Carl V.
12/31/2013
Readers know a book is special when it grabs them and won't let go; when that final page is turned and they are awash with emotions. An exceptional short story collection is extra special in that it can give you several of those experiences back to back, leaving you with feelings of joy, anger, sadness, delight all rolled into one.
If the name Carrie Cuinn is not one you are familiar with, that would not surprise me. Although she has been writing for some time, she is not one of the big names… yet. This collection is the match that could set things on fire. I promise you it will spark your imagination as it demonstrates in a variety of ways just how effective the short story format can be at eliciting emotion and at making you look at real, important issues in a new light.
Carrie Cuinn is obviously a big fan of the short story and her quest to become proficient in the format is on display in these nine stories. You won't love every one, that is a tall order for any selection of short fiction, but you will find stories that demonstrate just how effective the short story can be at engaging you as a reader. There are interesting characters, imaginative scenarios, adventures, laughs and potentially tears awaiting you in Women and Other Constructs. Carrie Cuinn entertains, to be certain, but she also tackles some tough subjects with the skill of an author who can use the tropes and trappings of SF/F/H to examine hard truth in a non-preachy yet highly effective manner.
My full review can be found here:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/07/short-fiction-friday-women-and-other-constructs-by-carrie-c