Black Glass: Short Fictions

I picked up this book as an afterthought. It sounded slipstream and the cover spoke of magic realism.... The cover doesn't do it justice. Fowler is part of the SF community, but none of these stories are strictly science fiction or even speculative fiction. However, they have SF's ability to stand outside and question the norm. Many of the stories address male/female relationships in a daring and forthright manner. Usually, there are a few stories in a collection that fail for me. That's the treasure of anthologies; the author gets another shot at you. But all of these affected me in some way. Bravo! I'm glad that I took the chance on a writer new to me.

As wonderful as Fowler's novels are, her short stories pack an even bigger punch. The blurb on the inside front cover wants you to notice that there are stories here about Gulliver's Travels, Carry Nation and the Lone Ranger and Tonto, but don't let the publisher's name-dropping turn you off; Fowler doesn't need to invoke names of legend or other fictions to tell her stories. She's got wit and intelligence and a total lack of mercy when it comes to her characters.Take a story like "Duplicity," where a pair of women are captured by what might or might not be aliens, who manage to slowly and chillingly turn the captives against each other. Or a story like "The Elizabeth Complex," a multi-faceted meditation on women and their fathers. Or the way Fowler uses history to paint unpleasant pictures of our own present, as she does with "Shimabara." Fowler is as much at ease with stark and unsanitized childhood remembrance ("Go Back," "The Brew") as she is with ironic reflections on radical Berkely ("Letters From Home," "The View From Venus: A Case Study"). Her stories are funniest when they are biting, her characters cut deepest when they are smiling, and she is never, ever, one hundred percent reliable.This is a great collection. I await more.

Fowler is probably best known for the novel Sarah Canary (also highly recommended), but it's in her short fiction that this writer's unique and impressive talents shine brightest. All the stories in this collection are outstanding, displaying Fowler's characteristic intelligence, wit, and instinct for organic story structure. If you're daunted by the length and complexity of the title story, skip forward and start with "Contention" -- in just a few pages, this tale of domestic disgruntlement and tabloid sensationalism packs in more sharp humor, observation, imagination and political acuity than most novels. The "Reader's Circle" edition of this book includes an interview with Fowler as well as some less-than-insightful "discussion topics."

Other than the longest, first, and book titling short story being my least favorite, "Black Glass: Short Fictions" is varied and filled with surprises. I'm glad I got past "Black Glass" and kept reading. I would much preferred to have the volume titled after another story, "Lily Red." Karen Joy Fowler is able to capture our imaginations quickly, develop the story, give us enough twists and leave us satisfied but wanting more. Many of these stories have a science fiction flare. Lily Red was perhaps my favorite. I could see it developed into a haunting romantic film script. Lily is stopped by a police officer, directed to "Mattie's," a little bed and breakfast, where everyone asks her if she's come to see "the caves." The police officer turns out to be an American Indian named Henry who is quite older than his appearance of 33 years. The torrid love story of Henry and Lily in the cave comes as somewhat of a surprise, and then more twists of reality occur. I did not care for "Black Glass" because of the issue of drugs, but appreciate the way Fowler twists language and traditional story structure to reflect a hallucinogenic experience. It was quite individually done. "The View from Venus: A Case Study" was an excellent exploration of the conundrum of romance. My second favorite story was "The Brew" which connects the magical traditions of the past, witches and unicorns, to the real story of friendship in present day. Mr. McBean is such a drunken and delightfully crotchety character that he scares us and makes us curious at the same time. He begs to be put on the stage. I honestly don't know what to make of "Game Night at the Fox & Goose," but I liked it. The story seemed to leave off just as it was beginning, leaving my mind to suggest how it might have worked out. Fowler's language is hardly lyrical, but is rooted in the conversational patterns and idioms of the present. This volume offers plenty of material for oral literary performance; and the often used first person enhances the stories when read aloud. I might have wished for a bit more of a spiritual level, a couple stories of faith and joy, but as is, these stories are fresh, well written, and greatly entertaining.

Inventive, assured writing makes each story in this collection a delight. Interesting characters, unusual settings, always something new to discover. Highly recommended.