17 January 2011

Reading is Fundamental

Unless otherwise indicated, the fiction I read this week came from Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet 22.

"Love Might Be Too Strong a Word" by Charlie Anders.  This is the best alien interspecies love-story I've ever read. Ever. EVER. 5 out of 5.

"Going to France" by Maureen F. McHugh. Great story but I'll be honest--I didn't quite get the end. 4 out of 5.

"Getting Closer" by Steven Millhauser. (THE NEW YORKER, January 3, 2011). Sorry, but there's no way I'll ever buy that any nine year-old is as contemplative as the one in the story.  2.5 out of 5.

"American Dreamers" by Caleb Wilson.  Very intricate character studies.  Just not enough for me narratively.  3 out of 5.

"Mike's Place" by David J. Schwartz.  Nice, tight story.  Has a similar atmosphere to one of my favorites, Keret's "Kneller's Happy Campers."  4 out of 5.

"The Camera & the Octopus" by Jeremie McKnight.  A wonderful grown-up bedtime story.  4 out of 5.

"Escape" by Cara Spindler. I was turned off by the structure of the piece initially, but I was glad I stuck with it.  4 out of 5.

"Away" by William Alexander. Very nice story about an almost-stranger in an almost-strange land.  5 out of 5.