Review by jdc0502 -- A Second, Less Capable Head
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jdc0502
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- Latest Review: A Second, Less Capable Head by James Hanna
Review by jdc0502 -- A Second, Less Capable Head
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Second, Less Capable Head" by James Hanna.]
1 out of 4 stars
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A Second, Less Capable, Head by James Hanna is a collection of nineteen short stories, all with a variety of different themes and motifs that are told in a plethora of ways. Some are first person and present tense, while others are third person and past tense. But the common thread that runs through these stories is their originality.
As would be the case with anthologies of short stories, there are some standouts among the fray. It is particularly so with the titular story, which oozes in Hanna's signature original style of prose. The story is fascinating and the outcome keeps you hooked with some comedic and surprising twists throughout to maintain the pacing of the story.
That being sad, the frequent comedic moments often come at the expense of a marginalised class. Many jokes are made that are misogynistic or racist, a fact that is quite sad considering the wealth of visual comedy and other material Hanna has at his disposal with these stories. I understand the nature of building characters with conflicts, but it happens too frequently to feel comfortable with is quite alienating after a while. Perhaps that’s the point, though it didn’t sit too well with me.
As with all of Hanna’s work, the writing is nicely paced and vocabulary is specifically chosen for certain moments and effects, which is nice to see. Something I noticed was that characters’ names are used by others in dialogue a little bit too much. It makes the good dialogue feel a little bit inauthentic on occasion and doesn’t serve much of a purpose being there. As a lot of the stories feature a format of building up the world and then letting the characters do the work with their wit and uses of competent dialogue, it would have been nice to recognize more of a visual style to the comedy and the plotting, which would only ameliorate the originality and creativity of the premises.
Despite initial problems, the stories are all immensely readable, with some good humorous tones running throughout and Hanna has no problem with world-building. His atmospheres are all fully realised and fleshed out. Occasionally, things happen in the stories and explanations aren’t given as to why, but the central premises and the way they unfold don’t leave you begging for answers. Instead, you’re satisfied with not knowing because you’re being given a creative narrative with a lot of spark and genuine wit.
I feel like I must mention a particular story in this anthology: ‘Another Will Take Your Place’. Most of the previous stories I feel dealt with themes of parody and allegory, often reflecting certain political climates or issues in a fun way. However, this one struck me as odd. It centers around a woman who is sexually assaulted and goes to visit her abuser in jail. It started interestingly, despite some morally inept views from the characters, but the character work didn’t match the gravity of the piece being explored. When dealing with such a sensitive topic, it can be tough not to go down a path of exploitation or flippancy. Hanna walks a fine line with these as he writes himself into a bit of a corner at points. It seems like his trademark to trade in realism for creativity, but sometimes you have to know when to dial it back for the sake of the narrative.
I rate A Second, Less Capable, Head 1 out of 4 stars. Although the aforementioned originality is a big selling point, I personally cannot look past the prevalent issues as stated in the rest of the review. The stories flow together well thematically and the editing is mostly solid, but the issues mentioned hold it back from being a truly good piece of work. Perhaps this is just personal opinion and another reader with more similar tastes to Hanna will find it brilliant. There is potential to be mined here as Hanna is a wonderful writer, but his alienating characters don’t compel the reader in any way and it can be difficult to read sometimes. But if you feel like Hanna’s style matches what you want to read, this is a good place to start.
******
A Second, Less Capable Head
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1 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
A Second, Less Capable, Head by James Hanna is a collection of nineteen short stories, all with a variety of different themes and motifs that are told in a plethora of ways. Some are first person and present tense, while others are third person and past tense. But the common thread that runs through these stories is their originality.
As would be the case with anthologies of short stories, there are some standouts among the fray. It is particularly so with the titular story, which oozes in Hanna's signature original style of prose. The story is fascinating and the outcome keeps you hooked with some comedic and surprising twists throughout to maintain the pacing of the story.
That being sad, the frequent comedic moments often come at the expense of a marginalised class. Many jokes are made that are misogynistic or racist, a fact that is quite sad considering the wealth of visual comedy and other material Hanna has at his disposal with these stories. I understand the nature of building characters with conflicts, but it happens too frequently to feel comfortable with is quite alienating after a while. Perhaps that’s the point, though it didn’t sit too well with me.
As with all of Hanna’s work, the writing is nicely paced and vocabulary is specifically chosen for certain moments and effects, which is nice to see. Something I noticed was that characters’ names are used by others in dialogue a little bit too much. It makes the good dialogue feel a little bit inauthentic on occasion and doesn’t serve much of a purpose being there. As a lot of the stories feature a format of building up the world and then letting the characters do the work with their wit and uses of competent dialogue, it would have been nice to recognize more of a visual style to the comedy and the plotting, which would only ameliorate the originality and creativity of the premises.
Despite initial problems, the stories are all immensely readable, with some good humorous tones running throughout and Hanna has no problem with world-building. His atmospheres are all fully realised and fleshed out. Occasionally, things happen in the stories and explanations aren’t given as to why, but the central premises and the way they unfold don’t leave you begging for answers. Instead, you’re satisfied with not knowing because you’re being given a creative narrative with a lot of spark and genuine wit.
I feel like I must mention a particular story in this anthology: ‘Another Will Take Your Place’. Most of the previous stories I feel dealt with themes of parody and allegory, often reflecting certain political climates or issues in a fun way. However, this one struck me as odd. It centers around a woman who is sexually assaulted and goes to visit her abuser in jail. It started interestingly, despite some morally inept views from the characters, but the character work didn’t match the gravity of the piece being explored. When dealing with such a sensitive topic, it can be tough not to go down a path of exploitation or flippancy. Hanna walks a fine line with these as he writes himself into a bit of a corner at points. It seems like his trademark to trade in realism for creativity, but sometimes you have to know when to dial it back for the sake of the narrative.
I rate A Second, Less Capable, Head 1 out of 4 stars. Although the aforementioned originality is a big selling point, I personally cannot look past the prevalent issues as stated in the rest of the review. The stories flow together well thematically and the editing is mostly solid, but the issues mentioned hold it back from being a truly good piece of work. Perhaps this is just personal opinion and another reader with more similar tastes to Hanna will find it brilliant. There is potential to be mined here as Hanna is a wonderful writer, but his alienating characters don’t compel the reader in any way and it can be difficult to read sometimes. But if you feel like Hanna’s style matches what you want to read, this is a good place to start.
******
A Second, Less Capable Head
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like jdc0502's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: A Second, Less Capable Head by James Hanna
