Pigface and other stories

by Ryan O'Neill (Editor), Zoe Deleuil (Contributor)

In the 2018 Margaret River Story Competition anthology, we take a voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of diverse characters - young and old, unsavoury and righteous, ordinary and bizarre. Although seemingly unconnected, these stories are linked through the commonalities of the universal human experience. Tightly woven stories exploring the familiar threads of grief, regret and disillusionment are told in sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous - yet always illuminating - ways.
The short stories in this collection will make you laugh, make you cry, and, hopefully, they will open your eyes to the world around you.

212 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

About the author

Ryan O'Neill was born in Scotland, and lived and worked in Lithuania, Rwanda and China before settling in NSW, Australia.

His short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and journals including Meanjin, Westerly, New Australian Stories, Sleepers Almanac and Best Australian Stories. He is also a fiction editor for Etchings.

Ryan's short story collection, The Weight of a Human Heart, is published in Australia by Black Inc, in the UK by Old Street Publishing, in Israel by Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir and in the US by St Martin's Press.

Reviews

[Lily Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this anthology of short stories from the Margaret River Short Story Competition 2018. The book was given to me by a friend and signed by Geraldine Brooks during the recent Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival. So let's just say, Pigface is precious to me.
I thought the standard of stories was high, but those that I most prefer have some sense of relationship to them, and of real life. My favourites were Setting Sail, The Sea Dragon, Small Fish, The Chopping Block, Soap and On Either Side. I enjoyed Habitat too.
If I had to choose, I think it's, The Chopping Block that will prove most memorable to me.

[Helen Bookwoods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most anthologies, there is a great variety of stories here: realist and more fantastical, bush and city, sad and amusing. 'Pigface' (the winning story of the Margaret River Press short story prize), is a great piece of controlled prose, and unfolding tension. Kat is a ranger in an eco-resort; she knows she has a good job but the pushy guests she takes on a bush walk are hard to take: she tells them about the pigface plant 'Ted stabbed a question at her-Latin name? Like a fork pointed across a dinner table'. Luckily she knows the answer! Of course, tension builds and tempers flare as the walk goes on. In another story 'Living With Walruses' a group of walruses inexplicably takes over a beach of small coastal town. The locals love it (it brings tourists) but soon the smell and noise turn them against the creatures. It's a quirky story about tolerance and cruelty. I also loved 'Setting Sail'a quiet story where a gentle encounter with a neighbour offers hope to a woman in a controlling marriage. 'Descent' was also a wonderfully controlled story where the whole relationship of father and his young son from a previous marriage is revealed in one bush walk up (and down) a mountain. On the more amusing side, 'Small Fish' skewers a certain type of type of Aussie male on a fishing trip, although, in the end, the story is more poignant than harsh. I also enjoyed 'The Chopping Block', a moving, beautifully-written story about a woman and her dog, and loneliness and resilience. An underlying sense of tension is built (and a certain amount of blood spilt!). 'Habitat' is a clever piece of writing that covers a lot of issues on a small canvas, and almost imperceptibly builds up a sense of unease and angst in the everyday life of the main character. There is a lot of great writing here and something for everyone. *** Disclaimer, I have a piece in this anthology.

[Shelley Timms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average rating (across all stories) - 3.32 stars

Overall, a fairly enjoyable collection of short stories from local Australian authors. I look forward to reading more from Margaret River Press, particularly upcoming anthologies!

For more reviews, visit Underground Writers: https://bit.ly/2DJJQ9g