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This Is Not a Love Song
This engrossing first story collection by rising star Brendan Mathews is packed with compelling tales such as "My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer," in which a love triangle complicates things between a lion tamer, a trapeze artist, and the strongman. Mathews effortlessly weaves irresistible stories from a wide array of situations, as in "Airborne," in which a couple's obsession with a mold in their house causes them to tear it apart plank by plank.
A worker in architectural salvage trying to two-time his boss by stealing a valuable antique, a father and his sons haggling over the family business during high-stakes rounds of golf, and a widow of the Bosnian conflict recalling her husband's demise and her dramatic escape are only a few of the warm and intimately revealed characters populating Mathews's enchanting collection.
This Is Not a Love Song is proof positive that Mathews is every bit the expert minimalist that he was the boisterous maximalist, as each of these ten stories brings its world and its sympathetic characters to life with vivid detail, emotional precision, and winning humor.
A worker in architectural salvage trying to two-time his boss by stealing a valuable antique, a father and his sons haggling over the family business during high-stakes rounds of golf, and a widow of the Bosnian conflict recalling her husband's demise and her dramatic escape are only a few of the warm and intimately revealed characters populating Mathews's enchanting collection.
This Is Not a Love Song is proof positive that Mathews is every bit the expert minimalist that he was the boisterous maximalist, as each of these ten stories brings its world and its sympathetic characters to life with vivid detail, emotional precision, and winning humor.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published February 5, 2019
12 people are currently reading
2003 people want to read
About the author
Brendan Mathews
6 books48 followersBrendan Mathews is the author of This Is Not a Love Song and The World of Tomorrow, both published by Little, Brown and Co. This Is Not a Love Song has been shortlisted for the Massachusetts Book Awards and the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. The World of Tomorrow was named an Honor Book by the Massachusetts Book Awards and longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. It was also named an Indie Next Great Read and an Editors' Choice by the New York Times Book Review.
A Fulbright Scholar to Ireland, Brendan’s fiction has twice appeared in The Best American Short Stories and in Glimmer Train, Virginia Quarterly Review, Salon, Cincinnati Review, and other publications in the US and UK. He has been the recipient of grants and fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Sustainable Arts Foundation, and the Sewanee Writers Conference. Born and raised in upstate New York, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his MFA from the University of Virginia. He lives with his wife and their four children in Lenox, Massachusetts, and teaches at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.
A Fulbright Scholar to Ireland, Brendan’s fiction has twice appeared in The Best American Short Stories and in Glimmer Train, Virginia Quarterly Review, Salon, Cincinnati Review, and other publications in the US and UK. He has been the recipient of grants and fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Sustainable Arts Foundation, and the Sewanee Writers Conference. Born and raised in upstate New York, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his MFA from the University of Virginia. He lives with his wife and their four children in Lenox, Massachusetts, and teaches at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
January 7, 2019
Last year I enjoyed reading Brendan Mathew's first novel The World of Tomorrow. Reading his first collection of stories This is Not a Love Song brought me a new appreciation of Mathews. If World was a fun romp into the past with an action ending, the short stories are an examination of the human experience on a deeper level. I was moved, I related, and I was entertained.
There are stories about we believe we know--about love and family and life--but discover aren't true. Stories about coming to terms with life, or not coming to terms.
The first story, Heroes of the Revolution, was also one of my favorites. An American female college student is responsible for providing visiting foreign journalists with typical American experiences. She takes them to pick apples, but walking through the orchard stirs memories, revealing the student's sheltered life while the journalists grapple with the lasting damage of the atrocities they personally lived through.
This is Not a Love Song questions the nature of art and friendship as one woman pursues a music career while her friend captures her life on film.
I loved Airborne, the story of how having a child transformed a couple's life and relationship, the crazy obsession over a child's safety, which in the story goes to an extreme, but which I well remember with the birth of my only child.
How Long Does the First Part Last? is about unrequited love.
Dunn & Sons is "the story my father never tells;" three generations of men share stories that connect them and those that split them, and the stories that "might save us" if "ever told the right way."
Look at Everything is an amazing story about a photography student who by accident causes a fire and responds by taking photographs instead of reporting it.
The Drive takes an ironic peek behind the ubiquitous story of a dad taking the babysitter home.
Henry and his Brother speaks to the bonds of fraternal love and a mutual need that transcends family ties.
In Salvage, a man working in the shady business of removing architectural pieces from ruined buildings finds the item that he thinks will finally change his luck and life.
The last story, My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer, reads like a parody and comedy but feels like a tragedy involving the love triangle clown, a tightrope walker, and a lion tamer.
I can't wait to see what Mathews does next.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
There are stories about we believe we know--about love and family and life--but discover aren't true. Stories about coming to terms with life, or not coming to terms.
The first story, Heroes of the Revolution, was also one of my favorites. An American female college student is responsible for providing visiting foreign journalists with typical American experiences. She takes them to pick apples, but walking through the orchard stirs memories, revealing the student's sheltered life while the journalists grapple with the lasting damage of the atrocities they personally lived through.
This is Not a Love Song questions the nature of art and friendship as one woman pursues a music career while her friend captures her life on film.
I loved Airborne, the story of how having a child transformed a couple's life and relationship, the crazy obsession over a child's safety, which in the story goes to an extreme, but which I well remember with the birth of my only child.
How Long Does the First Part Last? is about unrequited love.
Dunn & Sons is "the story my father never tells;" three generations of men share stories that connect them and those that split them, and the stories that "might save us" if "ever told the right way."
Look at Everything is an amazing story about a photography student who by accident causes a fire and responds by taking photographs instead of reporting it.
The Drive takes an ironic peek behind the ubiquitous story of a dad taking the babysitter home.
Henry and his Brother speaks to the bonds of fraternal love and a mutual need that transcends family ties.
In Salvage, a man working in the shady business of removing architectural pieces from ruined buildings finds the item that he thinks will finally change his luck and life.
The last story, My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer, reads like a parody and comedy but feels like a tragedy involving the love triangle clown, a tightrope walker, and a lion tamer.
I can't wait to see what Mathews does next.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
January 22, 2019
3.5/5: A short collection of ten insightful stories that explore the human condition. Our search for connection. Our longing for each other.
At turns funny and tragic, compassionate and unapologetic. It's life. It's thought provoking and illuminating. The prose glows.
Recommend.
This was an ARC giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
At turns funny and tragic, compassionate and unapologetic. It's life. It's thought provoking and illuminating. The prose glows.
Recommend.
This was an ARC giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2019
A quick, fairly short book of some astonishing and thought-provoking stories.
(Won this book through the Goodreads giveaway program - thank you!)
I've always loved short stories, not being one of those (many) reviewers who'll start their review with how much they don't like them, but that this collection is so different, etc. etc. For me, I like a short tale sometimes, something I can read and enjoy in the time it takes me to finish off a hot cup of coffee and a piece of carrot cake on a frosty winter afternoon. Anyhow...
Each story is like a little nugget, some with twists and turns, others very straightforward.
My favorites, 'Heroes of the Revolution,' about a young woman visiting the US in an exchange program for writers, journalists etc. She's from Bosnia and meets/interacts with an American girl - a kind of 'clueless' individual - and a man who's also from eastern Europe. Their interaction and conversations, against the backdrop of an apple orchard - priceless. (Though if the American girl is supposedly typical of all Americans? Yikes. I hope not!)
Another, 'Look at Everything,' about a man whose plans to become a photographer go a little awry, was striking stunning, surprising. Loved it.
And as for 'Dunn & Sons,' I saw reflections of my own family in the interactions between a domineering father and his three adult sons, much of which happens on a golf course. Yep, I know people just like these four.
Insightful, skillfully executed, this book's a small gem.
Four stars.
(Won this book through the Goodreads giveaway program - thank you!)
I've always loved short stories, not being one of those (many) reviewers who'll start their review with how much they don't like them, but that this collection is so different, etc. etc. For me, I like a short tale sometimes, something I can read and enjoy in the time it takes me to finish off a hot cup of coffee and a piece of carrot cake on a frosty winter afternoon. Anyhow...
Each story is like a little nugget, some with twists and turns, others very straightforward.
My favorites, 'Heroes of the Revolution,' about a young woman visiting the US in an exchange program for writers, journalists etc. She's from Bosnia and meets/interacts with an American girl - a kind of 'clueless' individual - and a man who's also from eastern Europe. Their interaction and conversations, against the backdrop of an apple orchard - priceless. (Though if the American girl is supposedly typical of all Americans? Yikes. I hope not!)
Another, 'Look at Everything,' about a man whose plans to become a photographer go a little awry, was striking stunning, surprising. Loved it.
And as for 'Dunn & Sons,' I saw reflections of my own family in the interactions between a domineering father and his three adult sons, much of which happens on a golf course. Yep, I know people just like these four.
Insightful, skillfully executed, this book's a small gem.
Four stars.
February 26, 2019
Damn, I really love this author. Usually all I want from a short story collection is two or three standouts; these are all pretty stellar. Airborne felt so true to me it was as if I was reading about myself. I’m so glad I read this and it was worth getting that song stuck in my head for a couple days.
March 4, 2019
Wonderful collection of short stories on the human condition. One incredible short story after another. Brendan Mathews is a marvel.
February 18, 2024
Brendan Mathews shows a great facility for capturing the power and powerlessness of communication in his collection of short stories, This is Not A Love Song. Each entry in the collection has a distinct style and mood, with varying points-of-view and characterization. All, however, serve to demonstrate how people’s basic need to connect with each other is thwarted when true understanding is elusive or temporary. The stories we tell each other are self-filtered and the essentials can be lost in translation. The ten tales are all well-written and engaging with unique characters-starting with a survivor of the Bosnian War visiting the U.S. and ending with or a circus clown faced with unrequited love. Mathews is an interesting storyteller, and This is Not A Love Song is hopefully only the first of many collections of stories he will share with his readers.
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March 20, 2019Just how far would you to keep it all together?
I won a copy of This Is Not a Love Song from the publisher, Little Brown, and the author, Brendan Matthews. A huge thank you to them!
This was an anthology of stories about people and what they thought they knew about family, love, and life. Tales about coming to ( or not coming to terms ) when they found out they didn't. They were all different but had a common theme. There were ten very quick short stories included.
The Ten Tales:
Heroes of the Revolution : Edina , a Bosnian woman in the states, goes apple picking with some of her co-workers. This was definitely based around an interesting idea. Unfortunately it it was mostly a miss in my opinion. This definitely needed more to it. It felt like it would have been a great set-up to a full-length novel. We got the whole story and while it didn't feel rushed, it did as well? I know that doesn't make sense but that is how I felt. It also needed more context. I totally got why Edina didn't like Kristin. She didn't understand anything about Edina and acted like she and Vistas didn't understand anything about American culture just because they were immigrants. How incredibly shallow. If Kristin ( the stereotypical white American women ) is truly the only representation expressed to the rest of the world, yikes. I'm saddened for both the rest of the world and my fellow white women. We are not all one stereotype. On the other hand though I kind of thought the amount of hate Edina channeled towards Kristin was petty.
Look at Everything : A photography student accidentally burns down a church and must decide whether to tell about it or keep it to himself. This was probably my second favorite story out of the book. Another great set up to a novel. It needed more of an ending though.
Dunn & Sons : A father and his three sons go to a golf course to " discuss " their family business. Probably my favorite of the anthology. It was a great look at how a family works. It showed that are definitely things we discuss with our families and those things that are extremely difficult to talk about, and often don't get talked about. Dunn and Sons touched a special place in my heart, as my family runs a family business.
This Is Not a Love Song : The narrator looks back in almost a dream sequence at her life with Kate, a rising punk rock musician. Extremely boring though even though it was a unique format and I love punk rock music. Disappointing.
Airborne : Jenna, Dan, and their baby daughter Lucy are living and their house when Dan becomes obsessed with a mold infestation. Well this was certainly an odd one. Airborne was a unique look at obsession and how it tears the life of a family apart. The open ending was almost non-existent.
How Long Does the First Part Last : More like when does this story end? Not sure what the purpose was with this one other than it's about unrequited love.
The Drive : Have you ever wondered what the babysitter thinks of your family? Here we had an odd story about a dad taking the babysitter home. Even though it's nothing was directly stated this felt vaguely dirty and left me uncomfortable.
Henry and His Brother : After a major incident in their lives Henry and his brother reflect on their relationship. To say that it was unhealthy was to say the least.
Salvage : While working his normally subpar job, Tommy, a salvage crew worker, stumbles upon the Salvage of a lifetime. He must fight to get back to it before it's taken from him. This certainly took a downward spiral as this short story went on.
My Last Attempt to Explain What Happened with the Lion Tamer : A circus love triangle between the Clown, the Lion Tamer, and the Tightrope Walker. The Clown seemed to blame everything on the girl and and I just kept screaming, " Hey dude it takes two to make a relationship work! " Though it was interesting it needed more substance to the story and I was left feeling very confused.
Some of these stories were pretty good. Others though, really needed a lot of work. They were enjoyable but just kind of lacking something.
Overall This Is Not a Love Story had a lot of interesting ideas, but it just needed more development.
I won a copy of This Is Not a Love Song from the publisher, Little Brown, and the author, Brendan Matthews. A huge thank you to them!
This was an anthology of stories about people and what they thought they knew about family, love, and life. Tales about coming to ( or not coming to terms ) when they found out they didn't. They were all different but had a common theme. There were ten very quick short stories included.
The Ten Tales:
Heroes of the Revolution : Edina , a Bosnian woman in the states, goes apple picking with some of her co-workers. This was definitely based around an interesting idea. Unfortunately it it was mostly a miss in my opinion. This definitely needed more to it. It felt like it would have been a great set-up to a full-length novel. We got the whole story and while it didn't feel rushed, it did as well? I know that doesn't make sense but that is how I felt. It also needed more context. I totally got why Edina didn't like Kristin. She didn't understand anything about Edina and acted like she and Vistas didn't understand anything about American culture just because they were immigrants. How incredibly shallow. If Kristin ( the stereotypical white American women ) is truly the only representation expressed to the rest of the world, yikes. I'm saddened for both the rest of the world and my fellow white women. We are not all one stereotype. On the other hand though I kind of thought the amount of hate Edina channeled towards Kristin was petty.
Look at Everything : A photography student accidentally burns down a church and must decide whether to tell about it or keep it to himself. This was probably my second favorite story out of the book. Another great set up to a novel. It needed more of an ending though.
Dunn & Sons : A father and his three sons go to a golf course to " discuss " their family business. Probably my favorite of the anthology. It was a great look at how a family works. It showed that are definitely things we discuss with our families and those things that are extremely difficult to talk about, and often don't get talked about. Dunn and Sons touched a special place in my heart, as my family runs a family business.
This Is Not a Love Song : The narrator looks back in almost a dream sequence at her life with Kate, a rising punk rock musician. Extremely boring though even though it was a unique format and I love punk rock music. Disappointing.
Airborne : Jenna, Dan, and their baby daughter Lucy are living and their house when Dan becomes obsessed with a mold infestation. Well this was certainly an odd one. Airborne was a unique look at obsession and how it tears the life of a family apart. The open ending was almost non-existent.
How Long Does the First Part Last : More like when does this story end? Not sure what the purpose was with this one other than it's about unrequited love.
The Drive : Have you ever wondered what the babysitter thinks of your family? Here we had an odd story about a dad taking the babysitter home. Even though it's nothing was directly stated this felt vaguely dirty and left me uncomfortable.
Henry and His Brother : After a major incident in their lives Henry and his brother reflect on their relationship. To say that it was unhealthy was to say the least.
Salvage : While working his normally subpar job, Tommy, a salvage crew worker, stumbles upon the Salvage of a lifetime. He must fight to get back to it before it's taken from him. This certainly took a downward spiral as this short story went on.
My Last Attempt to Explain What Happened with the Lion Tamer : A circus love triangle between the Clown, the Lion Tamer, and the Tightrope Walker. The Clown seemed to blame everything on the girl and and I just kept screaming, " Hey dude it takes two to make a relationship work! " Though it was interesting it needed more substance to the story and I was left feeling very confused.
Some of these stories were pretty good. Others though, really needed a lot of work. They were enjoyable but just kind of lacking something.
Overall This Is Not a Love Story had a lot of interesting ideas, but it just needed more development.
March 20, 2019
This book has stuck with me long after reading the last page. This book like its title is not a love song. This in an anthem, a stadium arena event for those who know. And I hold up my lighter in the night right along with all the characters in these stories.
If you're not reading Mathews, you're missing out on an incredible writer.
There's something about Brendan Mathews' writing that makes you feel as if you're reading fantasy or science fiction, not bits of what some would call everyday life, and that's something truly remarkable. Each story is crafted so well, it's like someone talking directly across from you, in crowded, loud rooms where you're so focused on what's being said you forget that.
The story "Airborne" reminds me of the movie "Bug", if you've never seen it, please do. But the premise is Jenna's husband Dan is convinced there is mold in the house and unless it's taken out, he'll continue to suffer (from nose bleeds, delusion). But is Dan right? Is Jenna? Is there mold? It reads like such a suspenseful sci-fi film but at it's heart is the loneliness of two people who took on more than they thought they would. Whatever is happening, Dan needs help and can Jenna offer that? The story's ending offers no such neat wrapping, and that's the beauty of it.
The short stories in "This is Not a Love Song" are a collection from Mathews' career writing for different publications and 2 from "The Best American Short Stories". They run from every aspect: unrequited love ("Heroes of the Revolution"), weighted expectations ("Dunn & Sons"), marriage ("The Drive"), relationships ("This Is Not a Love Song"), family ("Henry and His Brother"). Some are Hitchcockian (see the creepy story "Look at Everything"), some are domestic drama - all are heartbreaking.
Whether that was the intention or not, it happens when you read this book. I felt everything Mathews put on the page, partly because his writing makes you and partly because I know the everlasting battle there is between the clowns and the lion tamers and how sometimes no one wins (this is the last story in the collection: "My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer").
But is there a lingering possiblity there, somewhere? For a love song? Because Mathews provides a sobering look at a reality that digs deep in light numbered pages where story after story is about what it means when the lights are burnt out and all we're left with is ourselves after the stage is scrapped.
The first story, "Heroes of the Revolution", breaks my heart because there's so much miscommunication and possibility that Mathews has to please tell me Vitas and Edina (the two central characters) have a love song in the future or I'll never believe again. (Okay, I will, but he still needs to tell me).
Recommended for the dreamers and the heartbroken alike. Released Februrary 5th from Little Brown.
Be sure to see the music playlist for this book and be sure to read Mathews' debut "The World of Tomorrow" (it's 1930's gansters meets 'Downton Abbey').
If you're not reading Mathews, you're missing out on an incredible writer.
There's something about Brendan Mathews' writing that makes you feel as if you're reading fantasy or science fiction, not bits of what some would call everyday life, and that's something truly remarkable. Each story is crafted so well, it's like someone talking directly across from you, in crowded, loud rooms where you're so focused on what's being said you forget that.
The story "Airborne" reminds me of the movie "Bug", if you've never seen it, please do. But the premise is Jenna's husband Dan is convinced there is mold in the house and unless it's taken out, he'll continue to suffer (from nose bleeds, delusion). But is Dan right? Is Jenna? Is there mold? It reads like such a suspenseful sci-fi film but at it's heart is the loneliness of two people who took on more than they thought they would. Whatever is happening, Dan needs help and can Jenna offer that? The story's ending offers no such neat wrapping, and that's the beauty of it.
The short stories in "This is Not a Love Song" are a collection from Mathews' career writing for different publications and 2 from "The Best American Short Stories". They run from every aspect: unrequited love ("Heroes of the Revolution"), weighted expectations ("Dunn & Sons"), marriage ("The Drive"), relationships ("This Is Not a Love Song"), family ("Henry and His Brother"). Some are Hitchcockian (see the creepy story "Look at Everything"), some are domestic drama - all are heartbreaking.
Whether that was the intention or not, it happens when you read this book. I felt everything Mathews put on the page, partly because his writing makes you and partly because I know the everlasting battle there is between the clowns and the lion tamers and how sometimes no one wins (this is the last story in the collection: "My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer").
But is there a lingering possiblity there, somewhere? For a love song? Because Mathews provides a sobering look at a reality that digs deep in light numbered pages where story after story is about what it means when the lights are burnt out and all we're left with is ourselves after the stage is scrapped.
The first story, "Heroes of the Revolution", breaks my heart because there's so much miscommunication and possibility that Mathews has to please tell me Vitas and Edina (the two central characters) have a love song in the future or I'll never believe again. (Okay, I will, but he still needs to tell me).
Recommended for the dreamers and the heartbroken alike. Released Februrary 5th from Little Brown.
Be sure to see the music playlist for this book and be sure to read Mathews' debut "The World of Tomorrow" (it's 1930's gansters meets 'Downton Abbey').
August 25, 2019
I especially loved This is Not a Love Song, Airborne and My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer .
February 4, 2019
An Very Insightful Story Collection
This was a quick read, filled with a facinating collection of stories!
Some of the stories were very straightforward but others had little twists. Each story invoked a certain mood of its own. The characters were also very interesting.
All ten of these stories were genuine and well written. They aren't very long but they do pack a punch and waste no time getting to the heart of the matter in each setting. They offer a insightful look at the human condition, and our neverending search for connection and longing.
Reccomended especially if you like short stories.
•
Thank You @hbgcanada for providing me with this #ARC.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
This was a quick read, filled with a facinating collection of stories!
Some of the stories were very straightforward but others had little twists. Each story invoked a certain mood of its own. The characters were also very interesting.
All ten of these stories were genuine and well written. They aren't very long but they do pack a punch and waste no time getting to the heart of the matter in each setting. They offer a insightful look at the human condition, and our neverending search for connection and longing.
Reccomended especially if you like short stories.
•
Thank You @hbgcanada for providing me with this #ARC.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
February 5, 2019
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. The stories were written beautifully. I got attached to the characters even though they were short stories. They were dark, gritty, and kept you guessing. I just wanted more! Every story seemed to end way to soon! So if short stories that don't have a definite closing, this book would frustrate you! It was a good read, and I am glad I won it!
February 24, 2019
Rounding up from 4.5.
Don’t forget these are short stories meant to evoke perhaps a common sentiment of love turned into a Dumpster fire. There’s obsession, objectification, and good old fashioned crazy.
Read it slowly. Go back and read that bit again. Think about how many ways love can turn into sadness or disaster.
Don’t forget these are short stories meant to evoke perhaps a common sentiment of love turned into a Dumpster fire. There’s obsession, objectification, and good old fashioned crazy.
Read it slowly. Go back and read that bit again. Think about how many ways love can turn into sadness or disaster.
March 13, 2019
Extraordinary collection of stories about the many varieties of love and the endless interpretations of the participants in loving, and not so loving, relationships. Every sentence is crafted to deliver the maximum impact without a wasted word. Enjoy a delightful experience.
June 23, 2019
PopSugar prompt: read a book with the word 'love' in the title
I had no idea that someone - an author - was living a parallel life with me all these years. Living in Chicago in the mid- to late 1990s (though I stayed put and he moved it seems), being from North Carolina, having many of the same experiences and feelings about both places. Only he wrote short stories about them.
It makes me want to set up some sort of Google Alert on him to find out when he's doing an author reading in Chicago next, to meet the person who was me-not-me at the same time I was me. If that makes sense.
Oh, right, the short stories! They are great. No, seriously. Loved them. Brendan Mathews writes a tight short story even if he wasn't writing me.
I had no idea that someone - an author - was living a parallel life with me all these years. Living in Chicago in the mid- to late 1990s (though I stayed put and he moved it seems), being from North Carolina, having many of the same experiences and feelings about both places. Only he wrote short stories about them.
It makes me want to set up some sort of Google Alert on him to find out when he's doing an author reading in Chicago next, to meet the person who was me-not-me at the same time I was me. If that makes sense.
Oh, right, the short stories! They are great. No, seriously. Loved them. Brendan Mathews writes a tight short story even if he wasn't writing me.
May 30, 2019
An extremely strong collection of short stories, can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them and they were all so diverse and different. Definitely a writer I will be watching out for!
June 19, 2019
Unlike a lot of short story collections, I enjoyed all of the stories. I could relate.to them and none of them was a slog to get through.
April 5, 2019
Thank you to Goodreads and Little Brown for the giveaway copy to review!
A story co-narrated by brothers, another told through photos, accidental arson, family communication with critical details left out, couples at each others' throats but coming together once they realize the internal experience of the other.
Brendan Mathews' short stories manage to place you in the world of the characters within a few short paragraphs. Short stories often struggle to achieve the depth of a well-written novel, but these don't have that problem. Mathews writes judiciously, using just enough details to fully shape each character as a person. Though not mystery stories, the plots unfold over time and leave you with just enough suspense to notice when your questions are answered in a few short pages.
If you're looking for some short stories to immerse yourself in and enjoy, this is an excellent collection to choose.
A story co-narrated by brothers, another told through photos, accidental arson, family communication with critical details left out, couples at each others' throats but coming together once they realize the internal experience of the other.
Brendan Mathews' short stories manage to place you in the world of the characters within a few short paragraphs. Short stories often struggle to achieve the depth of a well-written novel, but these don't have that problem. Mathews writes judiciously, using just enough details to fully shape each character as a person. Though not mystery stories, the plots unfold over time and leave you with just enough suspense to notice when your questions are answered in a few short pages.
If you're looking for some short stories to immerse yourself in and enjoy, this is an excellent collection to choose.
March 8, 2019
Love in all its dirty, painful, heartbreaking forms emerges from this Goodreads Giveaway win. Mathews writes about true love: the nitty, gritty, gnarling and snarling bits. Some of the stories in this book seem complete, others leave a tattered remain, leave you to question what came next.
Sometimes there isn't a "next", and that was the beauty in between these pages. I devoured the love, and it was bitter sweet.
Sometimes there isn't a "next", and that was the beauty in between these pages. I devoured the love, and it was bitter sweet.
August 7, 2019
This was unexpected at most turns. Character-centered and full of heart, this short story collection hits all the right notes in it's discussion of love in it's various forms and types. I will definitely be reading more from this author! Only 1-2 of these stories were less than 5 ⭐ for me.
June 28, 2019
I wrote this book and I say, damn right: 5 stars.
October 24, 2019
I picked this book up at the library without really knowing anything about it but generally I like short stories so decided to give it a try. Based on the reviews here I wasn’t expecting anything special and maybe it’s not actually that special but I really enjoyed these stories. They were varied in scope and plot enough to be entertaining and different. They were a bit dark as a whole but not overly depressing. Just a good collection overall and I felt like each story would have led itself to a good discussion; none were forgettable. Would read this again and take notes, hopefully with someone else or as a group to discuss.
April 6, 2020
A really remarkable collection of short stories!! I liked the unusual style of “The Drive,” and the quiet painful family drama of Dunn and Sons. The title story is a beautiful one. Highly recommended
May 9, 2019
Quite a few wonderfully unique stories; beautiful writing.
December 4, 2019
Many of the stories in this book are thoughtful and moving. The characters are well-developed, and you can feel the relational ties that exist between them. I enjoyed reading this collection of stories. Most memorable to me were the first and last in the collection, so I thought those were well-placed. Overall, great writing.
*I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.*
*I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.*
October 18, 2019
The most interesting takes on what might be thought of as love from so many viewpoints. Very interesting to read.
February 7, 2019
Enjoyed this collection of short stories. Some were really good and thought provoking. A couple were a bit strange and I wasn't sure about but still very much worth reading. Fast read with a variety of stories. Looking forward to reading more from Brendan in the future. I won this book in a goodreads giveaway thank you!
May 3, 2019
DNF. This book features a series of interconnected short stories that center around a narrator's obsession with a punk rock manic pixie dream girl. I hate that trope so much because it's such a lazy way of creating an "interesting" female character without having to put any thought into it. She's so special! For no reason! Because she's also really strange but in a cool way! Everyone is immediately into her! And all the while she's teaching you some important life lesson! She's Zooey Deschanel (500 Days of Summer), Natalie Portman (The Garden State), Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) to name just a few. It wasn't just the MPDG trope that killed these stories, though. They were very contrived and trying so hard to convince you how cool they were. There were several sections that induced massive eye rolls. I skimmed the rest of the book after the first 50 pages.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2019
There is so much uniqueness and control in this book of short stories. Each character was so interesting and compiled a mini masterpiece in these stories. I loved the writing style and polish of these stories and will be recommending these to others to read. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.
February 27, 2019
his is not a Love Song is full of insightful short stories that'll make you reflect on your relationships (marriages, friendships, families). The characters in each of the short stories were well-written and interesting. I have to admit, I didn't fully understand a couple of the stories, but I'm guessing it's because they were too poetic for me(?) Overall, it's a quick read. So if you're looking for something that touches on the human condition and our desire to desperately make our relationships work, I think you'll enjoy this one. 3/5
February 28, 2019
I was happy to win a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but i'm afraid this book just wasn't for me.
I read each story dutifully, giving glances to the stack beside me that I would rather have been reading, and finally discovered why the stories seemed so familiar - they reminded me of the countless stories i read for book club, which can be dissected into parts to be discussed but which i never seemed to enjoy reading.
Some people will be very happy to read these stories, but as I wrote above, not for me.
I read each story dutifully, giving glances to the stack beside me that I would rather have been reading, and finally discovered why the stories seemed so familiar - they reminded me of the countless stories i read for book club, which can be dissected into parts to be discussed but which i never seemed to enjoy reading.
Some people will be very happy to read these stories, but as I wrote above, not for me.
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