Status Updates From Nightjar: Stories

I’m going to finish THREE books very soon (this, the Forgiveness book, and my current audio book), but won’t be able to write reviews until sometime next week. The next couple books I have lined up are probably fairly quick reads, too. I’m putting myself in a precarious position. I don’t want to get in the habit of NOT writing reviews because it is important to me. I hope I don’t let it fall by the wayside.

Some of the paragraphs I read today—and rereading some quotes I’d saved from yesterday—I was struck by how perfect they are. Like each word was very deliberately chosen to offer this beautiful, melancholy poignancy. I remember now: this is how I felt reading IDAHO. It’s how I felt reading LINCOLN IN THE BARDO, too. Like every word is perfect. Like it’s unreal that writing this good exists.

I read stories 2 & 3. The second I didn’t really connect with much. The third was very good, but I still think the first was the best so far. I wanted to say this yesterday but ran out of characters: the writing sort of gives me Sittenfeld vibes, but much more melancholy. Her themes are more grief and loss whereas C.S. offers a kind of self-aware nostalgia. I’m definitely still feeling right to call myself a fan.

I may read more today, but I just finished the first of the five stories in this book and I want to say: it was excellent. I worried, slightly, if I had built up my memory of Ruskovich’s IDAHO too much in my mind. Was it really as perfect as I tell people it was? It’s been years now since I’ve read it. Based on the first of this collection, I think I was right to still hold Ruskovich high esteem. ❤️

Round Lake was the perfect description of how our memories work and what happens to us when we realize our memories from childhood are not accurate.

The second story, Owl, was tender and heartbreaking. I felt so much for both characters.

The first story, Victor’s Room was great. I forgot how much I love this author’s writing. You are transported to the scenery and the emotion of the story. You feel the wonder and the betrayal.