Fine

by Michelle Wright

The dazzlingly accomplished stories in this collection range from a vivid moment of a young girl counting the 'water hours', to a scorching tale of schoolyard bullying; a sleep-deprived mother; grandparents of a child at risk deciding where their loyalties lie; a young boy searching for his parents after the Sri Lanka tsunami; a widow walking the beach, and a woman secretly listening to the weather reports on radio: all trying with courage and fragility to present a face to the world that is 'fine'. By shining her light on these quiet moments in ordinary lives, Michelle follows in a tradition which includes Olga Masters, Amy Witting and Alice Munro. It is exciting to read a contemporary collection of such breadth. Fine is an astonishing fiction debut from a future star of Australian Literature.

Genres: Short Stories

328 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2016

About the author

Michelle Wright is an award-winning writer who brings to life a remarkable range of characters, winning many awards, including The Age short story competition. Her collection of short stories, Fine, was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript and published in 2016.


Michelle's debut novel, Small Acts of Defiance, is the fruit of her deep love for Paris - her home for 11 years - as well as her decades of passion for French language, culture and history.

In 2017, Michelle was awarded a six-month Australia Council for the Arts residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris to carry out the extensive research needed to create her vivid portrayal of life in occupied France.

Reviews

[Helen King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive this through an Allen & Unwin giveaway. Lucky because I've been fortunate to have finished reading a really thought provoking series of experiences, episodes and events in the lives of a diverse range of people. Some of these were harrowing, or wonderful, but often they were common place. Events we might not have noticed. But Michelle has a wonderful ability of bringing to life, and revealing, the importance in the big things and the small. And making us feel for the characters she writes about, also with a lot of pathos. Sometimes short stories can be thought of as light reads - this definitely isn't (some of the stories were quite painful to read) but that's good too. I found I paced myself in reading it. Too many stories to draw attention to, but 'wardz' was one that has particularly stayed with me.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine is a collection of short stories and microfiction that detail the moments when lives fall apart. Each story is like a small emotional bomb, full of all the varieties of sadness of the human condition. Wright crafts each tale with just the right number of words, and the titular story, presented last in the volume, is the standout piece. I couldn't read too many stories in a row - there was little or no levity to break up the grief and tragedy - but so many of the stories will undoubtedly stay with me.

[Andrew Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to win this wonderful collection in a goodreads giveaway. Every story gives you just enough to get the point across without being overly detailed. Each story is different with no over riding theme. There are many stories that leave you breathless and amazed at what you just encountered. I would love to read a full novel by Michelle, her style is succinct, sweet, and revealing without telling.

[Michael Livingston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is a beautifully written examination of grief and despair, with dozens of stories dealing with people who have lost somone or something. There are hugely affecting moments (the two stories set around the tsunami in Sri Lanka were particularly strong), but the cavalcade of sadness means that by the end each individual story struggles to make an impact.

[Sharah McConville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine is a collection of beautifully written short stories about tough subjects such as death, depression, bullying and homelessness. I won Michelle Wright's book through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Jen Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, as I knew I would.

[Renee Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this pre-release for review.

Filled with short stories that cover varies topics. Each story filled with insightful emotion regardless of its length. Definitely worth the read.

[Louise Omer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories that dunk you in the ocean and leave you gasping.

[Liz Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The image that comes to mind regarding the collection as whole is a painted wood chip half way to peeling off. Individually the stories are like splinters. Going back over the stories once I'd finished was like visiting familiar places as the imagery and emotion is strong. Settings include urban and rural Australia and Sri Lanka. One of my favorites is a story set in an abandoned junk yard with a mix of people, including young children, there. Another is about the sudden loss of a long term spouse, and the echoes that leaves. The stories range from two page vignettes to longer ones. None are tied up with a bow, we know the moments and the people carry on. A collection to hold onto.

[Christy Ngo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a book that I would normally buy so I was lucky to have won this book!

The normal lives of others are written as short stories in this book and I have to say I feel the characters, live with them.

I'm an observer, not a talker. And this gives out a feeling like I'm sitting in a cafe with a hot drink in hand and looking at passerbys. Imagine their lives, their feelings and their habits.

I really enjoyed this book!

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this book, it is not the usual type of book that I read and honestly I think that I would have put it down within the first 10 pages had it not been a win from the Goodreads giveaways. I expected to be reading a collection of short stories but really I think it is a collection of thoughts. This is not a book that you can read lightly from start to end. It requires some time and thought for each particular 'thought', and once you come to realise this, it becomes a more interesting book to read.

I found that I could personally connect with some of these flashes into other peoples lives and it made me reflect on memories of my own past and how I felt in similar situations, some of them fond memories and some that were not so pleasant and I believe this is what the author is hoping for when she wrote this book. I also found that there were times when I felt for the characters and desperately wanted to know what happen to them. I would sit and ponder what their outcome would be but to never know, I found very frustrating.

I think this is the type of book that you will only get something out of if you are prepared to open yourself up and really take some time to reflect along the way.

[Kylie Purdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of a stack of books I downloaded onto my Kindle when I went on holidays. Knowing I needed to read and review for another project, I opened it early on. What I had forgot was that it was a collection of short stories! Once I worked that out after 2-4 stories, it became a lot less confusing and a lot more enjoyable!
For me a good collection of short stories leaves you wanting to know more about the characters and what happens to them without feeling like you've just been cut off or the story wrapped up so quickly you feel like the author ran out of ideas. Fine definitely falls into the former category. Wright tells a story that feels like a snap shot of a scene or two in her characters life. It's almost like peering through a window or watching people on the street and creating stories about what you see.
From schoolyard bullying , to parents at odds about their daughter and grandson, to a boy searching for his family after the tsunami, a shark attack, a theatre performance in a prison, a father and daughter who share a love of lingustics - Wright covers a whole gamut of subjects and emotions. Each story holds it's own and together form a fabulous collection.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. Up there with some of the best short fiction I've read. It brings to mind other great short-story writers like Amy Hempel. Cate Kennedy is a good Australian reference point.
It's firmly grounded in the 'everyday' and in contemporary Australia and has many distinctly Australian references and turns of phrase.
I read a review that referred to it as 'leaden' in the unrelenting darkness of much of the subject matter. For me it was simply serious - in the best way much great realism is, like that of say Banks and Carver.
Slightly shorter and more focussed and I might have given it a five...it's easily one and a half great collections....plus then we might not have to wait so long for a follow up!

[Douglas Gellatly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! Thirty-three stories, all of them gems.
‘Fine’ by Michelle Wright is a wonderful collection of short stories that are collectively about ordinary people.
These are stories that encompass all the sensory neurons as well as human emotion in multiple ways.
The author has skilfully written a people watcher's guide book because so fine is her observation of what people do in response to their personal situations, no matter what they are, and she captures each one well.
I found myself transported into the scene so many times and felt myself there, watching as well.
Put this book high on your list of books to read.

[Haylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win this in a goodreads giveaway. I was pleasantly blown away. I had never read a short story collection with stories as short as just three pages before and was amazed at how much impact just a few pages of words could have. Most of the stories really connected with me. The characters in the collection come from all walks of life and span all ages, so I think there is bound to be a story that will resonate with you. Looking forward to rereading some of the stories in this collection again and reading future works by Michelle Wright.

[Karys McEwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is lovely but the stories are just so depressing!

[Cosied · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of short stories by first time writer. I loved them!

Glad cooking and cleaning are no loner in your repertoire. Keep writing!

[Krystelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads doing me dirty by not allowing 3.5 stars. This was a solid collection of short stories with snippets of life, no real beginning or end, and all melancholy. It was an interesting insight into a writing style but I did find the style somewhat simplistic at times. There were some stories more evocative than others, and some just felt a little artificial compared to the others. I really enjoyed the ones where there were only a few paragraphs- like the mother losing her son to a shark attack- as it really felt like a tiny snatch of an awful moment, an insight into genuine pain. Very much a 3.5.

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to bail on it. I love short stories but man, each one of these left me empty and sad. I bailed 1/4 of the way through. :( I'm not in the mood to be brought down right now!

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard of the collection of short stories, Fine, by Michelle Wright, when Toni Jordan mentioned it on the ABC Book Club show. And it is indeed a fine compilation of stories, some only two pages, some longer, but all giving a glimpse into the human condition. The stories cover people of all ages and all circumstances. They touch on sorrow, regret, desire - all of the feelings we have when we say we are feeling fine, or we are doing fine, or when we pretend to be fine. These are extraordinary moments from ordinary lives. There are natural disasters and loves gone wrong, characters who are frail and those who are remarkably strong, people desperately trying to help others and people desperately trying to disappear and be alone. For some, their whole life is ahead of them; for others, they are nearing the end of the road. The themes of isolation and trauma are prominent. This is a fine collection of stories that does what all great stories do: it connects us to people and places that we otherwise might not reach, it presents us with situations and circumstances outside our range of experience, and it prompts us to question our own values and prejudices.

[Jody Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of sad stories. You have to be in the right mindset for this book because the stories feel real and are all close to home. Tragic even. It could eat you, and bring you down. It took me a long time to read because whilst I appreciated the text and the writing, I could only manage small doses of sadness.

[Emily | Emmeline's Books]

review to come soon