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The Heaven Of Animals: Stories (2014)

by David James Poissant(Favorite Author)

4.27 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1476729964 (ISBN13: 9781476729961)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Simon & Schuster

review 1: Tremendous debut collection from David James Poissant. The writing is assured, insightful, often beautiful. Animals make unexpected appearances and sometimes play key roles in the plot. Surreal flash fictions are mixed in with the longer, realistic short stories. Though the stories aren't linked in the usual sense, it's a collection so well-organized I recommend reading it straight through. You'll care deeply for the characters. You'll be moved and awed. I was.
review 2: 4.5 stars. The writing of these stories is often top-notch, a writer in command of making some less-than-likeable characters sympathetic. But there is an awful lot of filtering, internal thoughts, etc. in place of plot. The end of a few of the stories has characters doing simply unreal... moreistic things (sitting in the dark, crying over an alligator) to serve the theme, though it does serve the theme well. In the end, all of these stories have an awful lot to like, but I really felt that it was better writing and conceptualization of theme than it was great stories (though very good stories). This is me being nitpicky, though, because these stories and characters are rich and inventive--and at times, there is a beauty to it all. Most importantly, many of these stories stick with you. One of the more impressive debut collections I've read. less

Download links for: The Heaven of Animals: Stories

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