Rage

by John Mavin

When our own darkness is mirrored in multi-faceted characters, do we look away in disgust or find the humanity within them and, by extension, ourselves? In his debut short fiction collection, John Mavin has slyly exposed hidden themes to the world with breathtaking potency, eloquence, and wit. Rage follows a loosely interwoven group of people from the fictional town of Dolsens, Ontario. Archaeologists, mountain climbers, priests, musicians, psychics, soldiers, and teens all confront the rage and sorrow of lives based on lies and abuse as they struggle to gain their independence, their dignity, and in some cases, revenge. When such content becomes overpowering, Mavin’s lyrical and controlled writing keeps the reader so enmeshed that we cannot look away. These are the stories that hold us close with their suspenseful conflicts and a nagging uncertainty of what a desperate or angry person might do. They are often as dark as they are enlightening.

Genres: Short Stories

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2017

About the author

A past nominee for both the Aurora Award and the Journey Prize, John Mavin is the author of Rage. He's taught creative writing at Capilano University, Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia, with New Shoots, and at the Learning Exchange in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Reviews

[Faisal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rage
John Mavin

I won this autographed copy through Goodreads giveaway, thank you. This is a one of a kind set of short dark stories that you just don’t hear about every day. Each story goes deep into different aspects of human behavior through different aspects of lives. Besides a couple of stories that I had trouble understanding due to them having Spanish and French mixed in, the others are mind blowing especially during the end of each story.

[Steph Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are immersing and hard-hitting, and will stay with you days after you finish. In particular, the heartache and pain of the title story, the vigilante brother and sister duo of A Flock of Crows is Called a Murder, the down-to-earth reverend and his fight to save a refugee in Relevance, and the difficult read of Dal Segno al Fine’s aging couple are standout elements ... but The High Alpinist’s Survival Guide is my ultimate favourite — it will have you on the edge of your seat.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this a few days ago while on my break at work, but then I was distracted by other things. This isn't the kind of one-off book you read when distracted. The first story sets the tone, and then the idea filters through that the themes explored will demand both your time and attention. Don't shortchange yourself. Give in.

Then it's 3:45 in the morning, you've flipped over the last page, and the only sense of disappointment left lingering is that there isn't more.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book of short stories and it definitely won't be my last. Each story was captivating and written with a variety of styles and themes which kept things interesting. I look forward to future stories. Definitely a talented author.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book. I was captivated by each character in each story, drawing me in until I cried, screamed and cheered along with them.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, an absolute page turner. Once I started a story I had to finish it before I put it down.

[Tammy Knezic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rage. So much rage.

The war-trauma rage of the initial story. The filial rage of "And Apparently, Cigarettes." Ambitious rage in "Deposition." Jared's righteous (and ironic) rage in "Relevance," which frankly is one of my favourite things in the entire book. The drama-fueled teenage rage of "Mercy Manor." Raymond's helpless rage in "Dal Segno Al Fine," which has my favourite opening line in the book. Zak's unexplained rage is beautifully played against Mike's hopefulness about his future in "Waiting for the Defibrillator to Charge." Then there is the traumatizing rage of "Rage." The crazy ambitious rage of "The Edmore Snyders." The dad's quiet rage in "A Flock of Crows is called a Murder" as well as the bestial rage of the crows, reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock. And the motivating rage in "The High Alpinist's Survival Guide."

I truly enjoyed reading it and highly recommend this collection of short stories.

[Krista Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually have a difficult relationship with short fiction. A lot of stories are written in a "literary" style, and when I read those I am often left thinking, "Hunh? What the heck was that?"
Not so with John Mavin's book of short stories. Each of these stories features real people with real problems, making real mistakes: "Rage" indeed. These characters are all relatable in their struggles, their dysfunction, or the unfairness of the betrayals they experience. I quickly realised I shouldn't read this book at bedtime, lest I toss and turn, worrying about whether a character will make yet another poor choice, and be forced to deal with the consequences. These are not stories to be "enjoyed." They are stories one is drawn into. Standouts are Dal Segno al Fine (hard to read because of my own family experience with dementia) and Rage (where just so many poor parenting choices are made). My preferences were Deposition and The Edmore Snyders.

[Roger Pylypa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories of deception, betrayal, and revenge; of consequences intended and unintended. The moods in Mavin’s fiction fluctuate with every plot twist and reveal, leaving the reader to wonder what the next moment will hold.

[Janine Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through a range of characters as diverse as an elderly stroke victim to a priest harboring an illegal alien, the stories in this book offer an unflinching look at the Jekyll and Hyde emotions we all strive to suppress. Dark, haunting, and very memorable!

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is difficult to put down as you become emotionaly invested into each characters unique story. My favourite story is "The High Alpinist's Survival Guide" and a close second is "A Flock of Crows is Called a Murder". Brilliantly written!

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories

[Margarita Escobar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories. The author writing style keeps you hanging on until the last word.
What a talented writer!!

[jordy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. made it over halfway through, having disliked every story i had read so far, yet still went on hoping to find a gem. the gem never came.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of short stories captures the secluded secrets of a small town that is unable to keep its innocents. The way the author is able to bring forth a variety of intense subject matter is no small feat, Rage makes the reader go on an emotional roller-coaster, that in the end, brings the reader to question parallels they might have seen in their own town. Impossible to stop in the middle of a story, John Mavin's writing style keeps you hanging on until the last word.