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The Pier Falls: And Other Stories
Mark Haddon, author of the international bestselling novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and A Spot of Bother, returns with a collection of unsparing short stories
In the prize-winning story "The Gun," a man's life is marked by a single afternoon and a rusty .45; in "The Island," a mythical princess is abandoned on an island in the midst of war; in "The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear," a cadre of sheltered artistocrats sets out to find adventure in a foreign land and finds the gravest dangers among themselves. These are but some of the men and women who fill this searingly imaginative and emotionally taut collection of short stories by Mark Haddon, that weaves through time and space to showcase the author's incredible versatility.
Yet the collection achieves a sum that is greater than its parts, proving itself a meditation not only on isolation and loneliness but also on the tenuous and unseen connections that link individuals to each other, often despite themselves. In its titular story, the narrator describes with fluid precision a catastrophe that will collectively define its victims as much as it will disperse them—and brilliantly lays bare the reader's appetite for spectacle alongside its characters'. Cut with lean prose and drawing inventively from history, myth, fairy tales, and, above all, the deep well of empathy that made his three novels so compelling, The Pier Falls reveals a previously unseen side of the celebrated author.
In the prize-winning story "The Gun," a man's life is marked by a single afternoon and a rusty .45; in "The Island," a mythical princess is abandoned on an island in the midst of war; in "The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear," a cadre of sheltered artistocrats sets out to find adventure in a foreign land and finds the gravest dangers among themselves. These are but some of the men and women who fill this searingly imaginative and emotionally taut collection of short stories by Mark Haddon, that weaves through time and space to showcase the author's incredible versatility.
Yet the collection achieves a sum that is greater than its parts, proving itself a meditation not only on isolation and loneliness but also on the tenuous and unseen connections that link individuals to each other, often despite themselves. In its titular story, the narrator describes with fluid precision a catastrophe that will collectively define its victims as much as it will disperse them—and brilliantly lays bare the reader's appetite for spectacle alongside its characters'. Cut with lean prose and drawing inventively from history, myth, fairy tales, and, above all, the deep well of empathy that made his three novels so compelling, The Pier Falls reveals a previously unseen side of the celebrated author.
9 pages, Audiobook
First published May 5, 2016
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About the author
Mark Haddon
85 books4,013 followersMark Haddon is an English novelist, best known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003). He won the Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award, the Guardian Prize, and a Commonwealth Writers Prize for his work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 709 reviews
July 25, 2016
This is a stunning collection of stories. I know Haddon's work from two novels, but never dreamed him capable of such amazing diversity. He effortlessly bounces through several genres in this book, and the writing is beautiful.
I expected the moving tales about sad and lonely people; Haddon has already demonstrated his abilities with quirky characters in his previous books. Here, we have Bunny, which is the story of an unhappy woman who is drawn into a relationship with her 500 pound neighbor, and The Weir, which explores the unlikely and long-lasting friendship that blossoms when a man saves a young woman's life.
However, I was caught off guard by the thrillers - a space odyssey called The Woodpecker and the Wolf and The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear, about a jungle expedition gone horribly wrong. Then there's the title story which is exactly what it says - a pier collapses into the sea while Haddon describes the moments of horror and incomprehension.
If I had to pick a favorite, I suppose I'd go for Wodwo, the longest story. Here, an already deliciously tension-filled family Christmas is interrupted by a mysterious stranger.
Even if you think you don't like short stories, I urge you to give these a try.
Wow! Just wow!
I expected the moving tales about sad and lonely people; Haddon has already demonstrated his abilities with quirky characters in his previous books. Here, we have Bunny, which is the story of an unhappy woman who is drawn into a relationship with her 500 pound neighbor, and The Weir, which explores the unlikely and long-lasting friendship that blossoms when a man saves a young woman's life.
However, I was caught off guard by the thrillers - a space odyssey called The Woodpecker and the Wolf and The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear, about a jungle expedition gone horribly wrong. Then there's the title story which is exactly what it says - a pier collapses into the sea while Haddon describes the moments of horror and incomprehension.
If I had to pick a favorite, I suppose I'd go for Wodwo, the longest story. Here, an already deliciously tension-filled family Christmas is interrupted by a mysterious stranger.
Even if you think you don't like short stories, I urge you to give these a try.
Wow! Just wow!
February 9, 2017
I finished The Pier Falls almost a week ago, but it hasn't finished with me. These haunting, startling stories still swirl around in my brain - nightmarish visions from a dark imagination. The author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time demonstrates effortless versatility with this stunning collection and proves himself an expert of the short format.
Be warned - there are few happy endings here. Bad things happen and lives change forever in an instant. In the title story a crowd of contented holidaymakers frolic on Brighton pier and a catastrophe is recounted in detached, chilling style. The Island tells of a pampered princess who struggles to survive on a desert island and begins to regret a recent rash decision. In Wodwo (which I've since learned is a contemporary reworking of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), a quarrelsome middle-class family have their Christmas Day interrupted by an unexpected visitor.
In an era when many short stories are slow-moving, melancholic meditations on life, devoid of any sense of urgency, this collection is a rousing antidote. These action-packed tales all take unexpected turns and their unpredictability is exhilarating. And though the subject matter is bleak, the author often finds breathtaking beauty amid the gloom:
In a recent Guardian article Haddon describes himself as "not a terribly good writer" but "a very persistent and bloody-minded editor." I think he is being remarkably modest. This is a faultless, virtuoso collection of unsettling stories which linger long after the last page.
Be warned - there are few happy endings here. Bad things happen and lives change forever in an instant. In the title story a crowd of contented holidaymakers frolic on Brighton pier and a catastrophe is recounted in detached, chilling style. The Island tells of a pampered princess who struggles to survive on a desert island and begins to regret a recent rash decision. In Wodwo (which I've since learned is a contemporary reworking of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), a quarrelsome middle-class family have their Christmas Day interrupted by an unexpected visitor.
In an era when many short stories are slow-moving, melancholic meditations on life, devoid of any sense of urgency, this collection is a rousing antidote. These action-packed tales all take unexpected turns and their unpredictability is exhilarating. And though the subject matter is bleak, the author often finds breathtaking beauty amid the gloom:
Snow... blots and softens the top of every object like ice on a plum pudding. Hedges, telegraph wires, cars, postboxes, recycling bins. The world is losing its edges. Look upwards and it seems as if the stars themselves are being poured from the sky and turn out not to be vast and fiery globes after all but tiny, frozen things which melt in the palm of your hand.
In a recent Guardian article Haddon describes himself as "not a terribly good writer" but "a very persistent and bloody-minded editor." I think he is being remarkably modest. This is a faultless, virtuoso collection of unsettling stories which linger long after the last page.
May 19, 2016
Another pretty darn good book of short stories. The first story is the title story and I loved it, how he showed how people's lives changed in an instant. What happened after, the journalists, people whom were there and survived and those, who didn't, but he also showed how quickly things, people and their lives go back to normal. How the collapsed pier just becomes background. So true to life. Also loved Bunny, a story with a surprise ending that packs a punch. In the Boys who left home to learn fear, a rescue mission in the jungle goes horribly wrong. I think there were only two stories that I didn't care for, the rest were great. Connections to people, what lengths people will go and how one incident can completely change a life seemed to be unifying themes.
Loved his novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and equally in awe of his short story telling ability.
ARC from Netgalley.
Loved his novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and equally in awe of his short story telling ability.
ARC from Netgalley.
November 7, 2021
It’s always difficult to give an overall rating to short story collections. In this case I admired the author’s writing skills, but these were employed to create stories that I sometimes found unpleasant. In this collection Mark Haddon seems to have a focus on illness and bodily decay – there are a number of descriptions of vomit, pus etc.
Memory is an important theme in these stories. Many of the characters constantly revisit childhood or other memories, and some seem to be trying to escape their past. It seemed to me that the importance of family was another significant theme.
The title story opens the collection, and unsurprisingly features the collapse of a pier in an English seaside town (in Britain piers in seaside resorts can be substantial structures, extending out to sea for a considerable distance and incorporating stalls, cafés etc). The story was powerfully written, but to me it seemed a bit heartless.
The next story, The Island, is a re-imagining of the story of Ariadne, from the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Ariadne is portrayed as naïve, having grown up within the protected environment of her father’s palace. I thought this story was good, although when I first read the conclusion, I found the details of that a bit strange. Later I wondered whether it reflected Ariadne’s conflicted feelings about Theseus.
In the next story, Bunny, the title character is a 28-year-old man who weighs 37 stone (518 lbs or 235 kilos). His miserable and degrading existence is unexpectedly transformed by a friendship with a female neighbour who has suffered a lifetime of emotional abuse. Some of the imagery in this story might leave you feeling a bit nauseous to be honest, but I thought the ending was expertly done.
Like "The Island", Woodwo is a reworking of a traditional tale, in this case the story known in English as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (there are earlier Celtic versions). The lead character is called Gavin, but apart from the similarity in name he doesn’t have much in common with Gawain. There are numerous references to suggest this story is intended as a morality tale. A morality tale for adults runs the risk that the author ends up delivering a message already overworked in literature, and I feel that’s what happens here. I won’t deny though, that the story has an impact.
I wasn’t so keen on The Gun, about two 10-year-old boys who discover the said object. In fairness, the ending wasn’t as predictable as I had feared. There’s a change of mood with The Wolf and the Woodpecker, a space adventure with a tense denouement. I didn’t initially understand the meaning of the title of this one, and had to look it up, at which all became clear. The Boys Who Left Home to Find Fear might be bracketed alongside it. Although it seems to be set in the 19th century, it’s another adventure story, featuring a group of men in danger in a tropical forest.
Breathe was the story I found least satisfactory. A British woman who has lived abroad for many years returns to the UK after a break-up, and finds her mother much deteriorated, both physically and mentally. It didn’t really engage my interest.
In the last story, The Weir, a depressed middle-aged man prevents a young woman from committing suicide, and the two develop a non-sexual friendship. In a way it was similar to Bunny, in that both stories feature a relationship between people who are different except for their shared unhappiness. It’s a good choice with which to end the collection.
My reaction to each story varied, but overall there was enough for me to justify a 4-star rating.
Memory is an important theme in these stories. Many of the characters constantly revisit childhood or other memories, and some seem to be trying to escape their past. It seemed to me that the importance of family was another significant theme.
The title story opens the collection, and unsurprisingly features the collapse of a pier in an English seaside town (in Britain piers in seaside resorts can be substantial structures, extending out to sea for a considerable distance and incorporating stalls, cafés etc). The story was powerfully written, but to me it seemed a bit heartless.
The next story, The Island, is a re-imagining of the story of Ariadne, from the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Ariadne is portrayed as naïve, having grown up within the protected environment of her father’s palace. I thought this story was good, although when I first read the conclusion, I found the details of that a bit strange. Later I wondered whether it reflected Ariadne’s conflicted feelings about Theseus.
In the next story, Bunny, the title character is a 28-year-old man who weighs 37 stone (518 lbs or 235 kilos). His miserable and degrading existence is unexpectedly transformed by a friendship with a female neighbour who has suffered a lifetime of emotional abuse. Some of the imagery in this story might leave you feeling a bit nauseous to be honest, but I thought the ending was expertly done.
Like "The Island", Woodwo is a reworking of a traditional tale, in this case the story known in English as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (there are earlier Celtic versions). The lead character is called Gavin, but apart from the similarity in name he doesn’t have much in common with Gawain. There are numerous references to suggest this story is intended as a morality tale. A morality tale for adults runs the risk that the author ends up delivering a message already overworked in literature, and I feel that’s what happens here. I won’t deny though, that the story has an impact.
I wasn’t so keen on The Gun, about two 10-year-old boys who discover the said object. In fairness, the ending wasn’t as predictable as I had feared. There’s a change of mood with The Wolf and the Woodpecker, a space adventure with a tense denouement. I didn’t initially understand the meaning of the title of this one, and had to look it up, at which all became clear. The Boys Who Left Home to Find Fear might be bracketed alongside it. Although it seems to be set in the 19th century, it’s another adventure story, featuring a group of men in danger in a tropical forest.
Breathe was the story I found least satisfactory. A British woman who has lived abroad for many years returns to the UK after a break-up, and finds her mother much deteriorated, both physically and mentally. It didn’t really engage my interest.
In the last story, The Weir, a depressed middle-aged man prevents a young woman from committing suicide, and the two develop a non-sexual friendship. In a way it was similar to Bunny, in that both stories feature a relationship between people who are different except for their shared unhappiness. It’s a good choice with which to end the collection.
My reaction to each story varied, but overall there was enough for me to justify a 4-star rating.
September 30, 2016
Τον Μαρκ Χάντον όπως όσοι τον γνωρίζουν, τον έμαθα από το «Ποιος σκότωσε το σκύλο τα μεσάνυχτα». Μια φαινομενικά παιδική ή προ-εφηβική ιστορία, με μια αθωότητα καμιά φορά χιουμοριστική, άλλοτε αλλόκοτη όπως ο αυτιστικός πρωταγωνιστής της, τελικά βουτηγμένη στον κυνισμό. Η συλλογή τούτη ήξερα πως δεν θα έχει τίποτα το χαριτωμένο από την διήγηση του γνωστού του βιβλίου. Κι όμως το ξεκίνησα με μια λαχτάρα σαν να ήξερα τι ακριβώς να περιμένω, παρόλο που ιδέα δεν είχα τι θα γράφει.
Ο εν λόγω κυνισμός του Χάντον εφορμά και χτυπάει τον αναγνώστη από την πρώτη ιστορία, το ωμό, δίχως ίχνος συναισθηματισμού, χρονικό της κατάρρευσης μια προκυμαίας. Καθώς λεπτό προς λεπτό, στην αρχή ερήμην των παραθεριστών ξεκινάει η διάλυση της μεγάλης κατασκευής και συνακολούθως τσακίζεται, διάβαζα με μια άκρως ενοχική απόλαυση, για κόσμο που πνιγόταν, σακατευόταν, πάλευε για τη ζωή του. Μια από τις πιο ενοχλητικές αλλά και πρωτότυπες ιστορίες που έχω διαβάσει, όχι μόνο ηχεί εκκωφαντικά αλλά προλογίζει την συνέχεια του βιβλίου. Γιατί τίποτα καλό δεν συμβαίνει σε τούτες τις ιστορίες. Κι όμως είμαι ενθουσιασμένος. Είμαι σαδιστής; Δεν κρύβω πως τα όποια ψήγματα συμπόνοιάς μου για τους συνανθρώπους μου εκμηδενίζονται όταν διαβάζω, οι χαρακτήρες όσο αληθινοί κι αν φαντάζουν είναι απότοκα φαντασίας και η μοίρα τους αντίκτυπο έχει μόνο στα αγαπημένα τους πρόσωπα, που κι αυτά είναι χάρτινα. Ωστόσο δεν είναι η αναλγησία μου αλλά η γραφή του Χάντον που χαρίζει στιγμές αγνής λογοτεχνικής απόλαυσης. Η ποικιλία της θεματολογίας του, οι χαρακτήρες του, η ευρυμάθεια που αρμονικά δένει τις διηγήσεις του.
Μα δείτε τι καλά θα διαβάσει κανείς εδώ μέσα, πέραν της πρώτης ιστορίας: μια παραλλαγή του μύθου του Μινώταυρου, σκληρή, με τον Χάντον να μεταχειρίζεται άκαρδα την πρωταγωνίστριά του˙ την πρόσκαιρη χαρά που γνωρίζει ένας έγκλειστος, υπέρβαρος νεαρός στο πρόσωπο μιας νεαρής, προβληματικής κοπέλας˙ μια ιστορία που πιθανώς να εντάσσεται άνετα στο ένα από τα τρία και μοναδική είδη ιστοριών που γράφτηκαν, γράφονται και θα γράφονται με παραλλαγές (όπως κάπου, δεν θυμάμαι που, διάβασα πρόσφατα): ένας άντρας γίνεται πιο σοφός. Αφού όμως πρώτα πάρει ένα πάρα πολύ σκληρό μάθημα˙ ένα εξαιρετικό ε.φ. δράμα με την αναπάντεχα ευχάριστη κατάληξή της, την μοναδική σε όλο το βιβλίο˙ μια δυσβάσταχτη επιστροφή στα πάτρια εδάφη, όπου μια γυναίκα καριερίστρια, προσπαθεί να διορθώσει τα λάθη του παρελθόντος της - φυσικά το κάνει άτσαλα και επιφέρει την καταστροφή. Η προτελευταία ιστορία, η αγαπημένη μου στο βιβλίο, είναι μια περιπέτεια εξερεύνησης, γραμμένη στο ύφος των Πόε και Λάβκραφτ, μια ακόμη πτυχή του Χάντον η οποία θα ήταν αρκετή για να κάνει ολόκληρη καριέρα. Μα τι συγγραφέας! Και η τελευταία ιστορία – μα αρκετά είπα. Κι αν δεν έχετε πεισθεί έως τώρα, κακό του κεφαλιού σας.
Σε μια ταινία που είδα το ίδιο βράδυ, λίγες ώρες αφότου τέλειωσα το βιβλίο, αναφέρθηκε ο Ντοστογιέφσκι, ως ο μέγας δάσκαλος της μυθοπλασίας, και ο τρόπος του να μετατρέπει καθημερινούς ανθρώπους σε ήρωες που ήταν το μέγα του όπλο. Ίσως ο Χάντον είναι ο δικός μας, σημερινός Ντοστογιέφσκι, που στα μάτια μου έχει ένα οπλοστάσιο τεράστιο, σύγχρονο εκμεταλλευόμενο την γνώση των όπλων του Ντοστογιέφσκι, του Τολστόι, που φαντάζουν στα μάτια μου σκονισμένα και παρωχημένα. Τέτοιοι συγγραφείς ορίζουν την κλασική λογοτεχνία του αύριο. Αν υπάρξει τέτοια. Και αν χρειαζόμαστε τέτοια, που πολύ αμφιβάλλω. Ο Χάντον έχει χωνέψει και αλέσει ό,τι θεωρείται πως θεμελίωσε την σύγχρονη μυθοπλασία και δίνει κάτι εξαιρετικό. Δίνει μια σπάνιας ποιότητας, ποικιλίας αλλά και σαφώς ορισμένου οράματος, συλλογή.
Ό,τι καλύτερο διάβασα το τελευταίο εξάμηνο.
Ο εν λόγω κυνισμός του Χάντον εφορμά και χτυπάει τον αναγνώστη από την πρώτη ιστορία, το ωμό, δίχως ίχνος συναισθηματισμού, χρονικό της κατάρρευσης μια προκυμαίας. Καθώς λεπτό προς λεπτό, στην αρχή ερήμην των παραθεριστών ξεκινάει η διάλυση της μεγάλης κατασκευής και συνακολούθως τσακίζεται, διάβαζα με μια άκρως ενοχική απόλαυση, για κόσμο που πνιγόταν, σακατευόταν, πάλευε για τη ζωή του. Μια από τις πιο ενοχλητικές αλλά και πρωτότυπες ιστορίες που έχω διαβάσει, όχι μόνο ηχεί εκκωφαντικά αλλά προλογίζει την συνέχεια του βιβλίου. Γιατί τίποτα καλό δεν συμβαίνει σε τούτες τις ιστορίες. Κι όμως είμαι ενθουσιασμένος. Είμαι σαδιστής; Δεν κρύβω πως τα όποια ψήγματα συμπόνοιάς μου για τους συνανθρώπους μου εκμηδενίζονται όταν διαβάζω, οι χαρακτήρες όσο αληθινοί κι αν φαντάζουν είναι απότοκα φαντασίας και η μοίρα τους αντίκτυπο έχει μόνο στα αγαπημένα τους πρόσωπα, που κι αυτά είναι χάρτινα. Ωστόσο δεν είναι η αναλγησία μου αλλά η γραφή του Χάντον που χαρίζει στιγμές αγνής λογοτεχνικής απόλαυσης. Η ποικιλία της θεματολογίας του, οι χαρακτήρες του, η ευρυμάθεια που αρμονικά δένει τις διηγήσεις του.
Μα δείτε τι καλά θα διαβάσει κανείς εδώ μέσα, πέραν της πρώτης ιστορίας: μια παραλλαγή του μύθου του Μινώταυρου, σκληρή, με τον Χάντον να μεταχειρίζεται άκαρδα την πρωταγωνίστριά του˙ την πρόσκαιρη χαρά που γνωρίζει ένας έγκλειστος, υπέρβαρος νεαρός στο πρόσωπο μιας νεαρής, προβληματικής κοπέλας˙ μια ιστορία που πιθανώς να εντάσσεται άνετα στο ένα από τα τρία και μοναδική είδη ιστοριών που γράφτηκαν, γράφονται και θα γράφονται με παραλλαγές (όπως κάπου, δεν θυμάμαι που, διάβασα πρόσφατα): ένας άντρας γίνεται πιο σοφός. Αφού όμως πρώτα πάρει ένα πάρα πολύ σκληρό μάθημα˙ ένα εξαιρετικό ε.φ. δράμα με την αναπάντεχα ευχάριστη κατάληξή της, την μοναδική σε όλο το βιβλίο˙ μια δυσβάσταχτη επιστροφή στα πάτρια εδάφη, όπου μια γυναίκα καριερίστρια, προσπαθεί να διορθώσει τα λάθη του παρελθόντος της - φυσικά το κάνει άτσαλα και επιφέρει την καταστροφή. Η προτελευταία ιστορία, η αγαπημένη μου στο βιβλίο, είναι μια περιπέτεια εξερεύνησης, γραμμένη στο ύφος των Πόε και Λάβκραφτ, μια ακόμη πτυχή του Χάντον η οποία θα ήταν αρκετή για να κάνει ολόκληρη καριέρα. Μα τι συγγραφέας! Και η τελευταία ιστορία – μα αρκετά είπα. Κι αν δεν έχετε πεισθεί έως τώρα, κακό του κεφαλιού σας.
Σε μια ταινία που είδα το ίδιο βράδυ, λίγες ώρες αφότου τέλειωσα το βιβλίο, αναφέρθηκε ο Ντοστογιέφσκι, ως ο μέγας δάσκαλος της μυθοπλασίας, και ο τρόπος του να μετατρέπει καθημερινούς ανθρώπους σε ήρωες που ήταν το μέγα του όπλο. Ίσως ο Χάντον είναι ο δικός μας, σημερινός Ντοστογιέφσκι, που στα μάτια μου έχει ένα οπλοστάσιο τεράστιο, σύγχρονο εκμεταλλευόμενο την γνώση των όπλων του Ντοστογιέφσκι, του Τολστόι, που φαντάζουν στα μάτια μου σκονισμένα και παρωχημένα. Τέτοιοι συγγραφείς ορίζουν την κλασική λογοτεχνία του αύριο. Αν υπάρξει τέτοια. Και αν χρειαζόμαστε τέτοια, που πολύ αμφιβάλλω. Ο Χάντον έχει χωνέψει και αλέσει ό,τι θεωρείται πως θεμελίωσε την σύγχρονη μυθοπλασία και δίνει κάτι εξαιρετικό. Δίνει μια σπάνιας ποιότητας, ποικιλίας αλλά και σαφώς ορισμένου οράματος, συλλογή.
Ό,τι καλύτερο διάβασα το τελευταίο εξάμηνο.
September 8, 2016
Another short story collection that I enjoyed!! Thank you GR friend, Peter Boyle for giving it rave reviews! I’m not a fan of the short story. Perhaps because the stories are “short” and I don’t get a chance to connect with the characters. Author Mark Haddon pens stories with characters and situations that grab the reader. Haddon proves that a great story doesn’t need 20 pages of set-up. Haddon immediately gets to the meat of the story.
Haddon’s stories are imaginative, but not so far out there that one thinks “WHAT??” The characters are real. In each story the reader feels compassion for the main character, except maybe for Gavin in the story “Wodwo”, which I will add that it is one of my favorites. The first story, “The Pier Falls” has no main character, which proves Haddon can write. It’s a story of a disaster that chronicles the catastrophe with breathtaking pacing. Haddon was smart; he started his collection strong with that story.
I connected with 8 of the 9 stories. Yet I have my favorites like “Wodwo” in which Haddon explores humility and humanity. “The Gun” is a reflection of childhood and what we coped with as children we most likely would have crumbled as adults. And as mentioned, “The Pier Falls” is amazing. Haddon writes of loneliness and isolation. Most of his characters have been betrayed or abandoned. The stories are sad; it’s what makes the collection so moving.
Haddon’s stories are imaginative, but not so far out there that one thinks “WHAT??” The characters are real. In each story the reader feels compassion for the main character, except maybe for Gavin in the story “Wodwo”, which I will add that it is one of my favorites. The first story, “The Pier Falls” has no main character, which proves Haddon can write. It’s a story of a disaster that chronicles the catastrophe with breathtaking pacing. Haddon was smart; he started his collection strong with that story.
I connected with 8 of the 9 stories. Yet I have my favorites like “Wodwo” in which Haddon explores humility and humanity. “The Gun” is a reflection of childhood and what we coped with as children we most likely would have crumbled as adults. And as mentioned, “The Pier Falls” is amazing. Haddon writes of loneliness and isolation. Most of his characters have been betrayed or abandoned. The stories are sad; it’s what makes the collection so moving.
July 25, 2016
"The Pier Falls" was my first introduction to Mark Haddon. He is clearly a talented author -- deftly managing to capture tension and drama, and honing in on the complexities of human relationships. However, this collection provided a mixed experience for me.
The first, and title story, about the collapse of a pier in a seaside town is brilliant. I held my breath while listening to the audio. Haddon had transported me onto that pier and made me experience the terror right along with the characters in the vignette. "Bunny" about the relationship between an unloved and unlucky girl and her 500 lb. neighbor is so unlike anything I've ever read. "Breathe" will resonate with those faced with caring for an aging parent.
Unfortunately, the other stories didn't capture my interest. They contained moment of poignancy, but for me they felt too "stiff".
3 stars over all, but 5 stars for the three stories mentioned specifically.
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. While I received a galley of the book, I ended up listening to the audio version.
The first, and title story, about the collapse of a pier in a seaside town is brilliant. I held my breath while listening to the audio. Haddon had transported me onto that pier and made me experience the terror right along with the characters in the vignette. "Bunny" about the relationship between an unloved and unlucky girl and her 500 lb. neighbor is so unlike anything I've ever read. "Breathe" will resonate with those faced with caring for an aging parent.
Unfortunately, the other stories didn't capture my interest. They contained moment of poignancy, but for me they felt too "stiff".
3 stars over all, but 5 stars for the three stories mentioned specifically.
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. While I received a galley of the book, I ended up listening to the audio version.
July 2, 2016
4.5 stars
Firstly let me say that I don't like and don't read short stories. But having read some good review and recommending it for the school library thought I'd give it a go. What can I say, brilliant, outstanding the writing was so descriptive that it just sucks you right into the story. All the stories I felt were quite dark and macabre but also interesting. I've given it 4.5 stars as no doubt with most short stories it leaves you asking questions and wanting to know more, especially in this case the Christmas Eve story.
Highly recommended even if you don't read short stories give it a go.
Firstly let me say that I don't like and don't read short stories. But having read some good review and recommending it for the school library thought I'd give it a go. What can I say, brilliant, outstanding the writing was so descriptive that it just sucks you right into the story. All the stories I felt were quite dark and macabre but also interesting. I've given it 4.5 stars as no doubt with most short stories it leaves you asking questions and wanting to know more, especially in this case the Christmas Eve story.
Highly recommended even if you don't read short stories give it a go.
February 4, 2017
Absolutely outstanding. This collection will definitely make it into my top books of 2016. They are exactly the kind of stories I like - where things happen, often bleak, sad things. These stories are about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, rather than many short stories which seem to be about extraordinary people in ordinary circumstances. In many of them Haddon gives a nod to the future - a little snippet of how someone's life will turn out. I loved that, but it just made me want to know about that life, and then the next and the next.
Even though I'd give each story separately 5 stars, inevitably there are some favourites: The Pier Falls, Wodwo and The Woodpecker and the Wolf, and least - perhaps Breathe. And the hardback copy sold in bookshops has illustrations by Haddon.
www.clairefuller.co.uk
Even though I'd give each story separately 5 stars, inevitably there are some favourites: The Pier Falls, Wodwo and The Woodpecker and the Wolf, and least - perhaps Breathe. And the hardback copy sold in bookshops has illustrations by Haddon.
www.clairefuller.co.uk
September 14, 2016
(3.5) These nine stories examine what characters do and who they are in extreme, often violent situations. My three favourites were “Bunny,” reminiscent of The Fattest Man in Britain with its picture of a friendship between an obese man and a young woman who sees more in him than his size; “The Woodpecker and the Wolf,” a brilliantly suspenseful tale set in space – it reminded me of the Sandra Bullock movie Gravity; and “The Weir,” which imagines the unexpectedly lasting relationship between a lonely middle-aged man and the young woman he rescues from a near-suicide by drowning.
“Wodwo” starts off as a terrific Christmas horror story but then goes on far too long and loses its power. I would say that about many of these stories, actually: they’re that little bit too long, so that you start waiting for them to be over. I prefer sudden endings that give a bit of a kick. The way the title story, about a real-life pier collapse in 1970 that killed more than 60 people, chants facts, statistics and generic details about the victims seemed to me to detract from the scale of the tragedy and almost dehumanize it. All in all, though, two-thirds of the stories are fairly memorable, and I’d say I liked this better than any of Haddon’s three novels.
“Wodwo” starts off as a terrific Christmas horror story but then goes on far too long and loses its power. I would say that about many of these stories, actually: they’re that little bit too long, so that you start waiting for them to be over. I prefer sudden endings that give a bit of a kick. The way the title story, about a real-life pier collapse in 1970 that killed more than 60 people, chants facts, statistics and generic details about the victims seemed to me to detract from the scale of the tragedy and almost dehumanize it. All in all, though, two-thirds of the stories are fairly memorable, and I’d say I liked this better than any of Haddon’s three novels.
June 7, 2016
I recently thought to myself that I need to read more short story books. I had no idea where to start. I added quite a few to my ever growing 'to be read' pile. Then this one popped up one day and I checked with my library and it was in. A few days later I had it and decided to flip through it. I have not read previous books by Mark Haddon so I had no idea what to expect. I had no idea what to expect from short stories either (I've read a few here and there, but less than a handful). I decided to just browse a bit on the first story, where the book gets it title. I was hooked. The story was difficult to read but quite interesting at the same time....a story of the pier at a beach-side location that falls into the ocean and the lives of the people impacted by this tragedy and what happens afterwards.
The stories in the book are all over the place - which is a good thing. A wide variety of different types of stories, different feelings while reading them, etc. I liked the ability to jump around between the stories also. Some of the stories I really enjoyed, and some were just OK for me. But overall, a unique collection.
I'm glad I picked this one up and I'm looking forward to reading more short stories - I already have a few books in mind.
The stories in the book are all over the place - which is a good thing. A wide variety of different types of stories, different feelings while reading them, etc. I liked the ability to jump around between the stories also. Some of the stories I really enjoyed, and some were just OK for me. But overall, a unique collection.
I'm glad I picked this one up and I'm looking forward to reading more short stories - I already have a few books in mind.
February 6, 2017
Only 3 stars for this collection of short stories, despite the fact that I have read Haddon's first two novels and really enjoyed them. All of these stories started strongly with interesting characters and plot lines, then disintegrated into........weirdness, for lack of a better word. I thought I was reading a beautifully phrased tale, but then it would dissolve mid-stream into fantasy or horror or science fiction, when that is not what I was prepared for at all. I was thrown off balance.
Three of these stories were excellent. The title story, "The Pier Falls" was riveting. "The Gun", about two 10 year old boys who find a brother's loaded gun and take it outside to play, was horrifying in it's possibilities. And "The Woodpecker and the Wolf" was a science fiction piece about a space journey that goes terribly wrong. The other stories just meandered into strange and different pathways, leaving me wondering about the point of it all.
I will add that none of these stories ended well, most of the time disastrously for the characters. Had I tried to read this book in a faster time frame, I would have put it aside unfinished. As it was, one story every few days or so was all I could handle.
Three of these stories were excellent. The title story, "The Pier Falls" was riveting. "The Gun", about two 10 year old boys who find a brother's loaded gun and take it outside to play, was horrifying in it's possibilities. And "The Woodpecker and the Wolf" was a science fiction piece about a space journey that goes terribly wrong. The other stories just meandered into strange and different pathways, leaving me wondering about the point of it all.
I will add that none of these stories ended well, most of the time disastrously for the characters. Had I tried to read this book in a faster time frame, I would have put it aside unfinished. As it was, one story every few days or so was all I could handle.
February 16, 2016
Mark Haddon demonstrates extremely strong writing in this volume. He has a style that's slightly experimental and dances on the thin edge between reality and mythology. If you're interested in literary writing, this would be a great book to study because each piece is well-constructed and manages to engage the reader with unusual and intriguing characters that the reader can still connect with (even the odd ones).
While the stories may appear eclectic on the surface, some of the recurring themes include loneliness and relationships (of all kinds and between various types of people past, present, and future). If there's one theme that binds these stories together it's that it explores what it means to be human, something that good writing often does successfully.
Note: I was given a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Also note that I thought this book was outstanding enough to write an extensive review for publication. It was that good. If you enjoy literary writing, pick this one up!
While the stories may appear eclectic on the surface, some of the recurring themes include loneliness and relationships (of all kinds and between various types of people past, present, and future). If there's one theme that binds these stories together it's that it explores what it means to be human, something that good writing often does successfully.
Note: I was given a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Also note that I thought this book was outstanding enough to write an extensive review for publication. It was that good. If you enjoy literary writing, pick this one up!
October 30, 2017
One of my GR friends really liked this collection of stories & I'd heard good things about the author, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The Pier Falls - is an overview of a disaster. Depressing & distant.
The island - the retelling of Ariadne's story (the traitorous gal who helped Theseus kill the Minotaur). Depressing & distant.
Bunny - Depressing & distant again, even though concentrates on just 2 people. I could never work up any empathy, though.
I quit. Why bother? I haven't really liked a single story. They're all depressing & distant. Pointless, like watching the news of some disaster on another continent. It's a shame, but there are many bad things happen that I have no control over. It's why I don't watch the news much save for the local stuff.
Wodwo
The gun
The woodpecker and the wolf
Breathe
The boys who left home to learn fear
The weir
The Pier Falls - is an overview of a disaster. Depressing & distant.
The island - the retelling of Ariadne's story (the traitorous gal who helped Theseus kill the Minotaur). Depressing & distant.
Bunny - Depressing & distant again, even though concentrates on just 2 people. I could never work up any empathy, though.
I quit. Why bother? I haven't really liked a single story. They're all depressing & distant. Pointless, like watching the news of some disaster on another continent. It's a shame, but there are many bad things happen that I have no control over. It's why I don't watch the news much save for the local stuff.
Wodwo
The gun
The woodpecker and the wolf
Breathe
The boys who left home to learn fear
The weir
January 12, 2020
Me está resultando muy bueno. El libro anterior del autor, El curioso incidente del perro a medianoche fue un gran motivo para iniciarlo.
September 24, 2017
Un racconto su tutti: Crolla il pontile.
Un crollo al rallentatore che fotografa in quindici brevi pagine un mondo che si disfa sotto i nostri occhi. Ecco, il senso della catastrofe in Mark Haddon è altissimo e dilaga, sotto forme diverse in tutti i racconti. Può essere un attimo in cui la vita di un ragazzino prende una certa piega (La Pistola) , un gesto di vigliaccheria che travolge un'esistenza fallace in un racconto morale alla Durenmatt (Selvatico), un errore di prospettiva (Respira) o una favola nera (I Ragazzi che se ne andarono di casa).
Siamo nel cupo senso dell'esistenza, ed è quindi allo stesso tempo affascinate e deprimente.
Un crollo al rallentatore che fotografa in quindici brevi pagine un mondo che si disfa sotto i nostri occhi. Ecco, il senso della catastrofe in Mark Haddon è altissimo e dilaga, sotto forme diverse in tutti i racconti. Può essere un attimo in cui la vita di un ragazzino prende una certa piega (La Pistola) , un gesto di vigliaccheria che travolge un'esistenza fallace in un racconto morale alla Durenmatt (Selvatico), un errore di prospettiva (Respira) o una favola nera (I Ragazzi che se ne andarono di casa).
Siamo nel cupo senso dell'esistenza, ed è quindi allo stesso tempo affascinate e deprimente.
January 5, 2025
Exactly the book I wanted to read at exactly the right time and it was fantastic.
A friend recommended this one about a year ago, I picked up a copy fairly quickly but kept it on my "to read" pile for far too long. Sometimes I wasn't quite in the mood for short stories, other times I read a few pages and realised it was going to be a hard read. But I'm glad I read it when I did.
There are 9 stories in this collection. They span multiple different genres, but all centre around lonely people and all typically are about disasters. Whether sudden or long-lasting, personal or societal, they all have a "cracking point".
The Pier Falls is a short, moment-by-moment account of a pier falling into the sea and the confusion and disaster it causes. This is one of the more memorable stories in the collection.
The Island A retelling of (I think) a Greek mythological tale. Which one, I'm not sure. I'm not super familiar with them. This one was probably slightly more forgettable than the others, but had a wonderful pace and setting.
Bunny is about an incredibly overweight man who lives alone and struggles to take care of him. When someone from his past arrives back to his council estate, the two form an unlikely friendship.
Wodwo Again, a modern retelling of (I think) The Green Knight, but I can't be sure because I've never read or seen it. It centres around a mysterious visitor who visits an obnoxious family at Christmas, and how their life unravels over the next 12 months.
The Gun is about two kids who have a gun, and what they do with it. This story has a wonderful sense of "If the circumstances were slightly changed, life would have turned out totally different". I had a sense that I missed some subtext that was going on here, which gave an ending which didn't entirely make sense to me, but I liked it.
The Woodpecker and the Wolf is a sci-fi story of a base on a distant planet which the humans of earth abandon. Surprisingly, this one has a happy ending which left me googling "what really happened". I couldn't find anyone else on the internet who agrees but I'm pretty sure
Breathe was a weird story, not sure this one totally resonated with me. A successful but estranged daughter returns home suddenly to take care of her mother, but things go wrong.
The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear is an adventure expedition gone wrong. A group of men wander the jungle looking for the remains of the two explorers who came before them. Slightly forgettable, even though I literally just read it.
The Weir after saving a young woman from completing suicide, an old divorcee and a 25 year old girl form an unlikely, companionable friendship. The world around them crumbles, but they sit in comfortable silence.
Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. An easy 5*s for me.
A friend recommended this one about a year ago, I picked up a copy fairly quickly but kept it on my "to read" pile for far too long. Sometimes I wasn't quite in the mood for short stories, other times I read a few pages and realised it was going to be a hard read. But I'm glad I read it when I did.
There are 9 stories in this collection. They span multiple different genres, but all centre around lonely people and all typically are about disasters. Whether sudden or long-lasting, personal or societal, they all have a "cracking point".
The Pier Falls is a short, moment-by-moment account of a pier falling into the sea and the confusion and disaster it causes. This is one of the more memorable stories in the collection.
The Island A retelling of (I think) a Greek mythological tale. Which one, I'm not sure. I'm not super familiar with them. This one was probably slightly more forgettable than the others, but had a wonderful pace and setting.
Bunny is about an incredibly overweight man who lives alone and struggles to take care of him. When someone from his past arrives back to his council estate, the two form an unlikely friendship.
Wodwo Again, a modern retelling of (I think) The Green Knight, but I can't be sure because I've never read or seen it. It centres around a mysterious visitor who visits an obnoxious family at Christmas, and how their life unravels over the next 12 months.
The Gun is about two kids who have a gun, and what they do with it. This story has a wonderful sense of "If the circumstances were slightly changed, life would have turned out totally different". I had a sense that I missed some subtext that was going on here, which gave an ending which didn't entirely make sense to me, but I liked it.
The Woodpecker and the Wolf is a sci-fi story of a base on a distant planet which the humans of earth abandon. Surprisingly, this one has a happy ending which left me googling "what really happened". I couldn't find anyone else on the internet who agrees but I'm pretty sure
Breathe was a weird story, not sure this one totally resonated with me. A successful but estranged daughter returns home suddenly to take care of her mother, but things go wrong.
The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear is an adventure expedition gone wrong. A group of men wander the jungle looking for the remains of the two explorers who came before them. Slightly forgettable, even though I literally just read it.
The Weir after saving a young woman from completing suicide, an old divorcee and a 25 year old girl form an unlikely, companionable friendship. The world around them crumbles, but they sit in comfortable silence.
Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. An easy 5*s for me.
October 31, 2021
Los cuentos de The Pier Falls son muy variados: hay uno ambientado en la Antigua Grecia, hay un viaje espacial, otro que recuerda los relatos de expediciones victorianos, hay también componente fantástico, peripecias de chavales en barrios obreros y, por supuesto, están los vínculos familiares problemáticos que tan bien ha reflejado Mark Haddon en otros libros suyos. Todos tienen el denominador común de ser intensos, dramáticos y descarnados. Son como esos pensamientos negros que te asaltan alguna vez al despertar en mitad de la noche, cuando el futuro se te antoja un lugar aterrador, ese núcleo de desamparo en que evitas pensar el resto del tiempo, en tu vida diurna, mientras te encoges para que no te roce la desgracia, esa vejez que aún te parece tan lejana aunque ya empiecen a dolerte las articulaciones. Estos relatos son un recordatorio de todo eso, y contienen también una acumulación de referencias a su parte corporalmente más desagradable: la caca, el pestazo que suelta quien no se ha duchado en semanas, la enfermedad, etc. A veces, cuando encuentro todo esto en un libro, me pregunto si es un recurso fácil para crear reacciones, o si resulta coherente y necesario. En este caso no estoy segura. Leí en una entrevista que le hicieron a Mark Haddon que estos cuentos habían supuesto para él una oportunidad de probar cosas que no había hecho antes, en sus novelas. Tal vez todo eso que le parecerá excesivo a algunos lectores tenía que salir y ha salido.
De modo que es una lectura intensa y que se devora casi con una atención malsana, como de espectador de accidente de tráfico. ¿Voy a recordarlos pasado el tiempo, va a ser este un libro que desearé releer dentro de años? Ah, esa es otra cuestión.
(La traducción al español la ha publicado, por desgracia, Malpaso. No compréis libros de esta editorial, por favor. Que pague primero todo el dinero que debe a sus colaboradoras y colaboradores. ¡Malpaso, paga ya!)
De modo que es una lectura intensa y que se devora casi con una atención malsana, como de espectador de accidente de tráfico. ¿Voy a recordarlos pasado el tiempo, va a ser este un libro que desearé releer dentro de años? Ah, esa es otra cuestión.
(La traducción al español la ha publicado, por desgracia, Malpaso. No compréis libros de esta editorial, por favor. Que pague primero todo el dinero que debe a sus colaboradoras y colaboradores. ¡Malpaso, paga ya!)
May 30, 2016
I am not a horror reader. I avoid suspenseful movies and do not, as a rule, choose to read thrillers. But I loved this collection.
This is an anthology of psychological thrills and chills, as close to horror as you can get without being of that genre. Within these pages Mark Haddon has given free rein to his deepest, darkest imaginings. The stories in this collection reveal a fascinating look at the obsessions, delusions and quiet tragedies of human life.
Spine-tingling and joltingly electric, in turns macabre, harrowing or poignant, this is a collection that will grip and command your attention and involvement, from the breath-taking first story to the moving, emotive last.
In The Pier Falls, we are given a blow-by-blow account of a terrible, lethal disaster. The cool, impassive nature of the narration here somehow made the horror of the catastrophic event all that more menacing and harrowing.
The Island puts us in the world of mythological Greece, a look at the fate of a foolish princess who loved at her own peril. It is a retelling of the forlorn and forsaken Ariadne, abandoned and betrayed by Theseus, he who has slain her brother, the Minotaur, and stolen her away from her home. Ariadne’s is not a pretty story, but Haddon’s sensitive treatment of the doomed maiden makes this story a true gut-wrencher.
Bunny is the story of a man’s slow descent into the hell of morbid obesity and isolation, when an unexpected light and love comes into his life. The twist in this story is shocking, and we are left pondering the truism that love expresses itself in mysterious ways.
One of Britain’s best-loved legends, that of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is given a contemporary treatment in Wodwo. A family Christmas rife with familial tension and sibling rivalry is shattered by an act of horrific violence, and for one family member especially, things quickly spiral out of control.
In The Gun, two young boys play with a gun in the woods, and their choices have consequences that will forever stop time for one of them.
The Woodpecker and the Wolf is a darker, more vicious version of Andy Weir’s The Martian, where the impermanence and fragility of humanity is put under the spotlight.
The return of a prodigal daughter brings turmoil and stress to her aging mother in Breathe, and affords us a close examination of the ways in which we blind ourselves to the truths about others and ourselves.
The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear summons the ghosts of Victorian-era expeditions to lands unknown. Our narrator chronicles a story that gradually builds in tension and suspense as a group of intrepid adventurers inexorably draw closer and closer to a dire fate.
The final installation, The Weir, explores the unlikely connection between a lonely old man and the suicidal young woman he rescues, then befriends. From such a questionable beginning, their story goes on to end the anthology on a much-needed note of quiet beauty and hope.
This is an anthology of psychological thrills and chills, as close to horror as you can get without being of that genre. Within these pages Mark Haddon has given free rein to his deepest, darkest imaginings. The stories in this collection reveal a fascinating look at the obsessions, delusions and quiet tragedies of human life.
Spine-tingling and joltingly electric, in turns macabre, harrowing or poignant, this is a collection that will grip and command your attention and involvement, from the breath-taking first story to the moving, emotive last.
In The Pier Falls, we are given a blow-by-blow account of a terrible, lethal disaster. The cool, impassive nature of the narration here somehow made the horror of the catastrophic event all that more menacing and harrowing.
The Island puts us in the world of mythological Greece, a look at the fate of a foolish princess who loved at her own peril. It is a retelling of the forlorn and forsaken Ariadne, abandoned and betrayed by Theseus, he who has slain her brother, the Minotaur, and stolen her away from her home. Ariadne’s is not a pretty story, but Haddon’s sensitive treatment of the doomed maiden makes this story a true gut-wrencher.
Bunny is the story of a man’s slow descent into the hell of morbid obesity and isolation, when an unexpected light and love comes into his life. The twist in this story is shocking, and we are left pondering the truism that love expresses itself in mysterious ways.
One of Britain’s best-loved legends, that of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is given a contemporary treatment in Wodwo. A family Christmas rife with familial tension and sibling rivalry is shattered by an act of horrific violence, and for one family member especially, things quickly spiral out of control.
In The Gun, two young boys play with a gun in the woods, and their choices have consequences that will forever stop time for one of them.
The Woodpecker and the Wolf is a darker, more vicious version of Andy Weir’s The Martian, where the impermanence and fragility of humanity is put under the spotlight.
The return of a prodigal daughter brings turmoil and stress to her aging mother in Breathe, and affords us a close examination of the ways in which we blind ourselves to the truths about others and ourselves.
The Boys Who Left Home to Learn Fear summons the ghosts of Victorian-era expeditions to lands unknown. Our narrator chronicles a story that gradually builds in tension and suspense as a group of intrepid adventurers inexorably draw closer and closer to a dire fate.
The final installation, The Weir, explores the unlikely connection between a lonely old man and the suicidal young woman he rescues, then befriends. From such a questionable beginning, their story goes on to end the anthology on a much-needed note of quiet beauty and hope.
February 2, 2016
This is a collection of short stories that should be savored slowly. Each story delves to unexpected depths, revealing uncomfortable and often stomach-churning events that are the stuff our nightmares are made of.
One of my favorites was The Pier Falls, and it was almost a cinematographic experience. Tiny moments of the disaster are still vivid: the shock of crumbling wood and falling bodies, the small abandoned dog, its leash trailing behind, the young boy caught up in a loving embrace by a stranger at the site of the tragedy,
The collapse of the pier is over in seconds, but I was left understanding that the effects would reach far into the future. And I know the story will stay with this reader far into the future as well.
Bunny could not have been more compelling. From the beginning to the end, this reader was compassionate and yet repulsed. And Bunny wasn't the only character to reach into me. Leah had my heart, and I feared for her. I still do because Haddon leaves the consequences of her last act unknown.
The Woodpecker and the Wolf was tension-filled. Trapped in space isn't a new theme, but Haddon's treatment of it made it seem as if this was the first time I'd ever read about it.
While these three stand out for this reader, the others held my interest, and I couldn't stop reading until I'd finished each one in a single sitting.
One of my favorites was The Pier Falls, and it was almost a cinematographic experience. Tiny moments of the disaster are still vivid: the shock of crumbling wood and falling bodies, the small abandoned dog, its leash trailing behind, the young boy caught up in a loving embrace by a stranger at the site of the tragedy,
The collapse of the pier is over in seconds, but I was left understanding that the effects would reach far into the future. And I know the story will stay with this reader far into the future as well.
Bunny could not have been more compelling. From the beginning to the end, this reader was compassionate and yet repulsed. And Bunny wasn't the only character to reach into me. Leah had my heart, and I feared for her. I still do because Haddon leaves the consequences of her last act unknown.
The Woodpecker and the Wolf was tension-filled. Trapped in space isn't a new theme, but Haddon's treatment of it made it seem as if this was the first time I'd ever read about it.
While these three stand out for this reader, the others held my interest, and I couldn't stop reading until I'd finished each one in a single sitting.
November 11, 2019
Powerful and consistently inventive. Each story is a world unto itself, perfectly imagined and realised.
May 21, 2017
This was a book that I began a long time ago and would entertain myself with as I waited for books I was more excited for to become free at the library. Yet the book is not necessarily deserving of such a second-rate denomination. From the get go, this book--with its electric title story--grabbed me with its vivid and powerful writing. As with most short stories, the author has a bit of trouble sticking the landing, and I'm not sure how many of these will stick with me, but this book was solid. I'd say it was a 4/5 for writing ability and 3/5 for the content of the stories. The topics range, but death, the dependability of family, and the notion of legacy all recur and feature prominently.
February 20, 2017
The Pier Falls is a collection of short stories by author Mark Haddon. They are very well written, maybe even brilliant - Haddon can build amazing mind pictures with his words… And yet…and yet…despite the beauty of these stories, or perhaps because of it, this is one of the hardest reviews I’ve written because I’m not sure who I would recommend this book to. At the very least, any recommendation I could give would come with a strong trigger warning about the emotional effects these stories will likely have because, seriously, they are all consistently and unremittingly dark. Death, despair, and sorrow run through every story. Perhaps, my feelings about these stories can best be summed up by this quote from one of the stories, The Woodpecker and the Wolf:
There is something wrong with all this but she cannot put her finger on what it might be
So, in the end, I will only say if you love short stories with beautiful writing, lots of tension, and the kind imagery that stays with you long after for better or worse, this is definitely worth the read but be prepared for the emotional impact. You’ve been warned.
There is something wrong with all this but she cannot put her finger on what it might be
So, in the end, I will only say if you love short stories with beautiful writing, lots of tension, and the kind imagery that stays with you long after for better or worse, this is definitely worth the read but be prepared for the emotional impact. You’ve been warned.
October 23, 2016
(με βαριά βρετανική προφορά) That was bloody brilliant! Δεν είχε τύχει να διαβάσω κάποιο από τα πονήματα του Haddon και μπορώ να πω πως ενθουσιαστηκα με την πρώτη επαφή μαζί του.
Ένα βιβλίο γεμάτο κυνισμό, σκληρές/ωμές εικόνες και τέτοια περιγραφή, η οποία σε οδηγούσε να βλέπεις τους χαρακτήρες αποστασιοποιημένα, χωρίς να συμπάσχεις μαζί τους ή να νιώθεις κάτι, βρε παιδί μου.
Για όλα αυτά,το λάτρεψα. Επίσης, και για το quirky και σκοτεινό χιούμορ του και για την ευελιξία του Haddon, που μπορεί να κινείται από (λογοτεχνικό) είδος σε είδος σε κάθε ιστορία του με αξιοθαύμαστη ευκολία.
Χάρη σε έναν σκοτεινό παραμυθά, διάβασα ένα βιβλίο που μπαίνει άνετα στην κορυφή του τοπ 5 μου για την χρονιά αυτή (πριν καν αυτή τελειώσει). Well done, sir, well done.
Ένα βιβλίο γεμάτο κυνισμό, σκληρές/ωμές εικόνες και τέτοια περιγραφή, η οποία σε οδηγούσε να βλέπεις τους χαρακτήρες αποστασιοποιημένα, χωρίς να συμπάσχεις μαζί τους ή να νιώθεις κάτι, βρε παιδί μου.
Για όλα αυτά,το λάτρεψα. Επίσης, και για το quirky και σκοτεινό χιούμορ του και για την ευελιξία του Haddon, που μπορεί να κινείται από (λογοτεχνικό) είδος σε είδος σε κάθε ιστορία του με αξιοθαύμαστη ευκολία.
Χάρη σε έναν σκοτεινό παραμυθά, διάβασα ένα βιβλίο που μπαίνει άνετα στην κορυφή του τοπ 5 μου για την χρονιά αυτή (πριν καν αυτή τελειώσει). Well done, sir, well done.
January 30, 2018
Some short story collections are pretty, quiet, gossamer like, daydreams. Some feel like half-explored ideas, half poems, writing exercises.
This didn’t - it was powerful stuff. Haddon explores a number of ideas with a stark and dark manner - several of the stories dealing with horrible and depressing events, death and loneliness, beautifully done despite the fact some stories were difficult to stomach at times. The title story particularly strong, ‘Wodwo’ also a favourite, but no duds in there - this shows Haddon’s talent to the full.
This didn’t - it was powerful stuff. Haddon explores a number of ideas with a stark and dark manner - several of the stories dealing with horrible and depressing events, death and loneliness, beautifully done despite the fact some stories were difficult to stomach at times. The title story particularly strong, ‘Wodwo’ also a favourite, but no duds in there - this shows Haddon’s talent to the full.
August 14, 2019
Wow. I don't know what to say. This was totally unexpected.
This collection of short stories blew my mind, especially "Bunny" and "Breathe". Both stories were so deep and full of love and death. If you need something which isn't always "And they live happily ever after...", this is definitely the right book for you.
This collection of short stories blew my mind, especially "Bunny" and "Breathe". Both stories were so deep and full of love and death. If you need something which isn't always "And they live happily ever after...", this is definitely the right book for you.
December 23, 2025
An exceptionally well written collection of short stories. The authors writing style is fabulous, his descriptive style creates a vivid picture of the events unfolding. The stories were gripping (and rather dark). If you are a fan of happy, uplifting stories then this isn't perhaps a book you would enjoy but, give it a go - creatively it's quite unique.
February 9, 2020
Each story is different in kind from the next - one is about exploration, another about an apparently real-life disaster, others yet about space or the retelling of a myth; but all are conspicuously well-written and Haddon segues easily from one style to another. All are big hitters - real, strong narratives not the vugue nuances os many contemporary stories. And all are about death and the facing of it. I really enjoyed them but most the first - the pier disaster - and 'Wodwo' which cleverly retells the story of Gawain and the Green Night, making it work in a contemporary context. Powerful stuff.
May 11, 2016
http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/love...
There are relatively few writers who are capable of displaying mastery of both the novel and the short story. Granted, a good writer is a good writer, but many simply prove more adept at one or the other.
And then there are some – like Mark Haddon – who can do it all.
Haddon’s bibliography marks him as a writer of particularly diverse skills. His career began as a writer of books for children, but his 2003 debut novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” – his first effort intended for adults - garnered significant critical and commercial success. He has written a pair of subsequent novels, but his latest offering is a collection of short fiction.
“The Pier Falls” features nine stories, an assemblage that runs the genre gamut. But while Haddon ranges widely in terms of the shapes and styles of these stories, the overall tone – and the themes that are being explored – wend and wind throughout the entire collection.
The book opens with the titular story. It’s a stark and excruciatingly detailed recounting of a collapsing pier. As the minutes tick by, Haddon zooms in on isolated moments within the larger picture, offering snapshot portrayals of the tragic senselessness of it all – all rendered with a clinical and matter-of-fact detachment. Periodic counts of both minutes and casualties prove a strong juxtaposition against the assorted agonies being suffered on all sides.
“The Woodpecker and the Wolf” takes us into the realm of science fiction. A team of astronauts is living on Mars, barely keeping themselves together in anticipation of their relief and return home. However, circumstances leave them to largely fend for themselves – and things gradually, inexorably unravel. And one woman in particular is left to wonder whether her presence on this mission might have more to do with what isn’t on Earth than with what is on Mars.
“The Gun” is a stunning and poignant look at one boy being forced to contemplate morality and mortality thanks to a friend’s access to a firearm; the memories of the day haunt him throughout the rest of his days. “The Island” is more of the historical fiction persuasion; a princess of ancient Greece has to come to terms with the dangerous isolation created by her own thoughtless decisions. It’s a cautionary tale looking at the rarely-considered pitfalls associated with blindly following one’s heart. And while “Wodwo” introduces elements of the supernatural, it’s much more a story about coming to terms with the consequences of our actions. Pride goeth before a fall; one rash choice leads to a year-long downward spiral for a man who once had it all.
“The Pier Falls” is a wide-ranging and wonderfully diverse collection. It’s really a virtuoso performance from Haddon, whose constantly-shifting stylistic choices make every story a capable piece of standalone art. Any one of them, viewed on its own, would be an exquisite reading experience.
But it is when they are brought together, these disparate narratives, they bring forth a truer understanding of Haddon’s thematic exploration of the darkness that exists just beneath the surface. They explore the sad shadows cast by love - the desperate need for it, the pain of its absence – in a manner both genuine and gut-wrenching. And yet, even with the seemingly relentless darkness, Haddon finds ways to bring forth moments of hope. They are fleeting and often ephemeral, but their presence is felt nonetheless.
Haddon’s characters seem trapped in an isolation of their own making. Even with others present – family, friends, what have you – their loneliness is inescapable. This despite a palpable yearning for that feeling of connection. Desire for some form of closeness is the foundational underpinning of every one of these stories. Thriller or history, supernatural or science fiction, these nine narratives all find their own paths into the dark – and take us with them.
It’s a remarkable collection, with every individual story achieving a level of impactful engagement that would make any writer proud. Each one is a gracefully-constructed reminder that Mark Haddon is a rare and incredible talent. From top to bottom, first word to last, “The Pier Falls” is exceptional.
There are relatively few writers who are capable of displaying mastery of both the novel and the short story. Granted, a good writer is a good writer, but many simply prove more adept at one or the other.
And then there are some – like Mark Haddon – who can do it all.
Haddon’s bibliography marks him as a writer of particularly diverse skills. His career began as a writer of books for children, but his 2003 debut novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” – his first effort intended for adults - garnered significant critical and commercial success. He has written a pair of subsequent novels, but his latest offering is a collection of short fiction.
“The Pier Falls” features nine stories, an assemblage that runs the genre gamut. But while Haddon ranges widely in terms of the shapes and styles of these stories, the overall tone – and the themes that are being explored – wend and wind throughout the entire collection.
The book opens with the titular story. It’s a stark and excruciatingly detailed recounting of a collapsing pier. As the minutes tick by, Haddon zooms in on isolated moments within the larger picture, offering snapshot portrayals of the tragic senselessness of it all – all rendered with a clinical and matter-of-fact detachment. Periodic counts of both minutes and casualties prove a strong juxtaposition against the assorted agonies being suffered on all sides.
“The Woodpecker and the Wolf” takes us into the realm of science fiction. A team of astronauts is living on Mars, barely keeping themselves together in anticipation of their relief and return home. However, circumstances leave them to largely fend for themselves – and things gradually, inexorably unravel. And one woman in particular is left to wonder whether her presence on this mission might have more to do with what isn’t on Earth than with what is on Mars.
“The Gun” is a stunning and poignant look at one boy being forced to contemplate morality and mortality thanks to a friend’s access to a firearm; the memories of the day haunt him throughout the rest of his days. “The Island” is more of the historical fiction persuasion; a princess of ancient Greece has to come to terms with the dangerous isolation created by her own thoughtless decisions. It’s a cautionary tale looking at the rarely-considered pitfalls associated with blindly following one’s heart. And while “Wodwo” introduces elements of the supernatural, it’s much more a story about coming to terms with the consequences of our actions. Pride goeth before a fall; one rash choice leads to a year-long downward spiral for a man who once had it all.
“The Pier Falls” is a wide-ranging and wonderfully diverse collection. It’s really a virtuoso performance from Haddon, whose constantly-shifting stylistic choices make every story a capable piece of standalone art. Any one of them, viewed on its own, would be an exquisite reading experience.
But it is when they are brought together, these disparate narratives, they bring forth a truer understanding of Haddon’s thematic exploration of the darkness that exists just beneath the surface. They explore the sad shadows cast by love - the desperate need for it, the pain of its absence – in a manner both genuine and gut-wrenching. And yet, even with the seemingly relentless darkness, Haddon finds ways to bring forth moments of hope. They are fleeting and often ephemeral, but their presence is felt nonetheless.
Haddon’s characters seem trapped in an isolation of their own making. Even with others present – family, friends, what have you – their loneliness is inescapable. This despite a palpable yearning for that feeling of connection. Desire for some form of closeness is the foundational underpinning of every one of these stories. Thriller or history, supernatural or science fiction, these nine narratives all find their own paths into the dark – and take us with them.
It’s a remarkable collection, with every individual story achieving a level of impactful engagement that would make any writer proud. Each one is a gracefully-constructed reminder that Mark Haddon is a rare and incredible talent. From top to bottom, first word to last, “The Pier Falls” is exceptional.
December 12, 2024
What do some retired teachers of literature read when they finally have time to themselves? Anything but a volume smacking of "classic lit" by reputation (real or imagined.) Once in a while I feel the guilt that goes with choosing Hiaasen over Hemingway.It passes a few chapters in. Once in a while, though, I realize there are some contemporary writers who are destined to become the Hemingway or Fitzgerald of future generations. Meet Mark Haddon .
In an incredible variety of styles and genres , from a stoical rendering of a contemporary catastrophe to a Victorian-style diary of an adventurer awaiting his own death alone in a jungle, the author displays a comfort zone in any genre he chooses in nine compelling short stories.
These are stories that are meant to be read over a period of time for two very good reasons. They are meant to be individually savored, not devoured in one sitting.
They will haunt you days, weeks after reading .
All right, three very good reasons. You are bound to find some of 'you' in one or more of the stories' characters.
And just a note to future generations who come across "Haddon" and are told 'he's a classic writer'......read him anyway and enjoy the guilt.
This collection is slated for publication in early May, 2016.
If you can't wait, find a copy of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME to read in the meantime.
In an incredible variety of styles and genres , from a stoical rendering of a contemporary catastrophe to a Victorian-style diary of an adventurer awaiting his own death alone in a jungle, the author displays a comfort zone in any genre he chooses in nine compelling short stories.
These are stories that are meant to be read over a period of time for two very good reasons. They are meant to be individually savored, not devoured in one sitting.
They will haunt you days, weeks after reading .
All right, three very good reasons. You are bound to find some of 'you' in one or more of the stories' characters.
And just a note to future generations who come across "Haddon" and are told 'he's a classic writer'......read him anyway and enjoy the guilt.
This collection is slated for publication in early May, 2016.
If you can't wait, find a copy of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME to read in the meantime.
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