4 out of 4 stars
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Lovers and likers of short stories, perhaps even novellas, are guaranteed to be intrigued by this fictional short story collection by William H. Coles: Illustrated Short Fiction of William H. Coles 2000-2016.
The book captivated me from beginning to end; I couldn’t put it down until I had finished reading all the stories compiled in this collection. William H. Coles is a seasoned writer whose books and stories have won no less than thirty-six awards in the Flannery O’Conner Award for Short Fiction, The William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition, and others. Furthermore, as a former ophthalmic trauma surgeon, the author’s experience has only benefited him in creating intensely dramatic stories and characters.
The author’s reputation and awards are well earned, demonstrated once again through this assemblage of thirty-three short stories, two graphic novels illustrated by Patrick Healy, and a novella.
The stories depict the impact strangers have on us, characters dropping unwittingly into the laps of ruthless and immoral people, and some others trapped in events that they cannot control. The emblematic images do not only compliment the stories, but also the author’s exceptional visual writing style.
All the stories were not particularly enjoyable; my favorites, however include short stories ‘The Necklace’, ‘The Gift’, and the novella ‘Sister Carrie’. I cannot fault the author’s writing, as he has a beautiful way of painting a picture with words and I was never bored at any time. Clearly the book was also well edited because I didn’t find any typos, errors, or grammatical blunders.
I do wish that some of the stories had a happier ending, or, like some other reviewers noted, would continue and not make me feel like I had missed something somewhere. ‘The Wreck of the Amtrak’s Silver Service’ for example, left me with a few questions that I am not quite sure has any answers. ‘Suchin’s Escape’ on the other hand is a story I should never have read. Never has a story left me so angry, disappointed and miserable; I was sincerely hoping for a different outcome.
The author is to be commended for his brilliant work in this edition, short stories don’t come much better than this. Based on my experience in reading this book, the writing, and the editing, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys short stories and novellas, and those who have read any of William H. Coles’s stories.
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Illustrated Short Fiction of William H. Coles: 2000-2016
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