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The Thing about Great White Sharks: And Other Stories
In this collection’s richly imagined title story, our brutal and resourceful protagonist is determined to protect her family from a murderous, shark-ridden world—at any cost. Elsewhere, an old woman uncovers a sinister plot while looking after a friend’s plants (“Orchids”), and a girl in the war-torn countryside befriends an unlikely creature (“Keeper of the Glass”). In “Barnstormers,” a futuristic flying circus tries to forestall bankruptcy with one last memorable show. At the heart of “Sheila” is the terrible choice a retired judge must make when faced with the destruction of his beloved robotic dog, and “Yuri, in a Blue Dress” follows one of the last survivors of an alien invasion as she seeks help.
Extending from World War II to the far future, these fifteen stories offer a gorgeously observed perspective on our desire for connection and what it means to have compassion—for ourselves, for one another, for our past…and for whatever lies beyond.
Extending from World War II to the far future, these fifteen stories offer a gorgeously observed perspective on our desire for connection and what it means to have compassion—for ourselves, for one another, for our past…and for whatever lies beyond.
182 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2015
87 people are currently reading
461 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Adams Wright
5 books26 followersRebecca Adams Wright is a former Zell Fellow and a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers' Workshop. She earned her MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan and has won both the Leonard and Eileen Newman Writing Prize and a late-night Emily Dickinson poetry challenge. Her fiction has appeared in Daily Science Fiction and her nonfiction in Children's Literature in Education. Rebecca lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with her husband, her daughter, her cat, and several opinionated chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 12, 2015
Put simply, this is an amazing book and not to be missed. Years from now, some of these stories will still wander through my mind like the very best kind of ghost.
Adams Wright has this magician's talent for breathtaking imagery that makes my teeth curl with envy. It's so good that in some stories, like "Tiger Bright," if you asked me to explain *exactly* what the metaphor meant to me, I'm not sure I could, yet I *feel* the unquestionable truth of the image like one would faced with a tiger's stare.
"Yuri, in a Blue Dress" is a flat-out masterpiece of verging on incomprehensible yet instinctively understandable storytelling, and solid science fiction to boot.
Lest you think the entire book will harrow you to exhaustion, Adams Wright is just as good at applying this enviable illustrative sense to comedy-- and the elusive, truly Dark Comedy that I love so much but so rarely encounter. Certainly not with such a deft hand. The title story shows this proudly, for one. "Orchids" does as well.
It's also rare for me, the older I get, to find books that make me speak aloud without thinking, and I lost track of how many times this collection had me talking to myself. "Keeper of the Glass" actually made me whisper, "Oh," to myself several times-- and every other story had me snorting laughter or choking back tears on the train. (Sometimes both! Lucky I didn't get kicked off at the station.)
Maybe that's why these tales will stay with me, persist-- stories always have something to tell you, but these, I had a conversation with, as well.
Adams Wright has this magician's talent for breathtaking imagery that makes my teeth curl with envy. It's so good that in some stories, like "Tiger Bright," if you asked me to explain *exactly* what the metaphor meant to me, I'm not sure I could, yet I *feel* the unquestionable truth of the image like one would faced with a tiger's stare.
"Yuri, in a Blue Dress" is a flat-out masterpiece of verging on incomprehensible yet instinctively understandable storytelling, and solid science fiction to boot.
Lest you think the entire book will harrow you to exhaustion, Adams Wright is just as good at applying this enviable illustrative sense to comedy-- and the elusive, truly Dark Comedy that I love so much but so rarely encounter. Certainly not with such a deft hand. The title story shows this proudly, for one. "Orchids" does as well.
It's also rare for me, the older I get, to find books that make me speak aloud without thinking, and I lost track of how many times this collection had me talking to myself. "Keeper of the Glass" actually made me whisper, "Oh," to myself several times-- and every other story had me snorting laughter or choking back tears on the train. (Sometimes both! Lucky I didn't get kicked off at the station.)
Maybe that's why these tales will stay with me, persist-- stories always have something to tell you, but these, I had a conversation with, as well.
May 20, 2017
Straightforward writing style with some very interesting concepts.
How far will a man go for the love of a robotic pet.
Instructions on how to properly gestate the alien life form in your body.
Two character actors finally meet out of character with unusual results.
Two classmates discover some unexplained incidents involving a recently deceased friend.
A creature made of glass.
A traveling salesman finds a bag that provides exactly what he needs to make a sale.....until the very end.
Mysterious bats who have the ability to take something unusual from humans.
7/10
How far will a man go for the love of a robotic pet.
Instructions on how to properly gestate the alien life form in your body.
Two character actors finally meet out of character with unusual results.
Two classmates discover some unexplained incidents involving a recently deceased friend.
A creature made of glass.
A traveling salesman finds a bag that provides exactly what he needs to make a sale.....until the very end.
Mysterious bats who have the ability to take something unusual from humans.
7/10
January 20, 2016
Review originally posted on Bibliophilia, Please.
I really enjoy short story anthologies, but I had no idea what a fucking treat The Thing About Great White Sharks would be. (I'm using coarse language to convey feeling, not my trashiness, by the way.) This is literary fiction just the way I like it - with a little bit of magical realism, a touch of sci-fi, and a mix of something else. It's shocking, horrible, and wonderful, all rolled into one.
My favorite two stories in the collection are "The Thing About Great White Sharks" and "Sheila". "Sheila", the first story in the collection, broke my heart into a million pieces and blew me away. Sheila, the titular character, is John's, the protagonist, Brittany spaniel, who also happens to be a robot. He's had her for 25+ years, bought when his wife was dying, and has become illegal to own because of the Ginger Creek incident. "Sheila" made me stop and consider the way breeds are treated and how responsible pet owners are usually the ones who suffer the most from bans. "The Thing About Great White Sharks" left me wanting more than I got, in the very best way possible. Jennifer, the main character, is a government test subject after an unknown disease causes all living things to attack and try to kill Homo sapiens. She is forced to battle various creatures so the results can be studied as the government searches for a cure. I think we need an entire book about her, mmkay?
I enjoyed most of the stories, but I will say that "What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite", "Melville Loves Hawthorne", and "The Other Husband" went right over my head. If there was an underlying theme in any of them, they were beyond me. (I think "What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite" may have just been humorous, but I'm making no guesses.) Other than those three, I have no other issues with The Thing About Great White Sharks . It is glorious.
If you're not a reader of short stories, I highly recommend that you start with this one. There is a little bit of something for everyone, and with each story being only a few pages long, The Thing About Great White Sharks is a great book to pick up and set down (good luck with that!) as time allows. I will guarantee that you'll find something you like here. (I bet you're a fan of "Orchids", just you see.)
- 4.5/5 Stars -
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received a copy of the novel from the publisher through TLC Book Tours in exchange for an unbiased review. It has in no way affected the outcome. All expressed opinions are awesome, honest, and courtesy of me.
I really enjoy short story anthologies, but I had no idea what a fucking treat The Thing About Great White Sharks would be. (I'm using coarse language to convey feeling, not my trashiness, by the way.) This is literary fiction just the way I like it - with a little bit of magical realism, a touch of sci-fi, and a mix of something else. It's shocking, horrible, and wonderful, all rolled into one.
My favorite two stories in the collection are "The Thing About Great White Sharks" and "Sheila". "Sheila", the first story in the collection, broke my heart into a million pieces and blew me away. Sheila, the titular character, is John's, the protagonist, Brittany spaniel, who also happens to be a robot. He's had her for 25+ years, bought when his wife was dying, and has become illegal to own because of the Ginger Creek incident. "Sheila" made me stop and consider the way breeds are treated and how responsible pet owners are usually the ones who suffer the most from bans. "The Thing About Great White Sharks" left me wanting more than I got, in the very best way possible. Jennifer, the main character, is a government test subject after an unknown disease causes all living things to attack and try to kill Homo sapiens. She is forced to battle various creatures so the results can be studied as the government searches for a cure. I think we need an entire book about her, mmkay?
I enjoyed most of the stories, but I will say that "What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite", "Melville Loves Hawthorne", and "The Other Husband" went right over my head. If there was an underlying theme in any of them, they were beyond me. (I think "What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite" may have just been humorous, but I'm making no guesses.) Other than those three, I have no other issues with The Thing About Great White Sharks . It is glorious.
If you're not a reader of short stories, I highly recommend that you start with this one. There is a little bit of something for everyone, and with each story being only a few pages long, The Thing About Great White Sharks is a great book to pick up and set down (good luck with that!) as time allows. I will guarantee that you'll find something you like here. (I bet you're a fan of "Orchids", just you see.)
- 4.5/5 Stars -
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received a copy of the novel from the publisher through TLC Book Tours in exchange for an unbiased review. It has in no way affected the outcome. All expressed opinions are awesome, honest, and courtesy of me.
August 22, 2018
When I can't sleep, my husband reads to me. He just read me two different stories from this collection, and they were both so good, I stayed wide awake. The first one he read, "Sheila," was not only wonderful, it was gut-wrenching and left me sobbing, and the second, "Orchids," was so intriguing I wished it were longer.
I finally finished this collection, and all the stories in it were great. I didn't love any of them as much as I loved "Sheila," but they were all intriguing and really well written. i look forward to seeing what she does in the future
I finally finished this collection, and all the stories in it were great. I didn't love any of them as much as I loved "Sheila," but they were all intriguing and really well written. i look forward to seeing what she does in the future
June 5, 2018
Best short story collection I've read in years. These are mostly set in a slightly different version of our own world. Some are sci-fi, some are fantasy, but it's mostly about human drama. Please read this!
March 23, 2021
These stories are delightful. I enjoyed the fantastical elements and solid writing. Recommended!
June 28, 2015
Lean and sparse, these very short little stories paint stories with space for your head to fill in the gaps. Sci-fi, magical realism, historical, near future. They are edgy and uneasy. I picked up and put down often. Favorites were the title story, Yuri, in a Blue Dress, and Keeper of the Glass. Don't expect happy endings, and a lot of the time, don't expect... well, it's an ending, Jim, but not as we know it.
August 21, 2016
This is a special collection filled with magic, the surreal, and the very human. Full review on my blog Guiltless Reading.
March 16, 2015
What does Rebecca Adams Wright know about great white sharks?
She knows what matters.
She knows what matters.
July 15, 2020
I'm afraid I didn't care for this collection of short stories by Rebecca Adams Wright, although this is most likely due to the fact that my taste in short fiction trends somewhat away from science fiction. I can also place much of the blame on the titular short story in the collection, as the title is what mostly attracted me to this collection, yet the short story The Thing About Great White Sharks was by far my least favorite of the collection. The way it reveals the sci-fi world it takes place in exemplifies everything I don't like about science fiction writing, so it's hard not to let that color my perception of the rest of the works within.
To be fair to the author, Wright takes risks with several of these stories, as pushing the envelope of creativity is the only real way to separate yourself from the crowd these days, and while many of these calculated risks don't work in the end (for me, at least), the attempt is still commendable.
Still, other stories - Tiger Bright and Orchids, for example - feel too forced and/or simplistic with predictable payoffs, and feel like they belong in a collection for young adults.
The only piece I really enjoyed from this collection was What to Expect When You're Expecting An Alien Parasite. Short, sweet, and tongue-in-cheek. My favorite type of sci-fi.
To be fair to the author, Wright takes risks with several of these stories, as pushing the envelope of creativity is the only real way to separate yourself from the crowd these days, and while many of these calculated risks don't work in the end (for me, at least), the attempt is still commendable.
Still, other stories - Tiger Bright and Orchids, for example - feel too forced and/or simplistic with predictable payoffs, and feel like they belong in a collection for young adults.
The only piece I really enjoyed from this collection was What to Expect When You're Expecting An Alien Parasite. Short, sweet, and tongue-in-cheek. My favorite type of sci-fi.
July 12, 2021
This one was a gift from several years ago, and somehow I never realized that the stories were SFF adjacent (the cover just reads 'literary fiction'), otherwise I may have tried it out sooner. Nevertheless it was a sort of slim collection--the stories never seemed to get going or skim beyond the surface of their premises. Some of the SFF concepts seemed like edit-insert jobs--mechanical bird mounts taking the place of aging show planes--never taking root in the story. Alien overlords remain vaguely sketched in a couple of short, conceptual stories. In every case, I was wishing for something more, some substantial bite out of any of these incredibly interesting premises. "Poland, 1952", not fantastical at all, might be the most stand out story, "Aleph Bat" clever in its reversal of expectations, the title story most developed and a premise of mixed genre post-apocalyptic novel that would fit in with other popular novels of recent years.
June 1, 2017
While the collection wasn't horrible or really even bad, though I finished it last night and it was the only thing I was reading I'm having a hard time recalling more than bits and pieces. The only thing sticking in my memory are a few scenes from the title story. If you asked I think I might be able to name one, maybe two other stories.
Much of this came across like writers workshop exercises as opposed to someone sitting down and just writing. It feels like the author was in a classroom and asked "Write a story about this. . ." or "Write an absurd story but make it believable (the title story). "
I didn't put it down and I did finish it. I wouldn't even be adverse to trying something else she's written. This though was okay. Nothing spectacular and in a week I'll probably have a hard time recalling the book at all.
The best I can say is it wasn't awful.
Much of this came across like writers workshop exercises as opposed to someone sitting down and just writing. It feels like the author was in a classroom and asked "Write a story about this. . ." or "Write an absurd story but make it believable (the title story). "
I didn't put it down and I did finish it. I wouldn't even be adverse to trying something else she's written. This though was okay. Nothing spectacular and in a week I'll probably have a hard time recalling the book at all.
The best I can say is it wasn't awful.
February 8, 2018
(Fiction, Short Stories)
Many of these are set in the near-future or in dystopian worlds. In the title story, after “the fever” has turned all flora & fauna into human-attackers, Jennifer is conscripted by the government for ‘fear’ testing. Put into a room or a pool with such animals as pythons and sharks, her reactions are monitored for use in the military.
In Sheila, the story I remember most clearly, an elderly man faces the destruction of his beloved robotic dog. It’s heart-breaking.
Other stories include aliens or Orwellian futures.
If you’re a reader of science-fiction, or a fan of dystopia, do pick this book. For me, it was a little too weird.
3½ stars
Many of these are set in the near-future or in dystopian worlds. In the title story, after “the fever” has turned all flora & fauna into human-attackers, Jennifer is conscripted by the government for ‘fear’ testing. Put into a room or a pool with such animals as pythons and sharks, her reactions are monitored for use in the military.
In Sheila, the story I remember most clearly, an elderly man faces the destruction of his beloved robotic dog. It’s heart-breaking.
Other stories include aliens or Orwellian futures.
If you’re a reader of science-fiction, or a fan of dystopia, do pick this book. For me, it was a little too weird.
3½ stars
June 18, 2017
Couldn't finish
The fantasies of this author are beyond my reading scope.
More than unbelievable tales of war, sharks, orchids and other topics were grouse at times and didn't appreciate the foul language. Short stories, yes......but not enjoyable reading. Just couldn't finish this book !
The fantasies of this author are beyond my reading scope.
More than unbelievable tales of war, sharks, orchids and other topics were grouse at times and didn't appreciate the foul language. Short stories, yes......but not enjoyable reading. Just couldn't finish this book !
September 14, 2017
I just loved these stories! The only way I can describe the "feel" of them is to mention MTV's show called Liquid Television that aired in the 90s. Just like those surreal animated short films, these stories will have you going on quick little mental trips. This is not to say that the author's writing is in any way immature. She is articulate without being verbose and also possesses a straightforward style and the ability to grab your attention quickly. All of these qualities lend themselves very well to the short story genre. Pick up this book. You won't be disappointed!
July 1, 2017
Fascinating, weird collection that veers from kids grieving a friend to bats that feed on sound to flowers that solve mysteries to the title story, which is awesome, and odd sci-fi concepts and invocations of myth.
October 31, 2019
Wow! I loved this collection of short stories. Very well written and I enjoyed the science fiction bits sprinkled into the mix. So glad I bought it on a whim - look forward to reading more by the author.
April 11, 2020
Slightly uneven like almost all short story collections, but overall - amazing! Brilliant, funny, breath-stealing - I galloped through this collection in half a day because I literally could not stop reading. Highly recommended!
May 25, 2017
Full of startling images in strange, dizzying worlds. Beautiful and memorable.
June 13, 2017
Maybe I shouldn't read George Saunders and then immediately read authors who are trying to sound like George Saunders.
June 21, 2017
Love it, love it, love it! Look, I'm not being useful here. I never know how to talk about short stories. I just want to say that I absolutely love it!
June 27, 2017
Fun Stories!
Several stories were memorable, and I enjoyed the majority of them. Good storytelling technique overall! 10/10 would read all of it again.
Several stories were memorable, and I enjoyed the majority of them. Good storytelling technique overall! 10/10 would read all of it again.
August 26, 2017
Going nowhere
This book was a lot of short stories about nothing but nonsense taking you nowhere and ending in nowhere. Every time
This book was a lot of short stories about nothing but nonsense taking you nowhere and ending in nowhere. Every time
November 24, 2017
Beautifully weird, a collection of small gems.
February 6, 2018
Best collection of short stories I've read in long time!
March 2, 2018
Many of these short stories were fantastic, incredible depictions of a persons love for something other-human: a dog, a winged being, the future.
March 22, 2015
(Note: I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.)
This is a slim collection of 15 stories, the majority of which have sci-fi, supernatural, or fantasy elements. I enjoyed it. What I like best about it is Wright's tendency to leave ambiguous endings; if you're the sort of reader who wants everything explained and wrapped up neatly it won't appeal to you, but I like stories that leave mysterious aspects for the reader to ponder.
The most consistent theme here is that many of the stories concern people who are dealing with loss (loss of a spouse, lover, children, parents, friends, a treasured pet) or loneliness. They fill the void in their lives with whatever comes to hand. A man whose wife is dead turns to a robot dog for companionship; two school kids whose friend has died in an accident bond with each other, and convince themselves they can bring their friend back to life; a woman who suspects her lover has been killed decides to seek justice/revenge no matter the cost. A teenage girl who lost her parents in World War 2 finds a focus for her anger at the world when a random, innocent soldier falls under her power. Another teenage girl in World War 2, who has reason to fear losing her parents, focuses on her task of protecting a precious stained-glass window. A couple whose daughter has died find themselves caring for a Bengal tiger instead.
It's a diverse collection, though, and several stories stand out by being quite different from the rest. Two stories, for instance, deal with the aftermath of alien invasions. "What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite"- one of the best titles I've ever seen, that- is both queasy and wickedly funny; I refuse to tell you whether it works as a metaphor for pregnancy. "Yuri, in a Blue Dress" seems deliberately "experimental"- the author trying to stretch the bounds of her storytelling style- but it's also a marvelously concise illustration of the problems and paradoxes inherent in the concept of time travel.
There were only 3 stories here that I didn't much like. "Aleph Bat" is basically a silly jab at the sort of mangled, boiled-down spellings people use in text messages; there's nothing more to it than that. If you're the sort of person who regards text-speak as a crime against the English language, you might like it better than I did. There were several reasons I didn't care for "Sheila" (about a man who's about to lose his cherished robot dog). It was a bit maudlin for my tastes, for one. Also, I'm leery about stories which ask the reader to identify and sympathize too closely with people who are committing suicide. But maybe I just disliked it because I don't like dogs. "The White Chalk Road" also deals with someone whose dog is dying, so maybe that explains why I didn't like that story either. That story, though, attempts to blend 3 different things: the protagonist's grief about her dying dog, her uncomfortable trip to a fantasy convention, and her strange dreamscape. I don't feel that those 3 things came together into a coherent whole.
Overall, though, this was an enjoyable book, full of interesting and clever ideas. I'd recommend it, and I'd happily read more by this author.
This is a slim collection of 15 stories, the majority of which have sci-fi, supernatural, or fantasy elements. I enjoyed it. What I like best about it is Wright's tendency to leave ambiguous endings; if you're the sort of reader who wants everything explained and wrapped up neatly it won't appeal to you, but I like stories that leave mysterious aspects for the reader to ponder.
The most consistent theme here is that many of the stories concern people who are dealing with loss (loss of a spouse, lover, children, parents, friends, a treasured pet) or loneliness. They fill the void in their lives with whatever comes to hand. A man whose wife is dead turns to a robot dog for companionship; two school kids whose friend has died in an accident bond with each other, and convince themselves they can bring their friend back to life; a woman who suspects her lover has been killed decides to seek justice/revenge no matter the cost. A teenage girl who lost her parents in World War 2 finds a focus for her anger at the world when a random, innocent soldier falls under her power. Another teenage girl in World War 2, who has reason to fear losing her parents, focuses on her task of protecting a precious stained-glass window. A couple whose daughter has died find themselves caring for a Bengal tiger instead.
It's a diverse collection, though, and several stories stand out by being quite different from the rest. Two stories, for instance, deal with the aftermath of alien invasions. "What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite"- one of the best titles I've ever seen, that- is both queasy and wickedly funny; I refuse to tell you whether it works as a metaphor for pregnancy. "Yuri, in a Blue Dress" seems deliberately "experimental"- the author trying to stretch the bounds of her storytelling style- but it's also a marvelously concise illustration of the problems and paradoxes inherent in the concept of time travel.
There were only 3 stories here that I didn't much like. "Aleph Bat" is basically a silly jab at the sort of mangled, boiled-down spellings people use in text messages; there's nothing more to it than that. If you're the sort of person who regards text-speak as a crime against the English language, you might like it better than I did. There were several reasons I didn't care for "Sheila" (about a man who's about to lose his cherished robot dog). It was a bit maudlin for my tastes, for one. Also, I'm leery about stories which ask the reader to identify and sympathize too closely with people who are committing suicide. But maybe I just disliked it because I don't like dogs. "The White Chalk Road" also deals with someone whose dog is dying, so maybe that explains why I didn't like that story either. That story, though, attempts to blend 3 different things: the protagonist's grief about her dying dog, her uncomfortable trip to a fantasy convention, and her strange dreamscape. I don't feel that those 3 things came together into a coherent whole.
Overall, though, this was an enjoyable book, full of interesting and clever ideas. I'd recommend it, and I'd happily read more by this author.
August 6, 2020
This is the first time I have gone blindly into an anthology and loved every moment of it. In fact, this is the first time I have read an anthology that I would scream about. This is basically the first time I've read an anthology that I've liked... PERIOD.
What sets this apart from your typical anthologies is the creativity. Rebecca Adams Wright outdid herself by showcasing the many talents her mind has. She dives into wildly unique sci-fi, haunting contemporary, beautiful fantasy, and random pieces that don't make sense yet they do. This collection holds some of my favourite stories that I have ever read. There were a couple stories that brought this from a five star to a four but it was still absolutely amazing and I can't believe I've never heard of this before.
What sets this apart from your typical anthologies is the creativity. Rebecca Adams Wright outdid herself by showcasing the many talents her mind has. She dives into wildly unique sci-fi, haunting contemporary, beautiful fantasy, and random pieces that don't make sense yet they do. This collection holds some of my favourite stories that I have ever read. There were a couple stories that brought this from a five star to a four but it was still absolutely amazing and I can't believe I've never heard of this before.
March 10, 2015
Review Excerpt:
What a great and inventive collection of stories. I was hooked from the start with Sheila which had me in tears. (A little embarrassing since I was sitting in the exam room of my allergist and she walked in to find me wiping my eyes and stuffing the book back into my purse.) I do defy anyone with a beloved pet not to get misty over this story of a judge who will be breaking the law lose his pension if he doesn't have his mechanical springer spaniel put down when robotic pets are outlawed. Animals play a role in several stories--whether loved as aging pets as in Sheila or White Chalk Road, an obligation left by a family member in Tiger Bright, or more sinisterly as in the word-stealing bats in Aleph Bat and when animals and vegetation get the "Fever" in the titular The Thing About Great White Sharks. (Imagine your houseplants, trees along the sidewalk, and family pets attacking you.) Plants actually help in Orchids, one of my favorite stories--where an elderly widow, Mrs. Cynthia Fleisbein is taking care of her friend Roland's orchids and finds more than she bargained for. Another favorite was Storybag, set in 1960 where Ed, a bible salesman, comes across a magical bag that seems to have whatever his potential clients want inside it--and those wants seem tied to fairy tales and folk stories.
Many of the stories have a futuristic or science fiction slant, others touch on war and history like Poland 1952 and Keeper of the Glass, or what happens when the man playing Herman Melville in a production of great writers falls in love with the woman playing Nathanial Hawthorne in Melville Loves Hawthorne. Although I didn't love every story (very common in a story collection) and a couple of them made me scratch my head a bit, I really enjoyed the collection as a whole. Most of the offerings left me wanting more--which I think is the mark of great short story writing. I love the creativity of author Rebecca Adams Wright and her ability to paint such interesting and provocative images with her words. I look forward to reading her future work.
You can see my full review and a recipe inspired by the book on my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "The Thing About Great White Sharks" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.
What a great and inventive collection of stories. I was hooked from the start with Sheila which had me in tears. (A little embarrassing since I was sitting in the exam room of my allergist and she walked in to find me wiping my eyes and stuffing the book back into my purse.) I do defy anyone with a beloved pet not to get misty over this story of a judge who will be breaking the law lose his pension if he doesn't have his mechanical springer spaniel put down when robotic pets are outlawed. Animals play a role in several stories--whether loved as aging pets as in Sheila or White Chalk Road, an obligation left by a family member in Tiger Bright, or more sinisterly as in the word-stealing bats in Aleph Bat and when animals and vegetation get the "Fever" in the titular The Thing About Great White Sharks. (Imagine your houseplants, trees along the sidewalk, and family pets attacking you.) Plants actually help in Orchids, one of my favorite stories--where an elderly widow, Mrs. Cynthia Fleisbein is taking care of her friend Roland's orchids and finds more than she bargained for. Another favorite was Storybag, set in 1960 where Ed, a bible salesman, comes across a magical bag that seems to have whatever his potential clients want inside it--and those wants seem tied to fairy tales and folk stories.
Many of the stories have a futuristic or science fiction slant, others touch on war and history like Poland 1952 and Keeper of the Glass, or what happens when the man playing Herman Melville in a production of great writers falls in love with the woman playing Nathanial Hawthorne in Melville Loves Hawthorne. Although I didn't love every story (very common in a story collection) and a couple of them made me scratch my head a bit, I really enjoyed the collection as a whole. Most of the offerings left me wanting more--which I think is the mark of great short story writing. I love the creativity of author Rebecca Adams Wright and her ability to paint such interesting and provocative images with her words. I look forward to reading her future work.
You can see my full review and a recipe inspired by the book on my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "The Thing About Great White Sharks" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews