Kind of liked this one: People Always Going To by Lee Martin. First person narrator, a man who’s just sort of a regular guy, going along with his wife to a seer because she wants to check in on her recently deceased father. Good writing style, strong voice, nice grasp of and therefore, nice revelation of characters. Little hint of magical realism for interest, though it turns out to have a normal explanation. But the point of using it is more than for interest; I believe it acts as the catalyst to explain the relationship between the man and his wife.
Lon Otto’s What Is Son? gives a nice feeling because we’ve all been there; within a group learning something new. In this instance, it is a group of academics having traveled to Cuba and now learning the dances as taught by a vibrant older woman, and presented by a young fiery couple. We focus on the characcter of Tom and his reactions to the scenario. We catch his disinterest, his clumsiness, his eventual involvement in the event. Not a strong story line, but there’s enough here to have captured my interest.
Wood Chips by Leonard Chang is a glimpse into a son’s feelings for his father. Written in the difficult second person, it is nevertheless well executed and allows great insight into the relationship and how it changes.
Rita Mae Reese’s story is My Summer in Vulcan and this is a first person narrative of a teenager watching her older, married sister’s affair with another man. Different, interesting in its detail and changes of the protagonist’s feelings towards people and in particular, in her interaction with her sister’s baby who she minds while the goings-on are going on. Nice twist at the end.
The final story in this issue I couldn’t get into and this again is a personal thing; I’m just tired of Vietnam stories. Also didn’t do more than scan through the poetry here so it would be fair to comment on it.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
Oh, Lee “Martin.” I thought you said Lee “Marvin” so you understand my confusion.