D. B. Allen

This is an anthology of short stories, some incredibly short and over before they barely start. They are all set in the Midwest. As one leads to the next you will notice mention of characters from the stories that came before. Most notably in "The Swing" which was my favorite story about Sue Ellen, the little girl from the first story "Last Storm First" now as a grown woman who finds and reads a journal written by her husband long after he is gone. It is a sad tale of loss and regret, as is "Dan 4 Danica" a story about Dan Rensburg, a boy in junior high labeled as "dummy Dan" ever since elementary school and obsessed with Danica Patrick the race car driver. Dan wishes he were smarter like his sister or brother (The brother who is in the next story "A Single Word") "Kaitlin's On The Corner" at first seemed to be entirely about a pubescent boy's masturbatory habits and fantasies up until the end which was a heck of a twist. This was an enjoyable read. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
… (mais)

Heart Land by D.B. Allen is a recommended collection of interconnected stories set in the Midwest.
Contents include eight stories: Last Storm… First; The Swing; Dan 4 Danica; A Single Word; Kaitlin’s on the Corner; Bookstore Confessional; Archie’s Reach; First Snow… Last.

The first story, "Last Storm," is incredible and seemingly promises a stunning collection. This isn't quite the case. I was very much impressed by the first story, and found "Dan for Danica" and "First Snow" heart breaking. There is a surprising twist in "Kaitlin's on the Corner." "The Swing" and "Archie's Reach" are just depressing. "The Swing" features a wife reading diary entries made by her deceased husband years after they were written.

While there are brilliant bits of writing interspersed throughout the collection, I thought the character development was lacking. In the end I found Heart Land to be an uneven collection. I was left feeling like the stories all depicted a bleak, rural, redneck heartland that I didn't recognize. That said, I can take sad and depressing and hopelessness, but I think, while the stories are somewhat interconnected, D.B. Allen could have done a better job developing the characters and their connections to each other in Heart Land.

To be fair the print edition has eight drawings included for each story and my review copy only included one. Perhaps the drawings would have added to my experience. If I gave stars I would go 3.5 due to the moments of brilliance.


Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Silky Oak Press via Netgalley for review purposes.

http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/2015/12/heart-land.html… (mais)