Another writer I really love, Dan Chaon’s new story collection that came out this year, was very high on my to-read list. His stories of supernatural sadness and loneliness really struck a chord with me, and one day hope he becomes as famous as Chabon or Franzen. He is a true original, and at the beginning of this collection, he shows that and then some, but sadly stumbles for a good portion of the time after that as he tries to paly with time and events, mixing them up like a poor man’s Tarantino. First, the goods; the first tow stories in this collection, may be some of the finest work Chaon has produced, and offer a great intro into the kind of stories he writes, featuring ghost of the past and the future haunting people, like Shirley Jackson rewriting Richard Yates. First, we get “The Bees”, a harrowing story of one man’s past cowardice coming back to haunt him and his new family in the form of his young son’s nigh terrors. It is creepy and sad, and has what may be Chaon’s most downbeat ending. I don’t always agree with that, but here, it actually works quite well, and leaves the reader pondering long after they finish. The next story, “Patrick Lane, Flabbergasted”, follows a young man drifting through life, unable to move from the spot he is in, paralyzed from the suicide of his parents. Then, he thinks that something malevolent is lurking in his house, greats suspense, and truly scary to a confused college student (like me). After that, the quality falls quite far. Chaon begins telling stories with events out of order, not giving us clear answers, adding chapter stops for some reason, and really leaving me unsatisfied. A mixed bag of stories from a real, true original, but the two stories mentioned are definitely worth looking past the missteps.
Rating: 4/5
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