When I read a superbly crafted short story I am always quietly amazed. There is such skill involved in being able to transport a reader in a few short pages. Tessa Hadley's "Bad Dreams and Other Stories," takes you on moving journeys with the talent of a master. The world of her characters are swiftly, but elegantly altered in ways that sheds light on loneliness, self-image, imagination and hope. From the schoolgirl whisked away for a day in "An Abduction," to the old man's secret in "The Stain;" Hadley juxtaposes the mundane with the unexpected to unsettle, but also enlighten our everyday lives. Ruby, the child learning to love reading in "Her Share of Sorrow," aptly describes Hadley's art: " She staggered up dazedly from the world of her story, as if the one she returned to were the insubstantial fiction."
No comments:
Post a Comment