Wistful, yearning, and engrossing reflections on humans as creatures of uncertainty.
A debut short-story collection explores themes of sexual predilection, religion, and displacement.
Much of Anthony’s writing has sexuality at its core, either positing an unknown interpretation (“The Sexual Secrets of the Book of Esther”) or emphasizing the life-shaping magnitude of erotic—especially pederastic—encounters (“Loss”; “‘And, of course, you would have handled it much better’”). Many of the narratives carry an exotic flavor, with protagonists displaced from Latin America to the United States or vice versa. “The Rebel” goes further still, situating a white doctor in Burma during a dreamy, almost fever-ridden uprising by Kachin guerrillas. Of the 14 stories, the final six present Roman Catholic priests as viewpoint characters for events—often homoerotic encounters—that took place many years ago. Two of these (“The Temptation of Msgr. McCarthy” and “The Last Chapter”) concern themselves with men of faith uncovering the hidden proclivities of persons now deceased. The tone of writing throughout these stories suggests a broad acceptance of gay sexuality and compassion for those whose inclinations have resulted in suffering (church officials included). The result is an attitude at once more broad-minded than Catholic doctrine might suggest and yet more forgiving of abuses than readers may be comfortable with. Anthony writes with polished prose, evincing a literary fondness that will elevate the tales for some readers yet make them less accessible to others. “The Shelley Manuscript,” for instance, tells of a spirit writer (employed by a credulous Arthur Conan Doyle) who channels Oscar Wilde to recount a historically challenging eyewitness reappraisal of Shelley and Lord Byron. The story is layered and erudite, but relies in no small degree on readers possessing some familiarity with the subject matter. “Hercules: Love and Death,” in retelling the Greek myth of Alcestis and Admetus from the perspective of a modern-styled, sensitive Hercules, similarly benefits from readers knowing the original tale. Many of Anthony’s stories contain passing references to Greek mythology or Shakespeare (“The storm was Shakespearean, but no brave new world appeared”). The tense varies from past to present, the perspective from first to third person (with one story told in the second person). Most of the tales are life pieces, more reflective than hard-hitting. But when taken together, they pack a melancholic je ne sais quoi.
Wistful, yearning, and engrossing reflections on humans as creatures of uncertainty.Pub Date: May 15, 2024
ISBN: 9798325773570
Page Count: 384
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.
A travel writer has one last shot at reconnecting with the best friend she just might be in love with.
Poppy and Alex couldn't be more different. She loves wearing bright colors while he prefers khakis and a T-shirt. She likes just about everything while he’s a bit more discerning. And yet, their opposites-attract friendship works because they love each other…in a totally platonic way. Probably. Even though they have their own separate lives (Poppy lives in New York City and is a travel writer with a popular Instagram account; Alex is a high school teacher in their tiny Ohio hometown), they still manage to get together each summer for one fabulous vacation. They grow closer every year, but Poppy doesn’t let herself linger on her feelings for Alex—she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship or the way she can be fully herself with him. They continue to date other people, even bringing their serious partners on their summer vacations…but then, after a falling-out, they stop speaking. When Poppy finds herself facing a serious bout of ennui, unhappy with her glamorous job and the life she’s been dreaming of forever, she thinks back to the last time she was truly happy: her last vacation with Alex. And so, though they haven’t spoken in two years, she asks him to take another vacation with her. She’s determined to bridge the gap that’s formed between them and become best friends again, but to do that, she’ll have to be honest with Alex—and herself—about her true feelings. In chapters that jump around in time, Henry shows readers the progression (and dissolution) of Poppy and Alex’s friendship. Their slow-burn love story hits on beloved romance tropes (such as there unexpectedly being only one bed on the reconciliation trip Poppy plans) while still feeling entirely fresh. Henry’s biggest strength is in the sparkling, often laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, particularly the banter-filled conversations between Poppy and Alex. But there’s depth to the story, too—Poppy’s feeling of dissatisfaction with a life that should be making her happy as well as her unresolved feelings toward the difficult parts of her childhood make her a sympathetic and relatable character. The end result is a story that pays homage to classic romantic comedies while having a point of view all its own.
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0675-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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