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A review by otterno11
Portland Noir by Kevin Sampsell, Megan Kruse, Zoe Trope, Jess Walter, Monica Drake, Dan DeWeese, Kimberly Warner-Cohen, Jamie S. Rich, Floyd Skloot, Karen Karbo, Justin Hocking, Gigi Little, Luciana Lopez, Jonathan Selwood, Chris A. Bolton, Ariel Gore, Bill Cameron
4.0
After having visited Portland, Oregon a few times, it is definitely true that the city of roses has a personality all its own. From the twee humor of the modern gentrified Portlandia to the seedy history of Old Town and its shanghai tunnels, this entry in the Akashic Noir series reflect the conflicting and quirky nature of the Pacific Northwest city. I have enjoyed this series’ explorations of world cities, and this is a good example of taking full advantage of an idiosyncratic place and exploring its shadows.
Like others in the series, this collection has some stories that work better than others, but for the most part this is an effective collection linked strongly to the Portland setting, and from a variety of noir styles and approaches. The Red Room, set in Powell’s City of Books, is a good example, along with Hummingbird, and Shanghaied. One interesting aspect of Portland Noir, unlike the others I have read in the series, is that all of the stories contained inside have contemporary settings; while a few delve into the mysteries and horrors of the past, none are period pieces. While I do enjoy stories set in the past, in this case it almost gives the stories a more coherent, unified feeling. All in all, a satisfying collection that captures, I feel, the mood of the place.
Like others in the series, this collection has some stories that work better than others, but for the most part this is an effective collection linked strongly to the Portland setting, and from a variety of noir styles and approaches. The Red Room, set in Powell’s City of Books, is a good example, along with Hummingbird, and Shanghaied. One interesting aspect of Portland Noir, unlike the others I have read in the series, is that all of the stories contained inside have contemporary settings; while a few delve into the mysteries and horrors of the past, none are period pieces. While I do enjoy stories set in the past, in this case it almost gives the stories a more coherent, unified feeling. All in all, a satisfying collection that captures, I feel, the mood of the place.