Category: Story Reviews

Pauline Shen reviews short fiction from contemporary writers.

Story Reviews

The Scar Behind the Story. Commentary on Brecht De Poortere’s “Mango Fly”

Pauline Shen

Brecht De Poortere’s “Mango Fly” is a quick and masterful telling of losing one’s innocence. Besides the troubling realism contained in the opening line itself, you know the plot spells trouble when our young protagonist-narrator sums-up the family’s relationship with character Nepo by saying, “[w]e trusted him because he was handsome and strong as a gun.” If the narrative were a roller-coaster, this is the point at the highest part of the track just before you begin to feel the car tip over the edge. It’s a wild ride, but keep your eyes open.

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Story Reviews

Home is a Lifetime Away. Commentary on Taylor Thornburg’s “Come On, Come On, Come On”

Pauline Shen

Meet Jonah, an elderly man who decides to take a stroll, sit on a park bench, and then make his way home. But what is home, anyways? Is it something clearly defined? How do you know when you’ve recognized it? In Taylor Thornburg’s “Come On, Come On, Come On,” when is the key word indeed. Jonah searches, “…in the windows. They reflected an unfamiliar figure. Jonah had white hair and a crooked posture. His reflection had thick brown hair and stood upright. Bewildered, Jonah did not notice his reflection.” Juxtaposition signals a tangle of memories that flood Jonah’s mind and pull the reader’s attention in multiple directions.

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Story Reviews

A Piece of the Puzzle. Commentary on Mialise Carney’s “The Hydrangea Fairy”

Pauline Shen

In this first-person narrative, our nameless protagonist experiences an existential crisis personified in the form of a little fairy. This hydrangea fairy appears each night as our narrator is ready to fall asleep and begins nattering incessantly. This disrupts any chance of a full night’s sleep. The consequences are dire; our narrator is visibly wrecked and disheveled.

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Story Reviews

When Your Default Mode is Appeasement. Commentary on Elissa Matthews’s “A Good Man”

Pauline Shen

If you’ve gotta crack a few eggs to make an omelette, then what do you get if you spend your entire life side-stepping eggshells? In Elissa Matthews’s “A Good Man,” the narrator presents this very scenario. We see a man who is known for being, well… good.

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Story Reviews

It’s Not About the Guardrail. Commentary on Desiree Nippard’s “An Early Thaw”

Pauline Shen

In Desiree Nippard’s “An Early Thaw,” the reader witnesses a group of schoolchildren sending lanterns into the sky while playing a send-off tune on recorders. In this ceremony for the deceased, “[y]ou could hear every pause for breath, every off note from the shifting of small fingers as we all allowed the melody to seep into our souls.” (54) This coastal town is grieving, and the narrator reveals the cause with deep sensory descriptions that guide the reader with the right amount of grace and gentleness.

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Story Reviews

Wretched Creature. Commentary on Jennifer Milne’s “Gravy Boat Genie”

Pauline Shen

Writing a story that revolves around an unlikable, nay despicable, protagonist is a bold move. The classic example is Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” However, that protagonist resolves to change by seeing the error of his ways. In Jennifer Milne’s “Gravy Boat Genie,” our protagonist, who serves as narrator, obtains absolution by a different means.

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Story Reviews

Home is Where the Heart is. Commentary on Abigail Oswald’s “Camp for Sad Girls”

Pauline Shen

It’s that overpowering, unshakable feeling that disrupts any possible elation. Even when you’re in the brightest, most sensory-stimulating, and enriching place, homesickness sets in. Oh, summer camp. How we hate to love you. But we all do.

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Story Reviews

And Then There Were Three. Commentary on Miranda Manzano’s “Four Things”

Pauline Shen

Seen, heard, and known. It’s all anyone wants. Meet Stacey. Or, rather, come see the world through her eyes. She’s observing human nature unfold before her whilst working a fast food cashier job. Isn’t that the most likely place to see the very best and worst of humanity—on the front lines? In this case, it’s a Taco Bell.

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Story Reviews

Agree to Disagree. A Commentary on Ken Rogers’s “Inalienable Rights”

Pauline Shen

Meet Connie. She’s a 26-year-old still coming into her own. In this Ken Rogers piece, we have two stories colliding; or rather, we catch a glimpse into Connie’s family life while observing her navigate parallel adversity in the wider world. What better way to showcase the inner struggle of latent development than plopping the protagonist into a political campaign—specifically, as a congressional campaign volunteer—and making her canvass on behalf of an underdog. Engaging with the public as part of an election campaign is guaranteed to coax even the smallest self-doubt into consciousness.

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Story Reviews

Help Wanted: Stories to Review. Finding Beauty in Truth with Storytelling.

Pauline Shen

You may have noticed the short story reviews popping up on my blog. Yes, you are welcome to add suggestions for stories. If you’re recommending a story for me to review, please consider these guidelines first.

Continue reading “Help Wanted: Stories to Review. Finding Beauty in Truth with Storytelling.” →