Things That Fall From The Sky (2003) - Plot & Excerpts
Very Short Review: "Apples" and "The Jesus Stories" are worth the price of admission alone.Short Review: A decent collection. I checked the book out of the library and immediately purchased it after reading "Apples," "The Jesus Stories," and "A Day in the Life of Half of Rumplestiltskin." I loved all of these, will reread them numerous times, and don't feel like saying much else about them because they're still to close to me. Though I will say that I'll always think of "Apples" whenever I heard the word betwixt. Just beautiful. But the rest of the stories fell flat for me - though they might appeal to some. To me his stories (besides the aforementioned ones) tend to have a quietly disconcerting feel to them - well, "quietly" might not be right. I'd say "vaguely" is better. They feel a little vague, a little sad. A typical character is not someone who is lost, unsure, alone, full of longing - it's more like they are vaguely lost, vaguely unsure, vaguely hopeful. And I don't really get into that. It feels like a certain type of current day writing to me; gauzy, muffled, hurt, reaching out (but only vaguely). It's McSweeny's and Dave Eggers. It's NOT, as some blurbs said, like Ray Bradbury or Flannery O'Connor. Especially not O'Connor. Describing her work, she said: “To the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind you draw large, startling figures.” Brockmeier's work is not stark, startling, or shouting - they are more dreamlike. Which is fine, but I don't really care to read about dreams. (On a sidenote, the only time I remember really liking it was in Raymond Carver's short story "Dreams;" he tends to give me a sense of place, and of moments within those places, but I didn't get that as much with Brockmeier.)Other Notes: Every now & then Brockmeier gets a little pocket of observation just right - like Katherine's feeling like the library was underwater, or laying in bed and "her bedroom seems to widen with light, and the quiet, steady motion of it makes her think of golden fields of grass, drifting in long waves in the breeze," that are serene and that I can immediately identify with. They seem poignant as if they should be used to close out a story, but he just sprinkles them throughout, which takes away their significance in a way, but also maybe makes them more real - makes them feel like sad wishes...
Brockmeier is a dreamy writer, and I have a low tolerance for preciousness, so I began each story hesitantly. He never convinced me with a first line that the story would be more than fluff. But almost every time, he proved more grounded than was initially let on.His strengths are in taking what might be a forced gimmick and giving it substance, like the idea of the sky pushing down to the ground, and in writing from a child's or childish point of view. Attempts at age, wisdom and some kinds of grief fall somewhat flat, and in depicting the lonely middle-aged, Brockmeier does stray a bit into what feels like Miranda July territory.The writing is very good, and his similes and descriptions are precise and perfect."These Hands," "The Ceiling," and "The Passenger" were my favorites.
What do You think about Things That Fall From The Sky (2003)?
Would give this 3.5 stars if I could. I like Kevin Brockmeier a lot -- his writing is so clear; I like how he mixes fantasy and reality without going off the edge of being a sci-fi writer at all; somehow, though, something about these stories is a little *too* unassuming, a little too clear, not quite enough punch in the stomach. I did particularly like "The Ceiling" and "A Day in the Life of Half of Rumpelstiltskin." Beautiful writing, beautiful ideas, still wanting more impact, if only from one story.
—Claire
After reading "The Ceiling" in an anthology of short stories, I felt compelled to pick up the collection it came from. In some ways this was a mistake--Brockmeier's other stories have difficulty living up to that first impression. Some of them do, but some were a disappointment.Of the 11 in the collection, I would say 3 were top notch. I thoroughly enjoyed "Apples", "The Ceiling", and "The House at the End of the World". The fact that I didn't love some of the other stories doesn't really surprise me, though. Fairytales and the accompanying parts are an important theme of the collection which isn't really my cup of tea.Ultimately, though, the thing that first drew me to Brockmeier prevailed through the collection--his artful descriptions and ability to pick up on the little things that happen in life. Throughout the book I found myself stopping and reading over sentences or paragraphs as I admired his word choice and literary style.That is why I gave the collection 4 stars. The plot was often not that appealing to me, but it was incredibly well written and an enjoyable read throughout. I would recommend the collection (or at least some of the stories) to everyone.
—Barrett King
A varied collection of short stories, carefully crafted and light of touch. If nothing else, a real pleasant alternative to many recent collections I have read in that there is no graphic violence, no sex, no profanity, and no irrational cruelty. I didn't know that was possible any more. But it's more than that; a number of these stories are poignant and touching. Mr. Brockmeier's protagonists often reveal themselves as innocents and earn our admiration and respect, and his perceptions of the world they inhabit are acute. As must be expected in any such collection, not all the tales are up to the mark, but most are. Recommended.
—Al
