I often resist reading short story collections although, when I do, I often end up feeling glad I did (it's some weird quirk I can't explain). I would have read this book sooner if it had been a novel but I like anything Richard Ford writes and this most recent collection is no exception. The stories are set in locales around the world: New Orleans, New York, Maine, Ireland and Paris. Most of the characters are middle aged and have experienced the usual losses through death or divorce and are lonely and disappointed that their lives have not turned out as they would have wanted. The characters appear not to have gained insight from their life experiences; they have regrets yet remain guardedly hopeful. Each story in this collection is disquieting and sweetly tragic. Ford writes like a jeweller shaping a diamond with each perfect facet casting a different light and reshaping the whole.
No comments:
Post a Comment