Official Review: Illustrated Short Fiction of William H.

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inaramid
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Official Review: Illustrated Short Fiction of William H.

Post by inaramid »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Illustrated Short Fiction of William H." by William H. Coles.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Illustrated Short Fiction of William H. Coles 2000-2016 offers an immersive experience deep into the psyche of ordinary people, putting readers through a relentless exercise in empathy.

In this treasure trove of 33 short stories, two graphic novels, and a novella, author William H. Coles places readers in the shoes of a diverse array of characters across an assortment of seemingly innocuous situations. In one story, a truck driver picks up an unlikely hitchhiker by the side of the road—a good deed that rippled destructively through his life. In another, a woman receives a package from the man she had once hoped to marry—who now lay helpless in a hospital bed, waiting to die. Still, in another, a bullied boy fights back for the first time—sparking a series of events that leaves him branded for life.

Coles’ portrayal of people is as striking as the illustrations that accompany each of his stories. It’s not inks and watercolors, but Coles deftly captures both the depravity and the nobility of human nature through his choice of words. In one story, a man thinks about his wife as the “sea fog around his ship of opportunity, happily obscuring his chances for advancement, cheerfully diverting any choices that could have made him great.” Was it any wonder that he’d want her dead? In another, a surgeon’s son unsuccessfully commits suicide and leaves his father with a horrifying dilemma. “It would be a blessing for his son to die,” the narrative continues. “But he refused to wish his son had been more thorough, not left him with these decisions.”

There’s always something in Coles’ stories that tugs at the heartstrings. The brittleness of bonds between parents and children. The futility of escape. The search for a nonexistent miracle. The consequences of people’s choices and, especially, their mistakes. Sister Carrie, the novella at the end of the book, reiterates the themes of family, love, and life choices, where sisters Jessie and Carrie grapple with circumstances that nearly tear them apart. With the irony and tragedy that pervade many of the stories, I was glad that Sister Carrie ended the book on a happier, more optimistic note.

I’ve been reading a lot of good things about Mr. Coles; hence, my expectations of this collection are incredibly high. Coles rises to the occasion, creating an outstanding display of human “portraits” so carefully and honestly rendered that the characters all feel so real—so, well, human. There’s a sense that we’re peering into the hearts and souls of people we know, people we care about, people we may even love. That’s when we start feeling their joy, their despair, and in several cases, their determination to survive. And then, we begin to understand. Fred Bean in the story Nemesis has a self-absorbed personality that people reflexively detest, but Coles makes us see him for what he is—a flawed human being, just like the rest of us. How can we not see ourselves in him after that? How can we not appreciate what he’s going through? How can we not understand? How can we not empathize?

Illustrated Short Fiction is an enlightening literary piece that, on a grander scale, could potentially enhance people’s understanding of their fellow men. Given all its merits, I wouldn’t have hesitated to rate this book 4 stars. However, because of several typographical errors that marred the narrative, my final rating is 3 out of 4 stars. All of the errors can be easily rectified (the worst of it is the inconsistent spellings of the names of two characters) and would not, in any way, prevent anyone from enjoying the book or learning from it.

Illustrated Short Fiction would be an excellent read for anyone who’s interested in the so-called “psychology of imagined human beings.” Aspiring writers, in particular, have much to gain by studying Coles’ approach to creating characters and conflict in his literary works. The book also includes two graphic novels—drawn versions of the stories Homunculus and Reddog—which should be a treat for the visually inclined reader. There is something in the book for everybody, so I strongly encourage every reader out there to give this a try.

******
Illustrated Short Fiction of William H.
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Post by kandscreeley »

Coles definitely has a unique writing style. I personally enjoy it. This sounds like a really good collection of his stories. In spite of the typographical errors, I think I'll have to look into it! Thanks so much for introducing it to us.
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Post by AbbyGNelson »

That's disappointing about the typographical errors!! You would think he'd be able to spell the main character's name consistently; that's so strange. Thank you for the review, that's really good to know, I would have never looked into a book like this.
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Post by Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha »

This is a detailed, thoughtful and well written review. You have certainly piqued my interest with this review. I like the way you pointed out the character descriptions that stood out for you. Well done. I think I will read this book!
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Post by inaramid »

kandscreeley wrote: 19 Feb 2018, 08:13 Coles definitely has a unique writing style. I personally enjoy it. This sounds like a really good collection of his stories. In spite of the typographical errors, I think I'll have to look into it! Thanks so much for introducing it to us.
Thanks for dropping by :). I'm glad that I had the chance to read this. What I liked the most was the portrayal of characters who'd normally be seen as evil or villainous. I think a lot of writers tend to deify their main characters and dehumanize their antagonists, so I was really engrossed in how Coles made every character - even ones that I'd normally dislike - so relatable.

The typos are nothing major. I wouldn't have noticed most of it if I wasn't actively looking.

AbbyGNelson wrote: 19 Feb 2018, 11:16 That's disappointing about the typographical errors!! You would think he'd be able to spell the main character's name consistently; that's so strange. Thank you for the review, that's really good to know, I would have never looked into a book like this.
Don't let that deter you, Abby. I'm usually unforgiving with any type of error in a book, but this is still worth a try. The inconsistencies I've mentioned happened only once for each character (Madeleine was called Madeline, and Jean-Luc was called John-Luc).

CambaReviewer wrote: 19 Feb 2018, 13:08 This is a detailed, thoughtful and well written review. You have certainly piqued my interest with this review. I like the way you pointed out the character descriptions that stood out for you. Well done. I think I will read this book!
Thank you so much, CambaReviewer! My notes on the characters were longer, and if I could have cited each one, I would. There are a lot of other things worth checking out in the book, so go give it a try.
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Post by Ezekielafog12 »

Thank you for the review, that's really good to know,I think I will read this book!
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Post by Sahani Nimandra »

I see a interesting band of theme used in developing this book. Strikingly fascinating! Looking forward to this addition in my book shelf. Thank you! It's a shame on the errors but I hope I can over look it.
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Post by inaramid »

Ezekielafog12 wrote: 20 Feb 2018, 02:05 Thank you for the review, that's really good to know,I think I will read this book!
And thank you for dropping by! I highly encourage everyone to read this.

Sahani Nimandra wrote: 20 Feb 2018, 12:27 I see a interesting band of theme used in developing this book. Strikingly fascinating! Looking forward to this addition in my book shelf. Thank you! It's a shame on the errors but I hope I can over look it.
Oh, you will, Sahani. Once you get to read it, I'd love to hear which ones resonated with you the most :).
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Post by KFree_Reads »

Nicely written review! Sounds like this book is a lovely collection of stories. I'm definitely intrigued and will be trying this one. Thanks for your review!
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Post by Samy Lax »

Oh yes, I am interested in the everything related to psychology. And, if it's of imagined human beings, well, what could be better? :lol: Thank you for that wonderful review. Loved reading it! :tiphat:
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Post by inaramid »

KFree_Reads wrote: 21 Feb 2018, 23:14 Nicely written review! Sounds like this book is a lovely collection of stories. I'm definitely intrigued and will be trying this one. Thanks for your review!
It is, KFree_Reads! Thanks for dropping by.

Samy Lax wrote: 21 Feb 2018, 23:37 Oh yes, I am interested in the everything related to psychology. And, if it's of imagined human beings, well, what could be better? :lol: Thank you for that wonderful review. Loved reading it! :tiphat:
Quite interesting, isn't it? I once read an article about it and it just makes the writing life more fascinating.
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

Coles is one of my favorite authors. I haven't read this one yet, but will definitely read it at some point.
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Post by inaramid »

CatInTheHat wrote: 23 Feb 2018, 18:09 Coles is one of my favorite authors. I haven't read this one yet, but will definitely read it at some point.
He's definitely a good one. I'm currently looking into his other books because of this.
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Post by Vickie Noel »

Sounds like a great book, especially with the psychology aspects. Loved the quotes you infused, makes me wonder what more gems are awaiting discovery. Thanks for the lovely review. Please feel free to peruse mine as well, I'd love to hear your input.
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Post by prettysmart »

I have always been actively imaginative from my tender years of age. This book will definitely reach out to the inner child within me and any reader who has mental agility.
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