, which was nice. the book is very nice, if you like john nodding at you.
January 15, 2014
America as an abusive relationship: choose your own adventure, but you're still in the machine. What's the key in abuse? Power.
The ideas are very Vonnegut-esque. We're asked to "swim" before we know how to be. There are so many demands and somehow we have to fulfill them without going crazy. This book feels like life.
"He looks at Jamie still shockingly graceful with all that shit in her brain."
Also, the collages are scary and beautiful.
The ideas are very Vonnegut-esque. We're asked to "swim" before we know how to be. There are so many demands and somehow we have to fulfill them without going crazy. This book feels like life.
"He looks at Jamie still shockingly graceful with all that shit in her brain."
Also, the collages are scary and beautiful.
March 6, 2015
This is an existential choose-your-own-adventure gem designed as a notepad. Each page contains a little golden nugget of nihilistic humor:
The witch casts the spell UNCONTROLLABLE MISERY on you, but it has no effect, since your status is already UNCONTROLLABLE MISERY.
>weep? p.22
>whistle that song from Armageddon? p.16
This is a helluva an idea, and Mortara pulls it off with phenomenal execution. A beautiful piece of art. Very recommended.
The witch casts the spell UNCONTROLLABLE MISERY on you, but it has no effect, since your status is already UNCONTROLLABLE MISERY.
>weep? p.22
>whistle that song from Armageddon? p.16
This is a helluva an idea, and Mortara pulls it off with phenomenal execution. A beautiful piece of art. Very recommended.
August 28, 2015
I enjoyed how this was put together but that's about it.
October 7, 2014
Sigh. I really wanted to be a fan of this unique little book. I love the creative idea that inspired the book -- a flipbook "find your own adventure" style, for adults not kids. Pieces of the work reminded me of Keri's Smith's genius creative outlets.
Unfortunately, I just found this book to be too disjointed. Nothing seemed to go together. Granted, I believe some of it was not supposed to go together; but there surely should have been some kind of order. I think I just expected too much. Was this a first-effort venture into new territory? Perhaps I would enjoy the creator's next endeavor?
Very few times have I been disappointed with a goodreads giveaway. Sadly, this time I was.
Unfortunately, I just found this book to be too disjointed. Nothing seemed to go together. Granted, I believe some of it was not supposed to go together; but there surely should have been some kind of order. I think I just expected too much. Was this a first-effort venture into new territory? Perhaps I would enjoy the creator's next endeavor?
Very few times have I been disappointed with a goodreads giveaway. Sadly, this time I was.
September 27, 2015
This is a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure flipbook for adults and is at times reminiscent of This Is Not a Book. Dark with a touch of whimsy and a speck of hilarity (see Non-Hierarchical List of Love Poem Ideas). A few moments of decision-making/reading and it's over. Very spare, short, and tiny. I'd like to see the idea fleshed out a bit more. It was odd and a bit disjointed, but I liked it.
I received my copy from a Goodreads giveaway.
I received my copy from a Goodreads giveaway.
October 14, 2014
This was a Goodreads giveaway book. I wasn't sure what I was expecting...but I was disappointed. Need a magnifying glass to read the very small print. I was just going to send it on its way since I didn't finish it. But after checking the reviews, I guess I might give it another chance when I get a magnifying glass.
October 17, 2014
Neat idea being in the notepad form. I got confused when I received it since I opened the package in the dark and wondered, who sent me a notepad? I already have a bunch. Anyway, I read through it a couple times, but really couldn't get into it. I liked it though, especially the part comparing America to an abusive relationship.
November 11, 2014
A small notepad filled with cool collage illustrations and a small description. Giving you two different choices to pick from which will lead to a short story or a collage of some sort. I found the book to be adventurous because you can go through different imagery throughout the notepad and choose your own quest.
October 9, 2014
A very creative little flip book of adventure. I loved paging through and choosing my path as it lead me to sometimes dark places that had an eerie fondness to them. The strange outcomes and the wonderful art made this an incredibly enjoyable read.
September 10, 2016
"Non-hierarchical list of love poem ideas" is my new favorite thing ever.
October 5, 2014
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway...
I really wanted to like this story but I just didn't get it. It needed more of a story and less random pictures.
I really wanted to like this story but I just didn't get it. It needed more of a story and less random pictures.
October 10, 2014
This seemed more like an art piece than a book.There were many moments that made me lol ,just wish it was a bit longer.
October 5, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This book is quirky and tells a unique tale. I loved it!
October 14, 2014
my review is here.
October 16, 2014
Choose your own adventure, i don't think so. You cant get anywhere and it didn't make sense to me. Not worth even glancing at in my opinion.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews