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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Not for the faint of heart. This collection of short stories has a fascinating rhythm. It took me a few pages to adjust to the scuttling cadence of the sentences. The first story clearly establishes that we are in a bleak, specific cultural territory that combines Nevada history with Manson family lore. Overall, the inhospitable chill of each story made it hard for me to care deeply about these characters. That said, while this collection did not ultimately resonate for me, I will continue to watch for the work of this author.
I didn't understand a lot of the stories, maybe it is the style but it felt like I came in halfway through the story, never really understood what was going on, and then it would end. Some were easier ( “The Archivist” ) and more enjoyable (“The Diggings”) to read than others ( “The Last Thing We Need”) . Read for Read Harder Challenge 2017, 22: Read a collection of stories by a woman.
Really great collection of short stories set in West (mostly Nevada). The writing style was light, but the stories themselves were very heavy and dark. Interesting fact - the author is the daughter of one of the guys that testified against Charles Manson at his trial, though he was once friends with him. There's a story about him in the book as well.
Not fiction about the West so much as fiction about Nevada. Watkins has a fascinating backstory and uses that to establish credence in the first story. I wasn't sure her gold rush story was as brutal as it might have been, but this is probably related to my recent attempt to read Blood Meridian. I thought the contemporary stories were the best ones, especially "Man-O-War" and "Virginia City."
Gosh was this book an enjoyable read. One of my best friends gave it to me because she loved it so much that, I quote, "I want to kill myself she is such a great writer!" While I'm not on that level, I think is the first time since reading Ellen Hopkins did I feel understood and able to see how other people see my hometown. One of my favorite lines was this: "Outside there is a breeze threading through the warm night and a jubilant honking of cars and all those billions of bulbs flashing in time, signaling to the girls that they are, at long last, alive." Most of these stories left me aghast or breathless at the end, and I was only mildly uninterested in a few. Overall a wonderful experience and I'll definitely be recommending this to fellow Nevadans and lovers of fantastic short stories alike.
I read Watkins’ essay On Pandering before I read this book, so it might have colored my perception of it. But I do feel that her appraisal of the book is on point. There are many stories here that feel like they were written to please certain (white male) editors at certain literary magazines. Others that feel like something workshopped and edited to death. Plus I find the impulse to name characters after yourself a bit irksome. Still, there were some very good stories. Rondine Al Nido and The Archivist were my favorites, Wish You Were Here was pretty good, Virginia City and Graceland weren’t bad. I think I would recommend you find some Watkins’ individual stories and see which ones you like. I think she is a very good writer, and I might pick up her novel to see how her writing has evolved, but Battleborn is not really a collection I enjoyed, as a whole. I'd give 2.5 out of 5 stars, but as usual, I'll round it up.
A great short story collection. Watkins delivers what I enjoy most in collections, her stories give readers a perfect taste of a life, location, feeling with all the atmosphere and development of a full story, condensed with perfect prose and great pacing and delivery. Though I could have read some of these stories for a couple hundred more pages, I never felt at a loss or disappointed when the story ended.
Each story connected to the whole collection as well, which is another thing I love to see in sh
I found Watkins stories similar in tone to Donald R. Pollack or D.W. Wilson and I could definitely see her winning a Flannery O'Connor award as well. Her stories were extremely realistic and she didn't limit herself to exploring only the sunny side of life. There were moments of desperation, admissions of guilt, delusions of better lives that were not to be had, and battles to get through tragic circumstances, horrible events and past heartaches.
Watkins uses her own history as fuel in this collection, but truthfully, after that first story, I didn't think of the author again, I was so immersed in the lives she was revealing. This is a collection that, even though I could barely put it down, needs some time to digest. Each story lent itself to thoughtful examination and rumination while reading, details needed to be mulled over.
I don't doubt that Watkin's short stories will be read over and over and examined by English majors and creative writing classes, if not already, in the future. Short story writing at it's finest.
Each story connected to the whole collection as well, which is another thing I love to see in sh
I found Watkins stories similar in tone to Donald R. Pollack or D.W. Wilson and I could definitely see her winning a Flannery O'Connor award as well. Her stories were extremely realistic and she didn't limit herself to exploring only the sunny side of life. There were moments of desperation, admissions of guilt, delusions of better lives that were not to be had, and battles to get through tragic circumstances, horrible events and past heartaches.
Watkins uses her own history as fuel in this collection, but truthfully, after that first story, I didn't think of the author again, I was so immersed in the lives she was revealing. This is a collection that, even though I could barely put it down, needs some time to digest. Each story lent itself to thoughtful examination and rumination while reading, details needed to be mulled over.
I don't doubt that Watkin's short stories will be read over and over and examined by English majors and creative writing classes, if not already, in the future. Short story writing at it's finest.
Good stories about (mostly) terrible things, done by people who are somewhere in between.
Deep love of place that avoids a tired, romantic version of The West. Is instead rich with all new kinds of poison.
Metaphors pushed a bit harder than needed in places, but hey, sometimes that's how it goes.
Deep love of place that avoids a tired, romantic version of The West. Is instead rich with all new kinds of poison.
Metaphors pushed a bit harder than needed in places, but hey, sometimes that's how it goes.
Very impressive, contained tragedies and beautiful stories. An experience.