Book Reviews

Stories of Loss

Heather Ball (Author)
Remarkable Women Writers. Second Story Press
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Jon Paul Fiorentino (Author)
Asthmatica. Insomniac Press
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Robert Strandquist (Author)
A Small Dog Barking. Anvil Press
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Ann Walsh (Editor)
Dark Times. Ronsdale Press
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Reviewed by Lynn (J.R.) Wytenbroek

The short story is, like poetry, the crucible in which an author's essential skill and wit are distilled. For some, it is the only narrative structure that works for them; for others, it is one of the genres which they navigate, skilfully or otherwise. But it seems to be the form that most clearly gives the reader glimpses of the stylistic essence, the touch of the writer, even as poetry reveals the soul. The last three books above contain short fiction which reveals as much about the writers as about the stories themselves. The first, book features short biographies on women writers.

Remarkable Women Writers is aimed at the young reader. It is full of interesting but carefully expurgated bits of information about writers such as George Eliot, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Joy Kogawa. Three Canadian writers are featured in this odd biographical collection. Several questions immediately spring to mind. Given Heather Ball's Canadian roots: why did she not write exclusively on Canadian women writers, when three pieces in the book already are, in fact, devoted to three great Canadian women: Atwood, Montgomery, and Kogawa? Then again, why not concentrate on all adult authors or all children's authors rather than combine the two age-groups? Also, why start with Jane Austen and end with J.K. Rowling, rather than all living or all deceased authors? Given the condensed and expurgated versions of the lives of these women, and the somewhat simplistic manner of the writing, this book is obviously for children, so why not choose all great women who wrote for children? These questions are left unanswered. The information presented about each author and her place and time is interesting enough, but there is neither flair nor colour in the prose. The writing is pedestrian and after a while, each biographical sketch sounds like the one before it. The idea behind this book is admirable; the execution is weak.

Asthmatica is poet Jon Fiorentino's first foray into the world of short fiction. The writing is that of a poet—sharp, pithy but, surprisingly, without much poetic style. In fact, the prose is grittily realistic. There are flashes of humour, especially in the story "Sicker Quicker" about a young man and his great aunt on one of their drinking sprees. On the whole, however, the comedic elements are weighed down with endless scenes of failed sexual exploits and self-conscious teenaged angst. The biggest problem is that the writing is altogether too self-conscious and thus needs wit or clever insight to carry it off, neither of which is present in any redeeming quantity.

Strandquist's A Small Dog Barking is, on the otherhand, quite clever in places. This book has repeated flashes of brilliance, and while it is somewhat self-conscious at times, allows the narrative voice to take on its own story often enough for many of the pieces to work well. There is both a wit and a candour in some of the stories that engages the reader. The collection lacks the incessant neurosis of Asthmatica, and therefore each story has its own tone and mood, as well as a varying set of characters. Strandquist's parody of Hamlet, "Hamnet," is clever, while the three short chapters of "The Shift" give a fascinating if bleak outline of a waterless future in a drought-ridden Vancouver. The writing is varied and interesting, while the author weaves through the treacherous shallows of modern life and love.

Dark Times is a collection of short stories for young people, all centred on the theme of loss: loss of a parent to death or desertion, loss of a sibling or a friend in some way. While the theme sounds bleak, it is handled extremely well by a very competent group of writers. Several of the authors, such as Sarah Ellis and Ann Walsh, who is both editor and contributor, are well-known in the Canadian children's literature scene. The stories explore loss through accidental death or injury, suicide, desertion or jailing. None is squeamish about its subject matter, and none pulls any punches about the effects and pain of loss on loved ones, especially children and young people. Yet the stories manage not to be bleak or forbidding, offering some comfort in sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious ways. All are strong with well-realized characters, clear themes, engaging although vastly different styles and coherent plotlines. It is remarkable that there is not one weak story in the anthology, although all will obviously appeal more to some readers than others. Some, like Mac's "The Sign for Heaven" about the death of a child who cannot speak, or Walsh's "All Is Calm" about a teen dealing with a grandmother's descent into Alzheimer's, are quite wrenching, while others such as Keller's "Balance Restored" or Maracle's "Canoe" show the resilience of those who survive the loss of a loved one to carry on and recreate new lives, phoenix-like, from the ashes of their old lives. Walsh has done a superb job of selecting the stories for this anthology; it is a truly excellent collection that will speak to both adults and young people alike about the many facets of loss and recovery from loss.

This review originally appeared in Canadian Literature #193 (Summer 2007), Canada Reads. (pg. 137 - 138)

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