Book Review: Stories for Nighttime and Some For the Day by Ben Loory
Stories for Nighttime and Some For the Day by Ben Loory. © 2011 Penguin Books. ISBN 9780143119500. Trade Paperback. Short Stories / Anthology. 210 pages. Source: finished review copy provided by the publishers.
Synopsis: Loory’s collection of wry and witty, dark and perilous contemporary fables is populated by people–and monsters and trees and jocular octopi–who are united by twin motivations: fear and desire. In his singular universe, televisions talk (and sometimes sing), animals live in small apartments where their nephews visit from the sea, and men and women and boys and girls fall down wells and fly through space and find love on Ferris wheels. In a voice full of fable, myth, and dream, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day draws us into a world of delightfully wicked recognitions, and introduces us to a writer of uncommon talent and imagination.
Review: If I had to pick one word which sums up this collection of 40 short tales, quirk would be my choice. Stories for Nighttime and Some For the Day takes the mundane and makes it extraordinary in an almost child-like approach of wonder and marvel. And yet, each tale is laced with either horror, humor or warmth leaving the reader in a constant state of astonishment.
I read this one kind-of slow since I wanted to let each brief tale linger and last, but it’s definitely one you’ll want to read in one sitting. As a writer, I wish I had Loory’s gift for delivering remarkable stories in just a few pages.
