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Life, Bound
Free agents or captives of our past? In Life, Bound, characters find themselves caught in situations not of their own making, or trapped by ingrained habits, walking in grooves carved out by past events. Sexuality, gender, resentments, attachments and perversities all play a part. Yet the grip of the past needn’t always hold firm. Many protagonists are offered a potentially life-changing moment; whether or not they grasp it is up to them.
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 2, 2020
Life, Bound (Midnight Sun 2020) is an eclectic collection of short stories by Marian Matta featuring characters sometimes stuck in old habits and constrained by past events, sometimes challenged by obstacles or situations thrown unexpectedly into their paths, and sometimes facing a sliding door moment or asked to make a choice that will have irrevocable consequences. Many of the stories have ambiguous or thought-provoking endings, leaving the reader to wonder what might have happened next.
The Heart of Harveys Lane is a ghostly story about an artist and a house within a house. Climb is an unsettling story with a shocking twist. Matta tackles gender diversity in Danny Boy with sensitivity. Babies-in-their-Eyes is a heartbreaking story of aging and lost chances. The author explores the complexities of relationships and of domestic violence and the sometimes impossible decisions to be made. She examines trust and climate change and sexuality and the fires of revenge. In Roadkill, a woman takes charge of her life in a surprising way.
This is a fairly even and consistent collection of stories that are all warm, witty or thoughtful. An interesting collection by a mature writer whose life experience is demonstrated in her array of ideas.
The Heart of Harveys Lane is a ghostly story about an artist and a house within a house. Climb is an unsettling story with a shocking twist. Matta tackles gender diversity in Danny Boy with sensitivity. Babies-in-their-Eyes is a heartbreaking story of aging and lost chances. The author explores the complexities of relationships and of domestic violence and the sometimes impossible decisions to be made. She examines trust and climate change and sexuality and the fires of revenge. In Roadkill, a woman takes charge of her life in a surprising way.
This is a fairly even and consistent collection of stories that are all warm, witty or thoughtful. An interesting collection by a mature writer whose life experience is demonstrated in her array of ideas.
December 29, 2021
Some of the magic in these stories is what happens outside the frame, what is not said and in fact is inferred so barely you can't be sure if you are making up some of the details. I love the sparseness. Matta seems to be saying to the reader "you don't need an explanation, you can keep up". That's a brave move for a writer because people can't always keep up.
The characters have a tendency to break stereotypes in a redemptive direction (mostly) but without becoming sweet or hallmarky. The elements seem to feature. Fire was the first thing I noticed then water. Once you look for the elements you see them.
In places the writing was dense (as in jam-packed, not as in stupid) and laborious. Overall I really enjoyed it and I might be being a hardarse for only giving it 4 stars. If you follow my reviews though you will know 4 is pretty high for me. I'd read more from this author.
The characters have a tendency to break stereotypes in a redemptive direction (mostly) but without becoming sweet or hallmarky. The elements seem to feature. Fire was the first thing I noticed then water. Once you look for the elements you see them.
In places the writing was dense (as in jam-packed, not as in stupid) and laborious. Overall I really enjoyed it and I might be being a hardarse for only giving it 4 stars. If you follow my reviews though you will know 4 is pretty high for me. I'd read more from this author.
July 18, 2023
U.S. author Stephen King famously said, “A short story is like a quick kiss in the dark from a stranger. That is not, of course, the same thing as an affair or a marriage, but kisses can be sweet, and their very brevity forms their own attraction.”
In this sense, Marian Matta’s short stories may be described as “quick kisses in the dark”. Collected under the title “Life, Bound”, these 16 stories are brief yet with lingering attraction, for we often catch glimpses of their subjects and themes out of the corner of our eyes.
Matta’s stories are snippets of human lives, like slices of a savoury pie lovingly prepared by our local bakery. One bite of a single slice is enough for us to imagine how rich and delicious the whole pie is. The taste is familiar – a reminder of our hometown.
Matta’s characters exist everywhere in our community – people chasing fame and glory, people fleeing violence and trauma, people seeking redemption, and people striving to self-define. Inevitably, there are couples in love, couples bound by love, couples liberated from love, and couples missing out on love.
But there is often a touch of kindness in Matta’s calm and detailed illustration of the many tragedies and triumphs of humanity. As an author, she shows much compassion and empathy to her characters who are trapped in situations not of their own making and/or out of their control.
In each story, Matta observes how her characters react to their restrictive circumstances. While some choose to rebel against their oppressors, others patiently wait for salvation. Still others are able to endure their misfortune by taking action to care for each other. All are graciously documented.
It is this sense of grace subtly conveyed through Matta’s writing that reminds this reviewer of Vincent van Gogh, whose eyes “watch the world and can’t forget”. To borrow Don McLean’s words, as “weathered faces lined in pain / are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand”, readers are able to find comfort and peace. Life once again becomes bearable because someone else has (temporarily) exorcised its dark shadow.
Matta has a clear knack for writing, her excellent choice of words vividly projecting images straight into our imagination. For example: “She is dowdy like the other hundred or so wives in the dying town are dowdy, their colours all drained away, their blues sucked up into the hot sky, their greens absorbed into the sombre gums which fringe the small holdings, their reds bled out every month until another pregnancy intervenes. Grey wraiths are all that’s left.”
Matta is also unafraid of experimenting. The 16 short stories vary considerably in terms of length, style, atmosphere, perspective, and message, their only shared feature being a distinct focus on discovery. Whether it is discovery of oneself or others is beside the point, as long as the process is worth it.
And, as many of the characters in Life, Bound have told us – it is.
Note: This book review was originally published under the title “Short stories a quick kiss” by Ranges Trader Star Mail, June 8, 2021, Page 12.
In this sense, Marian Matta’s short stories may be described as “quick kisses in the dark”. Collected under the title “Life, Bound”, these 16 stories are brief yet with lingering attraction, for we often catch glimpses of their subjects and themes out of the corner of our eyes.
Matta’s stories are snippets of human lives, like slices of a savoury pie lovingly prepared by our local bakery. One bite of a single slice is enough for us to imagine how rich and delicious the whole pie is. The taste is familiar – a reminder of our hometown.
Matta’s characters exist everywhere in our community – people chasing fame and glory, people fleeing violence and trauma, people seeking redemption, and people striving to self-define. Inevitably, there are couples in love, couples bound by love, couples liberated from love, and couples missing out on love.
But there is often a touch of kindness in Matta’s calm and detailed illustration of the many tragedies and triumphs of humanity. As an author, she shows much compassion and empathy to her characters who are trapped in situations not of their own making and/or out of their control.
In each story, Matta observes how her characters react to their restrictive circumstances. While some choose to rebel against their oppressors, others patiently wait for salvation. Still others are able to endure their misfortune by taking action to care for each other. All are graciously documented.
It is this sense of grace subtly conveyed through Matta’s writing that reminds this reviewer of Vincent van Gogh, whose eyes “watch the world and can’t forget”. To borrow Don McLean’s words, as “weathered faces lined in pain / are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand”, readers are able to find comfort and peace. Life once again becomes bearable because someone else has (temporarily) exorcised its dark shadow.
Matta has a clear knack for writing, her excellent choice of words vividly projecting images straight into our imagination. For example: “She is dowdy like the other hundred or so wives in the dying town are dowdy, their colours all drained away, their blues sucked up into the hot sky, their greens absorbed into the sombre gums which fringe the small holdings, their reds bled out every month until another pregnancy intervenes. Grey wraiths are all that’s left.”
Matta is also unafraid of experimenting. The 16 short stories vary considerably in terms of length, style, atmosphere, perspective, and message, their only shared feature being a distinct focus on discovery. Whether it is discovery of oneself or others is beside the point, as long as the process is worth it.
And, as many of the characters in Life, Bound have told us – it is.
Note: This book review was originally published under the title “Short stories a quick kiss” by Ranges Trader Star Mail, June 8, 2021, Page 12.
September 11, 2020
This collection of short stories intrigued me from the start. I enjoy short stories, I read many collections, but Life, Bound was something different. For a start, every story I read I felt I had to go back and read again. There is a depth in Matta's writing which evokes a myriad of responses. In the first story, 'The Heart of Harvey's Lane', I felt scared, amused and intrigued. The house at the beginning appears, 'picture-perfect too in that quaintly abandoned way that gets renovators itching to arrange a mortgage and break out the colour charts,' but its heavy gothic influence soon asserts itself on its new owner. Strange dreams, mirrors, hidden rooms, a key - this story would make a fabulous short film.
Other favourites were the hilarious and clever 'Drive My Car' and the beautiful 'Winston Mahaffey's Hat', I promise, you'll never guess the ending to that one.
Matta is a writer whose warm and engaging prose will make readers wish there were other stories tied to the ones in the collection. I found myself wondering about the tough and kind Alice in 'Danny Boy' and the Headmistress with a 'feminine spine' in 'Road kill'.
Matta is a writer to watch. This collection feels just the start of what will no doubt be a bright writing life. Five stars, read it!
Other favourites were the hilarious and clever 'Drive My Car' and the beautiful 'Winston Mahaffey's Hat', I promise, you'll never guess the ending to that one.
Matta is a writer whose warm and engaging prose will make readers wish there were other stories tied to the ones in the collection. I found myself wondering about the tough and kind Alice in 'Danny Boy' and the Headmistress with a 'feminine spine' in 'Road kill'.
Matta is a writer to watch. This collection feels just the start of what will no doubt be a bright writing life. Five stars, read it!
March 16, 2024
What beautiful character and world building thats been able to be done in such a short space of time for each story. I was engrossed in all the stories and the spaces they were set, and always surprised by the little kickers that were left unsaid.
Brilliant
Brilliant
January 31, 2021
Loved this collection of intriguing short stories. Superb writing, fascinating characters - little capsules of life that burrowed into my heart and left me wanting to know more!
Read
April 24, 2024I'm almost finished this collection of short stories by Marian Matta and have thoroughly enjoyed the variety, insight, and economic but probing prose. She uses dialogue to build character rather than expose the plot. A range of ages gets a look in, and Matta shows she has a strong sense of justice and a flair for the unexpected, even when we might have had other ideas. One story, "Winston Mahaffey's Hat" reminded me vividly of Roald Dahl.
Themes like love and its many guises, regret, betrayal, resilience and friendship are explored with clever understatement, humour and honesty.
This is a collection I would read again, something I would usually not do.
Themes like love and its many guises, regret, betrayal, resilience and friendship are explored with clever understatement, humour and honesty.
This is a collection I would read again, something I would usually not do.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews