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A review by stephbookshine
The Road to Woop Woop and Other Stories by Eugen Bacon
4.0
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This collection comprises twenty stories that range in style and content – some crime, some sci-fi/fantasy, some family/relationship drama – but carry an overriding impression of lyrical poetic prose, striking imagery and a resounding flavour of Australian cultural landscapes.
Some of the stories are written in second person narrative form, which worked some of the time but was jarring on occasion. For the most part, though, the prose was lyrical and flowed rhythmically through a series of unusual and expressive word pictures, that captured not only the surface content of the story – a literally disappearing boyfriend, a memory of family love and loss – but hinted a deeper, more connected picture beneath. I was reminded very much of my childhood impressions of the Aboriginal Dreamtime and its stories of ‘how and why’ about the world; impressions which have carried with me into adulthood due to the rich, bold beauty of word and picture.
To borrow a phrase from Sir Terry Pratchett: this is not what a story looks like, it is what a story is.
These are stories to read again and again, to mine for hidden gems and deeper meanings. Not every story will work for everyone, but there is something for everyone – funny, touching, serious or strange.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/08/08/catch-up-quickies-4/
This collection comprises twenty stories that range in style and content – some crime, some sci-fi/fantasy, some family/relationship drama – but carry an overriding impression of lyrical poetic prose, striking imagery and a resounding flavour of Australian cultural landscapes.
Some of the stories are written in second person narrative form, which worked some of the time but was jarring on occasion. For the most part, though, the prose was lyrical and flowed rhythmically through a series of unusual and expressive word pictures, that captured not only the surface content of the story – a literally disappearing boyfriend, a memory of family love and loss – but hinted a deeper, more connected picture beneath. I was reminded very much of my childhood impressions of the Aboriginal Dreamtime and its stories of ‘how and why’ about the world; impressions which have carried with me into adulthood due to the rich, bold beauty of word and picture.
To borrow a phrase from Sir Terry Pratchett: this is not what a story looks like, it is what a story is.
These are stories to read again and again, to mine for hidden gems and deeper meanings. Not every story will work for everyone, but there is something for everyone – funny, touching, serious or strange.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/08/08/catch-up-quickies-4/