Aimee Bender
I subscribe to numerous magazines which publish book reviews, and Aimee Bender’s latest collection of short stories, Willful Creatures, has been positively reviewed in all of them. In fact, these reviews were so glowing that I made an exception and bought the hardback even though I had never read anything by this author before.
As a few of reviewers have already noted, Bender’s prose is her strong point. Her unique style and ability to open a story with a bang prompted me to read this collection as quickly as I did. The plots of these stories were so unique that I was compelled to finish them as soon as I had read the first paragraph. The stories are divided into three parts, each part containing five stories. Because the stories are so interesting (and short), I read the entire collection in one day. I found myself enjoying Bender’s quirky style, which is simple, unadorned, and, at times, bizarre. Unfortunately, I was ultimately disappointed.
Writing this review now, a couple days after finishing them, I find myself struggling to remember what each story is about. I must skim through them again, as simply reading the title is not enough to jog my memory. Each story began interestingly enough, but then tottered off toward the end, losing the power it had the potential to deliver.
Based on the reviews I had read, I expected each story to end with some profundity, some nugget of truth that would perhaps illuminate some aspect of my life. This doesn’t happen, although the potential is certainly there, as these short summaries will attest:
- In “Death Watch,” ten men who find out they will all die in two weeks; some cry, some rage, one smiles, one accepts. Some men soon learn they were misdiagnosed and will not die.
- In “Ironhead,” a couple of pumpkinheads (people who literally have big ol’pumpkins for heads) have a child who has an iron, instead of a pumpkin, for a head.
- In “Job’s Jobs,” God tells a man that he must stop doing his job. Soon he is told he must stop his hobbies. Eventually God forbids the man even to do anything.
Each of these ideas seems original enough that it will end in an equally original manner. You would think that a story featuring a baby with an iron for a head would probably end with something deep. However, it seems that Bender’s inability to fully develop a story is this collection's weak point. I was disappointed by the endings to all of these stories.
Let me put it this way: it’s the Fourth of July. You have been waiting to enjoy this day with a special firecracker. You light it eagerly: it sparkles, and you shiver with anticipation, waiting for the flame to travel the length of the wick. As it nears its completion, it crackles so distinctively that you know the final bang will be simply amazing. You wait…here it comes…you put your fingers to your ears, it will be sooo loud and great, you just know it!...and then…nothing. It’s a dud. The firecracker fooled you. That’s kinda how I felt here.
But that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy Willful Creatures. It certainly isn't her fault that the reviewers somewhat misled me into believing I was getting a big bang instead of a sputter. But the crackle along the way was interesting in itself.
In a nutshell: Because Bender’s style is so original and witty, Willful Creatures is a great way to spend an afternoon. Her stories are entertaining and are quickly read. They won’t illuminate any profound truths, but you’ll be amused while reading them.
Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6
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