Review: Pangea

Publisher: Thames River Press

Price: There ain't one on it

I will admit that I haven't read all the introduction to this book so I'm basically telling you the bits I know before I start the review proper. This is a collection of short stories from around the world written and collected by an online writers community called Writewords. All the stories are by members and they show what life is like and what people are like everywhere.

I'm going to do my usual and say a bit about each story in turn. There are 34 so this may take a while!

1. The River - Rebecca Lloyd (one of the Editor's of the collection)

Sweet, very sweet, very touching and also very spooky and eerie. Wasn't totally sure if I liked it in the beginning but thinking about it in retrospect, you feel very different about it. Or at least I do anyway.

2. Boston Brown Bread - Liesl Jobson

Absolutely cracking story! You can see the real life in it, a family situation that I am sure most people can relate to, or imagine! The son is just amazing and provides a couple of very comic moments.

3. All for just fifty baht - Joel Williams

Sad, just so so so so so sad! I don't know if it is meant to be, but I found it really sad. There was hope but it was so false. Impressive how so much emotion can be created up in only 2.5 pages of a book.

4. Rock Fall - Indira Chandrasekhar (one of the Editor's)

Totally brill story and really thoroughly enjoyed it! No idea what was going to occur and you were lured in to a false sense of security. Then boom, it all explodes!

5. Signs of Redemption - Tara Conklin

I like the southern dialect used (as usual big dialect fan). Story about love and freedom and slavery. It was nice.

6. You're Dead - Tom Remer Williams

Didn't really know what to make of this story. The initial school set up etc was a tad alien to me as it was a boarding school etc. But I bloody hate bullies so it did invoke an emotion in me.

7. The Doe - John Bolland

Didn't really get down with this one. Too pretentious for my liking!

8. The Wedding Fair - Sarah Hilary

An essence of the ground hog life was very present in this story, as well as an essence of not really being who you want to be and living the life you want. It was normal and tragic.

9. Big Sister - Shola Olowu-Asante

This story reminded me of Harmattan and it also made me a little sad. If you are a big sister or a mum watch out.

10. Missy's Summer - Oonah Joslin

Oh god, another sad one, really really really sad!!

11. White Horses - Stephen Tyson

I am afraid that I once again didn't really get the point of this story and it seems like it is a story that is trying to make one. Sorry!

12. Manic - Juli Klass

Bloody loved this one! Tiny quick look at mental health and who is really mad!!! Brilliant. Was fantastically located by....

13. Passport - Sarah Leipciger

.....which is another madness focused story. Thoroughly enjoyable but so alien at the same time as the family set up and dynamic is so far beyond my realms of experience.

14. There's Nothing I Can Do - Katie Mayes

Gorgeous story! I knew from the beginning what it was about and the POV but I will not spoil it for you here!

15. Shuttered Landscape - Fehmida Zakeer

Sad story of a life unlived! However, it is always sweet when people relate stories to objects, songs, clothes, smells etc. One of the things I love in life!

16. Soda Lakes - Liesl Jobson

I liked it and I didn't. Made me think of The Boy because he is in to rowing. The science bits and water treatment bits made me think of work....well I was in work reading it.

17. Places To Go And People To Meet - Lisa Marie Trump

Why oh, why are the stories mainly sad?! Yes there is a little joy in this one and there is real happiness for the characters but it all ends so tragically.

18. Raptor - Rebecca Lloyd

Ok, it has taken me a while but I have noticed that the stories are clumped together in themes...well at least I think. I think this one is about love and a bit of obsession! I liked it! I particularly enjoyed the fact that you saw things from two perspectives.

19. Mother's Not Home - Jennifer Walmsley

Could see what was happening from the offing. Very nicely written though and very simple. 

20. Adoration - Indira Chandrasekhar

The tragedy of obsession and fallen idles and celebrity all in one fell swoop. Some may call me cynical so I bloody enjoyed every word of this one!

21. Rabbit Cake - Emmanuella Dekonor

This story made me think about loneliness. It was sad and I think the ending could have been a bit different...or maybe it was alluding to what I think....hmmmm

22. Hollows - Stephen Tyson

Throws a hit of childhood at you, friendships, love, fallings out. It is angst of a 12 year old in one neat bundle. 

23. Fallout - Trilby Kent

Love and relationships and snotty neighbours and race and it was great. Bit of humour thrown in there too which I enjoyed thoroughly!

24. The Undercurrent - Clayton Lister

Sad and upsetting story and rather unsettling and horrid in parts. But well done indeed.

25. Lovefm - Sarah Hilary

Another one to love and so bloody creepy with it! No real idea what was going on until the story told you. Thoroughly enjoyed.

26. Breakdown - Vanessa Gebbie

Hmmmm, we are defo in the death section! DEFO!! However, this story didn't do much for me, I wasn't very fond of it.

27. Some Game - Sarah Leipciger

I couldn't really take this story as seriously as I think you are meant to because of the London, wide boy, gangsta speak. Also, the events were not that shocking as you read things like that in the papers around here all the time. Maybe someone in another country would get more out of it and there would be a greater impact.

28. The World's End - Andy Charman

Good old being afraid and unkeen on progress! Gotta love the familiar theme. Brotherly love and contrasts also played a role. Also, set in the proper olden times and a date is even given...the others in this collection do have a sense of time but I am not always 100% sure.

29. Matilda And The Missing - Caroline Robinson

This story was short and OK. Didn't blow my mind but I didn't dislike it either!

30. Stealing Their Churches Behind Them - Trilby Kent

Race and culture clashes in one story, I enjoyed the two POVs, good once again.

31. Hunter's Quarry - Dee Weaver

I kinda think I missed the point of this story. Could see it as a longer one though.

32. City People - Shola Olowu-Asante

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Loved the whole thing as it gave you a whole proper picture and some character studies too!

33. The Fixer - Joel Williams

A very sweet story but also creepy. I did like it but it gave me the shivers and reminded me of mental ex boys.

34. Sofia The Beautiful - Mary Farquharson

This made me feel both sad and happy. A very bitter sweet story but very beautiful none the less.

Happy Reading!

Book Geek

:-)