Rate this book

Stag: A Story (2000)

by Ben Monopoli(Favorite Author)

4.11 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

review 1: There were abundant moments during the reading of this one that I sought to hug the nearest pillow in empathising with Ollie. It reminded me of a time not too long ago that similar feelings coursed through me: "No one must know about this 'thing'". It does tug at quite a few heartstrings to arrive at a certain level of compassion for this uncertainty, which doesn't wholly yet understandably does excuse Ollie's actions, which speak to the challenges of finding oneself while being surrounded by our peers and those have in some way shared our journey. This is what endears this tale to me, though in a surprisingly small dose given the length of 'Stag'. It was heart-wrenching at times to read this, which is a must-have for everybody in an effort to parse teenage angst and the m... moreany irrationalities that pervade our actions as we make some sense of desire. The detail included in this short story once again stands as a living testament to the author's skill at crafting stories that move the reader along an emotional journey and, critically, render us in the deliciously uncomfortable position of examining 'What-if's' and exploring our own sensibilities regarding passion, desire and the beginnings of lust as we go about our lives. This is what makes 'Stag: A Story' stand out for bringing forth a particular set of complexities that are observed from a teenage perspective - which can be as enlightening as it is maddening.
review 2: A short story of teen angst and melodrama at it's finest. ;) This is a short story of Ollie, who we meet briefly at the end of The Painting of Porcupine City. Here's Ollie's in junior high and is facing the horror of the annual school dance. He was supposed to go stag but that doesn't work out for him and everything derails in true teen melodrama fashion. It's a fun if frustrating read because don't we all remember being that stupid at that age? less

Download links for: Stag: A Story

Advertising