Yes, Yes, Cherries by Mary OtisYes, Yes, Cherries is the first published collection of short stories by Mary Otis. This collection is as engaging as it is diverse. These colorful stories feature everything from drug use and complicated relationships to how utterly devastating it is to be a 13-year-old girl. Otis has a terrific talent for narration that presents realistic and sympathetic insight into the minds of her main characters, without being prosaic or predictable.
My personal favorite, “Pilgrim Girl,” is both funny and troubled as it describes the larger-than-life emotions of a somewhat-melodramatic young girl struggling to find a place in a grown-up world. The narrative voice in this story manages to combine a humorous caricature with a sincere look at the difficult transition between being a child and adult.
This collection is a fast, entertaining read and easy to break into intervals (one of the great benefits of short stories). Of course, with the thoughts, feelings, and problems of female characters being predominantly featured in the stories, it is not hard to imagine this book being more appealing to women than men. This is not necessarily a flaw, just something to consider when deciding if this book is right for you.
My personal favorite, “Pilgrim Girl,” is both funny and troubled as it describes the larger-than-life emotions of a somewhat-melodramatic young girl struggling to find a place in a grown-up world. The narrative voice in this story manages to combine a humorous caricature with a sincere look at the difficult transition between being a child and adult.
This collection is a fast, entertaining read and easy to break into intervals (one of the great benefits of short stories). Of course, with the thoughts, feelings, and problems of female characters being predominantly featured in the stories, it is not hard to imagine this book being more appealing to women than men. This is not necessarily a flaw, just something to consider when deciding if this book is right for you.
Review by Julie Franks, Indigo Editing, LLC
No comments:
Post a Comment